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Emily B.
Wine Brand Ambassador - Dallas - USA
International graduate Programme Pernod Ricard Winemakers Graduate Programme

About Emily

Key Experiences

Traveling Oregonian in pursuit of wine exploration
Born and raised in the Willamette Valley, Emily is a native Oregonian and was raised on the same red-clay volcanic soils that make Oregon ideal for growing beautiful Pinot Noir. Wine grabbed her attention and curiosity at a very young age, and Emily’s career in the wine industry began at Sokol Blosser Winery. During Emily’s tenure at Sokol Blosser, she served as Cellar Club Manager, developed an internal phone department for outbound sales and played an integral part in the opening of the winery’ s new experiential tasting room. Emily’s experience working in sales and marketing for one of Oregon’ s pioneering wine families catapulted her across the world.

In January of 2015, Emily moved to Adelaide, South Australia to earn her Graduate Degree in a Master in Business Wine from the University of Adelaide. During her time in Australia, Emily gained experience working in the tasting rooms for Penfolds at their Magill Estate, along with a small boutique producer in the Adelaide Hills called Scott & La Prova. In addition to her Masters coursework, Emily earned her WSET Level II Award in Wines and Spirits. In 2016 she transitioned to work for Aus Craft Wine, an Australian import/export distribution company as their Marketing Communications Assistant, along with tending bar at East End Cellars, a wine bar and specialty bottle shop in Adelaide’ s CBD.

At the end of her Masters coursework, Emily moved to Hong Kong to gain experience in the Asian wine industry. While writing her Masters thesis on Asian wine consumption habits, she interned with The Flying Winemaker, an innovative marketing and PR wine business as their Marketing and Operations Intern. While in Hong Kong, Emily studied and earned her WSET Level III Award in Wine and Spirits and became a member of the Women of the Vine & Spirits Alliance. Emily completed her Masters in Business Wine degree with high marks at the end of September 2016. Most recently in October 2017, Emily passed her Introductory Court of Master Sommeliers exam.

In October 2016, Emily joined Pernod Ricard as a Wine Brand Ambassador and experienced an intensive 5-month training process traveling to Pernod Ricard’ s wineries and international headquarters in Spain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. She spent time working with the winemaking teams during harvest, along with the marketing departments to truly become the brand expert on each of Pernod Ricard’s wines. Emily has been exposed to all facets of each wine brand and winery, and is equipped with the knowledge to share all aspects of Pernod Ricard wines. Now, based in Texas, Emily represents the still and sparkling wines in the Pernod Ricard USA portfolio and supports the Dallas and Fort Worth market

Current Position

I work as an ambassador of Pernod Ricard wines in the Dallas market
As a Brand Account Specialist, I serve as the ambassador for Pernod Ricard wines. I am the key source of brand related knowledge for all of the wines in the Pernod Ricard portfolio to the Dallas market - both internally to Pernod Ricard employees and externally to our distributor. I work to educate our distributor teams not only about our wine, but also our portfolio offering (pricing, incentives, market opportunities) while building relationships with accounts and key buyers to grow Pernod Ricard's market share. I am an integral part in creating, developing and maintaining relationships with key individuals and accounts in order to make Pernod Ricard wines top of mind amongst our chain of distribution. In addition to my responsibilities in the Dallas market, I serve as a direct contact for insight into the U.S. wine market for Pernod Ricard Winemakers.

Main Motivations

Variety of day-to-day tasks, never-ending learning and brand education
My role with Pernod Ricard is the first of its kind in the United States market. To be part of a new role in new markets is exciting - and an exhilarating opportunity to impact the business in a most strategic and meaningful way. As a Graduate Wine Ambassador, no one day is the same, and there is no routine to my work. The variety and variance requires me to be flexible and understanding in a variety of working environments. A career in the wine industry requires a great deal of curiosity and openness to continue learning, as wine evolves just as much, if not more, than individuals. As a Pernod Ricard Wine Ambassador, I have the opportunity to be the face of the company, representing our brands directly in the market with key influencers. I am the communication gateway between the company's strategy and our international marketplaces. I am have a great deal of autonomy in my day-to-day routine and work independently, while still knowing I have a strong group of peers, colleagues and superiors who I can turn to as a resource and for support.

Top Advice

Be firm in what you want and be determined to get exactly that
Pursuing a career can be an intimidating pursuit. It should not be thought of as a task, but a lifelong objective. You need to be sure in what you want to do, so that you can be confident in putting all your efforts and work towards obtaining it. You may need to try a few different positions until you discover what exactly it is that you want to do, and while you're on that part of your journey, be sure to keep a log or journal of what you do and don't like, and what you are looking for next. In your pursuit of a position with Pernod Ricard, be sure to exude your confidence in a refined and respectable way. Know that you will need to articulate yourself in a professional and personable way, because you will need to commit to both a professional and personal lifestyle if chosen to work with the company. Never be too serious and take every new opportunity to meet and connect with new people as a cherished opportunity.

Greatest Achievement

Applying brand knowledge in my brand education in market
At this stage in my tenure with Pernod Ricard, I am most pleased to have applied the brand knowledge I gained during training to my brand education opportunities in market. I am the go-to for my Texas team when it comes to facts about our wine brands, and I am glad I can share all the nuances and minute details of each wine when the situation arises. I continue to learn how to leverage this knowledge in driving sales and creating successes for our distributor team.

Discussions with Emily

Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 8,558 million in 2014/15. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier- Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 80 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

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