Interview
New Brown-Forman MD rises to the challenge EVELINE ALBARRACIN JOINED BROWN-FORMAN AS MANAGING DIRECTOR ANZPI IN JANUARY AND HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, TACKLING THE DUAL CHALLENGES OF THE BUSHFIRES AND COVID-19. Words Alana House Albarracin, who was previously Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, for Nestle Skin Health, has higher education qualifications in Business Management and Physiology & Pharmacology and a passion for inclusive leadership. Albarracin’s mandate is to manage and direct Brown-Forman in ANZPI to build its brands within all markets. Here, she explains how her role has pivoted and evolved in the four months since her first day on the job, how she’s navigating the current environment and her pride in being a role model for women in the drinks industry and beyond. What are you enjoying most about joining the drinks industry? I am enjoying the diversity in our industry and find the people are personable, motivated and results driven. Brown-Forman is an amazing organisation to be part of. I appreciate the culture of respect and responsible drinking, as well as the company’s history, culture, and values given the company turns 150 this year. I love working with – and personally experimenting with – iconic brands including Jack Daniels and our portfolio of premium brands such as Woodford Reserve, Gentleman Jack, Herradura just to name a few. I have challenged myself by moving from a completely different industry, but have found my skills to be transferable, particularly leadership attributes that are the same, whatever the industry. It’s been a challenging time for the drinks industry since you commenced in the role in January – have there been highlights too?
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The ability to be able to shift quickly to mobilise teams, motivate our people with a vision of hope, combined with a positive, can-do attitude to get through all situations together, have definitely been highlights. The industry globally has gone through many crises over the years, including prohibition, impact of 9/11, tariff wars and now COVID-19. We will push through this and weather the storm, which will attest to the strength of our brands and people. The resilience and strong capability of our people to come together and do what is needed has been amazing. Our brands are trusted and the Brown-Forman team has continued to engage directly with our customers and consumers. We have assured them we will support them during the tough times and assist them to rebuild. How is Brown-Forman supporting the on-premise? In this very difficult time for our industry, we have extended our hand of friendship to bartenders by sending ‘Friends of Jack’ packs which include a meal voucher and a selection of some of our Jack Daniels finest whiskeys. We have offered a tool to support friends of Brown-Forman called Sanvello, a premium app designed to support mental health and wellbeing. Our focus and energy to enable our people to drive and deliver on new initiatives arising from these crises has made me proud to be part of Brown-Forman. These have included supporting our on-premise partners with innovative ways to continue to connect and engage with their customers, as well as offering online training programs for our employees and our on and off premise business partners,
focusing on both upskilling and strengthening product knowledge. We have also provided broader support to our industry by supporting on-premise industry charitable causes including HelpOutHospo, which has also been endorsed by key players in the industry including Matt Moran, renowned chef and restaurateur. This not-for-profit organisation has set up a portal through which consumers can pay a donation to watch videos in which chefs and bartenders teach the public how to put together their signature dishes and drinks, with the money going into a fund that will assist hospitality workers. How has COVID-19 pivoted your leadership? Leadership during adversity is constant, so I have seen this situation as a leadership challenge that I have risen to. COVID-19 presents an opportunity to mobilise, lead and empower teams to overcome challenges together. With challenges are opportunities and Brown-Forman needs to be ready and poised to work through them to drive outcomes, particularly where we may not have expected them to occur. Our CEO Lawson Whiting meets with our Global Crisis Management Team daily to ensure we stay on top of the COVID-19 situation, keeping the business informed with staff top of mind and our values at the forefront of all our decisions. In a recent first-ever virtual Board meeting, there were comments made by the board that Lawson shared with the business. Here is one that illustrates the strength of Brown-Forman over its 150 year history: “I knew Brown-Forman was in rarefied air in
