EUROPEAN MANAGING DIRECTOR TAKES

ANDS WELCOMES ITS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE, MARY CARMEN ORDÓÑEZ, WITH THIS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW.

Words: Oliver Smith

A Spanish and Mexican citizen, Mary Carmen is a lawyer by training, holding three Masters’ degrees in different areas of Law

She comes with 23-years-experience at Philip Morris International (PMI), where she held several positions including Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Assistant General Counsel Litigation, Assistant General Counsel European Union and Vice President and Associate General Counsel, LATAM and Canada.

Now based in Switzerland, we caught up with Mary Carmen on just her second day in post.

You’re the first female lawyer to be at the helm of a major vape business - what’s the significance of this and how do you feel about the opportunity?

“I am honoured to be here and was flattered that Fadi, the President of ANDS, has opened the door to a more diverse workforce in the vaping sector.

“Not only am I a female and a mother, but I come from a mixed cultural background.

“Diversity is crucial to modern day business success as it allows a business to reflect and serve successfully the broad base of consumers that are out there today.

“Working in the tobacco industry previously I can bring perspectives from a sector that has gone through similar issues to that faced by vaping today, including addressing youth up take and the environmental impact.

“Also, the industry has to show utmost responsibility, if policy makers are going to put their faith in vaping to help them achieve their smokefree targets by 2030.

“This means that the industry, from top to bottom, has to be compliant and law abiding in everything it does.

“As part of this, we need to do everything within our power and collectively as an industry to root out the bad boys.”

How can vape businesses lead by example when it comes to compliance?

“The winners will be those who invest in a holistic approach to compliance covering product quality checks at point of manufacture, pre-market and when on the market.

“I will certainly be drawing on my track record in compliance to ensure ANDS can be the best it can be in this vital business area.”

You have worked for one of the largest and most established companies in the world, so why did you join ANDS?

“I have been incredibly impressed by the growth of the business in just three years.

“In that time ANDS has established a very significant market share in two Middle East markets, which is a phenomenal achievement, especially considering the company was formed a week before the pandemic started.

“ANDS’ growth is also a reflection of the huge and positive development that we are now seeing in the Middle East.

“Such change is making the world a more equal place and I want to be part of the company’s success that supports this.

“And of course, the significant growth opportunities that there are in Europe, which I will heading up.

“It’s great to be part of a business that is so determined to help smokers transition away from combustible cigarettes.”

What are your plans in Europe?

“Our plan is to get our feet firmly on the ground in the UK, where we have opened our new offices in Mayfair London and to use this as a springboard into European markets where the population of smokers is significant.

“These include the likes of France, Germany and Spain.

“As with the UK market, our main targets will be convenience and specialist retail as well as supermarkets and the travel retail sector.

“By growing our European presence we hope to achieve our significant growth target of becoming a $500m business in the next three years.”

Where do you see the future of vaping?

“I see a lot of consolidation in the marketplace taking place over the next decade.

“We now have a proliferation of small operators who will not be well placed financially to keep up with the added regulation that is likely to come the way of the vaping sector.

“I am an optimist and firmly believe that one day in our lifetime that cigarettes will be off the marketand vaping has its part to play in ensuring that is.”