No.2 Worldwide Producer of Wines and Spirits Creates High-End Business Unit For A More Sustainable Bar Scene

Pernod Ricard Group Announces a New Business Unit For High-end Experiences.

@Pernod Ricard Group

As part of its Transform & Accelerate strategy powered by the ‘Conviviality Platform’, Pernod Ricard, the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits, announced last week the creation of a new business unit. Its objective is to scaleup and expand geographically its existing direct-to-consumer and niche B2B businesses as they approach a mature stage of development, and to pioneer new innovative services and products to meet and anticipate consumer demand for exceptional experiences.

From 2 November 2022, Pernod Ricard will bring together The Whisky Exchange, Drinks & Co and Bodeboca into this new BU to accelerate the substantial progress made in recent years.

This new entity will operate as an autonomous business unit within Pernod Ricard reporting to Alexandre Ricard and we are pleased to announce the appointment of Nicolas Oudinot as CEO, who brings an impressive background in luxury, digital and innovation. “I am thrilled to join Pernod Ricard in order to drive the transformation of the industry under the leadership of Alexandre Ricard,” said Nicolas Oudinot.

In a context of strong demand for high end products and e-commerce growth in the wine & spirits industry, this new organization illustrates the tangible business impact of Pernod Ricard’s digital acceleration and transformation strategy and will enhance its competitive advantage in the distribution of premium+ spirits and wines, and related experiences.

Nicolas Oudinot has 20 years of experience in the luxury industry and strategy consulting. A graduate of Ecole Centrale Paris, with an MSc in Engineering, he began his career with The Boston Consulting Group, where he spent almost a decade serving primarily luxury and consumer goods clients across multiple countries.

In 2013, Nicolas joined the Kering Group as Projects and Strategy Director of Saint-Laurent, then of the fashion division of Kering, before transitioning internally to Gucci, where he was appointed Strategic Initiatives and Business Development Director in 2015. Over seven years, in a context of very fast growth of the brand, he evolved within Gucci to occupy the role of Chief Digital Business and Innovation Officer and then EVP New Businesses and CEO of Gucci VAULT.

Pernod Ricard partners with ecoSPIRITS to develop a more sustainable bar scene

Iconic Pernod Ricard’s brands Absolut, Beefeater, and Havana Club join pilot program to reduce waste and carbon emissions across Hong Kong and Singapore bar scene

Pernod Ricard, the world’s second largest wine and spirits company, is partnering with ecoSPIRITS to pilot an innovative closed-loop distribution system in Hong Kong and Singapore. Joined by the company’s iconic brands Absolut Vodka, Beefeater London Dry Gin, and Havana Club Rum, this partnership is the first of its kind for a global brand portfolio and will help reduce waste and carbon emissions resulting from the production and transportation of glass bottles and other secondary packaging.

This move strengthens Pernod Ricard’s position as an industry leader on sustainability. In 2019, the Group launched its 2030 S&R roadmap ‘Good Times from a Good Place’ which directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and addresses all aspects of the business, from grain to glass.