Bacardi Global Travel Retail (GTR) has announced the creation of two new regions with effect from 30 May 2022. The company said the move signalled “its brand building and commercial ambitions in global travel retail”.
Bacardi GTR Asia Pacific is a new region created to focus on the emerging Chinese traveller across Asia. It will also drive recovery in the Pacific in recovering markets like Australia and New Zealand, said the company.
The region is headed by Gaurav Joshi, a highly experienced member of the Bacardi Global Travel Retail senior leadership team, who will relocate to Shanghai when conditions permit.
Since joining Bacardi in 2007, he has worked extensively across Asia travel retail markets, first in India and more recently in Hainan. During this time, said the company, the profiles of Dewar’s Scotch whisky and single malt Aberfeldy have grown strongly in these markets. In 2018, Joshi joined the GTR leadership team, helping to drive “impressive activations” on Bombay Sapphire and Dewar’s.
Bacardi GTR India, Middle East & Africa (IMEA) is a new region aimed at developing opportunities with the Indian and African traveller. It will be led by Alexey Babin who joins GTR from his previous role as Marketing Director for Russia. A graduate of the University of Miami Advanced Leadership Program, Babin has significant experience with emerging market consumers. He will be based in Dubai.
Both Joshi and Babin reported to Bacardi Global Travel Retail Managing Director Vinay Golikeri. He said: “Bacardi is deeply committed to global travel retail as a strategic, brand-building channel for our business. China, India, Middle East and Africa have individual, distinct dynamics that each require dedicated leadership in order to maximise the long-term opportunities we see.
“The evolution of omnichannel in China is unique and requires its own strategic focus, and this will benefit from Gaurav’s expertise, building on his stellar experience. Meanwhile, we are accelerating our ambitions in India, the Middle East and Africa. These exciting yet complicated geographies will benefit from their own dedicated leadership under Alexey. This new regional structure is indicative of Bacardi’s investment in the strategic potential of travel retail in emerging markets and I am delighted to have such strong individuals to lead these teams.”
