Pernod Ricard has implemented organizational adjustments with the aim of enhancing efficiency and enabling swifter decision-making, reflecting the aspirations of the owner of Jameson whiskey.
The French wine-and-spirits conglomerate, set to release its annual financial results on August 31st, has reorganized its executive team structure and refined its approach to categorizing its geographical divisions.
Pernod Ricard stated that these adjustments would not only enhance overall efficiency within the company but also foster a heightened closeness and responsiveness to the rapidly evolving global market.
The firm, which also encompasses brands like Beefeater gin and Mumm Champagne, is substituting its executive board with a nine-member executive committee.
Among its fresh members, the committee will feature Ann Mukherjee, the CEO of North America, collaborating with group chairman and CEO Alexandre Ricard to steer the company’s operations.
Philippe Guettat, currently serving as the chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard Asia, and Gilles Bogaert, who presently holds identical positions for the company’s EMEA/LatAm division, will assume new positions within the committee. Guettat will take on the role of executive vice president for global brands, while Bogaert’s new responsibility will be as executive vice president for global markets.
Maria Pia De Caro, Pernod Ricard’s global director of operations, joins the executive committee as another fresh addition. She became part of the company at the beginning of the year, transitioning from her previous role at frozen-food group Nomad Foods.
Pernod Ricard has restructured its approach to geographical management as well. The regional divisions encompassing Asia and EMEA/LatAm have been eliminated, a move aimed at expediting execution and decision-making across all levels of the organization, as stated by the company.
The group has decided to place all its markets into ten “management entities, ensuring critical scale and fostering mutualisation”.
Mr Ricard, who has been at the helm since 2015, said, “In an increasingly complex and volatile environment, I am confident our new organisation will allow us to successfully move to a new stage of sustainable, stretched, and profitable growth, benefiting to all our stakeholders.”
Christian Porta, a seasoned Pernod Ricard veteran with over thirty years of service, is stepping into retirement. His recent role was as the managing director overseeing global business development.
Asked about the overall impact on jobs, a spokesperson added, “The idea is to adapt our governance. The removal of the two small entities in terms of headcount of Pernod Ricard LatAm and Asia is not material. It is not a financial cost exercise. The aim is to support the group’s ambition with a simplified organisation, to align structures and accountabilities across all functions.”
