It was not easy to do well
Manmeet Kaur, Commercial Marketing Manager, William Grant & Sons, says many females have joined liquor companies in India’s alcoholic beverages industry during the recent years, and are sticking to the industry because of the gender diversity directive that most liquor companies have embraced, which is giving fair chance to flair and talent, irrespective of gender.
An MBA in Marketing, Manmeet Kaur was born and brought up in Delhi. Her parents are retired government officials while her sister resides in the US. She is blessed with a son named Kabir. Before entering the liquor industry in 2001, she had the privilege to work with Hyatt and Intercontinental during the initial days of her career. Her job in the Intercontinental helped her imbibe the discipline that hoteliers possess. Sharing about how her parents reacted to her joining the spirits industry, she says: “My family was comfortable but when it came to telling people about the industry I work in, there was discomfort. But that was then. Today the scenario is different and you see intrigued voices when you say that you are part of the ‘Spirits Industry’.”
With William Grant & Sons
Her role at William Grant & Sons as the Commercial Marketing Manager – Indian Sub-continent region, is in the Global Travel Retail domain. “At William Grant & Sons we are defined by our history and are inspired by the future. Our values shape the way we work together and living the values is one way of helping us achieve our vision. They give all our employees across the globe a common framework for guiding how we act, do business and make decisions,” she says. In William Grant & Sons – GTR (Global Travel Retail) family, she adds further, “diversity at work is an art of working independently together”.
No Longer a Man’s World
She says this is not true anymore that this industry is men’s domain. “In fact, it is often discussed amongst female associates that how this mindset that liquor industry is run by men or dominated by males has changed,” she observes. Saying it was not easy to do well in her job, but she was determined to excel. She explains: “During the recent years, many girls in India have joined liquor companies and are
sticking to the industry because of gender diversity directive that most liquor companies have embraced, by giving fair chance to flair and talent.”
World of Spirits
Giving her perspective on what she likes and dislikes about her sector, she says: “I like how this industry connects and networks across continents; making it a liquor world within itself. If you stick to this career choice/industry for very long then there are very less chances that you will be able to change the industry,” Manmeet opines. While sharing about her goals, she says, “It is happy and healthy living”, and in the same breath she talks about how her parents have been her true mentors. “I adore my parents for the principles and values, which I still receive from them, which help overcome everyday challenges in life; making life easy,” she elaborates. Talking about how she strikes a work-life balance, she adds, “If your family’s support system is strong, work is managed very easily.” And speaking about her biggest achievements, she signs off saying: “My best is yet to come.”
