Passionate about wines
Being French, it was not unconventional for Anna Maury, Assistant Manager – Wines, Pernod Ricard India, to join the wine & spirits industry. She feels that working in the wine business offers excellent opportunities to learn more each day and simultaneously grow in the career. She is currently busy launching a new brand from Nasik called ‘Indiosa.’
Anna Maury grew up between Brittany, Paris (France) and Geneva with parents who are particularly passionate about sailing. Her brother has in fact become a marine professional. Wine is one passion that is entrenched in the family and that drove her career. She started high school near Geneva in a boarding school, and went back to Paris to enroll in a university and seek independence. University education took her to Germany where she studied languages and political science; but finally, she chose a career in food and wine marketing. Her foray into spirits & wine industry began with her MBA in Marketing, with a focus in food and wine, which took her to the chocolate industry. It was actually a concept store involving a restaurant, pastry/chocolate workshops and a chocolate/pastry boutique. “This was a world very close to wines where I got to meet people and experience & learn more about wines,” Anna shares. The company, which operated the chocolate concept store, was four-year-old at that time. There she got to show her entrepreneurial and passionate spirit. “The tenure at the store gave me a different set of understanding and values. I learnt meeting the needs of the client, creating a brand universe and providing new culinary experiences. I also took part in the restaurant/gastronomy competition… I also learnt perseverance, I would say,” she avers. As for her parents’ reaction she says, “I am French, wine is part of our culture.”
Currently with Pernod Ricard, Anna is handling marketing of the company’s wine portfolio in India for Jacob’s Creek (Australia), Campo Viejo (Spain), Brancott Estate (New Zealand), GH Mumm (France) and Indiosa (India). It involves building brand awareness & equity and activating the brands via events, through conventional & digital media.
Emerging Market
Throwing light on how Pernod Ricard India has contributed to her growth, she says: “In an emerging market like India, where the wine category is also booming, this brings an entrepreneurial feeling within this worldwide company. This is a great opportunity and brings a new learning experience for me every day, whether it is about marketing or understanding consumers behaviour.” She animatedly shares her empowering moments. “It happened recently when I went to Campo Viejo, in Rioja, in Spain for a conference to meet our colleagues from different wine markets. The feeling of belonging to a community that drives growth in our category all over the world and the feeling of being appreciated for what I do in India makes me feel needed and important.”
Gender Bias
Talking about the alcobev business being men’s domain, she observes: “In France, wine business has long been dominated by men. However, the scenario is constantly changing. Once I was at a wine fair talking to consumers and the fair manager came to me saying: ‘Oh, I was expecting an old man doing the job’ (very clichéd!). Though perceptions regarding wine business have certainly changed all over the world, I would say there is still a lot of work to be done in this regard.” She suggests that women who wish to make their career in the alcobev sector need to be perseverant and it is more up to the industry to recognise and acknowledge that the society is changing and show open-mindedness. She says she manages to strike a work-life balance by taking care of herself, and her achievements. Anna who worked with two companies (Brindco & Pernod Ricard India) in India says it is her biggest achievement to clear all the hurdles of immigration processes as foreigner and come to India to work. Her mantra for life is: “Be happy, find the balance!”
