AN INTERVIEW WITH EVP INTEGRATED OPERATIONS AND S&R
Maria Pia De Caro
At Pernod Ricard, we believe there is potential inside everyone. It is about enabling them to embrace their potential and shine, so we can collectively succeed. Together, we are powerful beyond measure.”
Wine storehouse Maison Lillet, Podensac, France
Q : What is the role of Operations at Pernod Ricard?
A : Think of the human body. If the business is the flesh and muscles, Operations are the nervous system, carrying information to the right place at the right time, to implement the best decisions. Operations at Pernod Ricard spans across six critical areas. The first is health and safety, making sure that people and assets are safe. The second is sustainable business, ensuring that our operations and products are sustainably run and designed. The third - and the backbone of our business - is our supply chain, which includes planning, logistics and customer service. The fourth area is procurement, encompassing direct spend (dry goods, bottles, ingredients, etc.) and indirect spend (media, advertising and promotion, etc.). This is the engine that fuels growth. The fifth area is manufacturing and engineering. Our 100 manufacturing units across the world - which include some 40 distilleries and 60 bottling or distribution sites - are instrumental to ensuring we are agile and efficient when it comes to the delivery of our products. Lastly, research, innovation and quality allow us to design superior quality products in a sustainable way whilst protecting our brands and reputation.
In the end, it’s all about people - the entire Operations team is united around one common purpose: we unlock potential.