International Graduate Programme
My experiences on the International Graduate Programme in Spain gave me the confidence to work proactively, make decisions independently, approach new bars with ease and build an extensive network from scratch.
This is invaluable in my current role where I manage 350 bars around Scotland.
I have to offer each bar a package which meets their business needs, style and goals, and having worked extensively with all sorts of venues in Spain, I am able to quickly detect which kind of products, activations and brand visibility elements would work best for them.
I’m home based and only meet the Pernod Ricard UK team once a month, so time management, organisation and proactivity are essential – all skills I learned as an Ambassador in Madrid.
After completing the two year programme in Spain, I moved to London as a Marketing Associate for Beefeater and Plymouth Gin brands globally.
This provided an insight into how each country differs in terms of the way the brands are enjoyed and promoted.
Each step with the company has taught me lots about how the bigger picture fits together and I continue to learn lots every day.
The Chivas Brothers International Graduate Programme provided me a with a wealth of experience, working across both whisky and gin categories, in Poland and the United Kingdom.
As Chivas Regal Ambassador in Warsaw, I was responsible for both consumer and customer facing activations which included conducting tastings and trainings as well as strategically planning events. Building an online profile and developing a social media strategy was also central to the role. Additionally, I inputted into the brand plans during the budget planning process.
For my third year I obtained a Marketing Associate position with The Gin Hub in London, who are responsible for the global marketing of Beefeater, Plymouth Gin, and Malfy.
I worked across strategic global marketing projects including POSM (Point of Sale Material) development, social media, innovation and acted as the Gin Graduate Ambassador Liaison. I then progressed to the Market Activation team, where I was responsible for looking after several of my own markets. I coordinated the budget process with these markets ensured their commercial aims were consistent with the global vision of the Gin Hub.
The learned a wide variety of skills during this time and after eight months into my third year role I was promoted to Assistant Brand Manager.
I joined the Chivas Brothers International Graduate Programme as the Brand Ambassador for Plymouth Gin, based in Madrid. My experiences on the programme, from the initial 5 weeks of training my final year working as a Marketing Associate, allowed me to achieve my current position as an Assistant Innovation Manager.
The initial training laid the foundations for understanding the production of whisky and gin and gave me a great insight into the company and its culture. When I arrived in market I was ready and raring to go!
As a brand ambassador I worked between the sales and the marketing teams, focusing on brand education and experiences. From this, I developed an array of skills such as project management and attention to detail. The most important skill I developed was the ability to think outside the box and offer creative solutions, and this was the crux to securing my current role.
I returned to the United Kingdom for my third year where I worked as a Marketing Associate on the Chivas Regal global brand team. I gained experience in innovation by working on the drink strategy and creating a new product, which launched in Australia earlier this year. I also worked on brand experiences, creating a new experience for markets to bring to life locally and also updated the brand home consumer experience, ‘Strathisla Distillery – home of Chivas’.
The experience I gained and skills I developed during the three years of the programme helped me secure a position within the Global Innovation Team, a role which encompasses working on new brands and creating new SKU’s within our Scotch whisky portfolio.
My experience on the International Graduate Programme has taken me from the UK to the Dominican Republic and finally to the USA. Learning the nuances of different business cultures and their approach to finding solutions in a professional environment has been an eye-opening experience for me. It has allowed me to thrive in my role as a Brand Specialist for Aberlour Single Malt Scotch in Chicago. Currently, I help manage small sales teams and conduct brand education sessions for consumers and trade.
I moved from working on Chivas Regal in the Caribbean to representing Aberlour alongside the startups and tech giants of Silicon Valley. Spending time with these businesses gave me an appreciation for the work ethic and office culture of high-flying business models, and contributed to my enthusiasm and interest in making things work within my own career. This has encouraged me to pursue further professional development in a commercial setting.
Now, armed with business and leadership skills, I am able to manage my own time working from home to organise and execute a city-wide brand plan as part of a national scheme to grow and develop Aberlour.
Looking forward, I feel empowered by the challenges that I’ve faced in the Graduate Brand Ambassador role and know my ambitions will only grow in the years to come. Experiencing different markets, different ways of working and different ways of communicating has made me feel confident in my abilities as a businessman and negotiator.
The experiences that I’ve gained from the programme in the form of travel, business planning and the implementation of those plans means that for my career, the only way is up.
Defined by experience
Every Chivas Brothers' graduate has a unique story to tell. But they've all experienced moments that have defined them as professionals and as people.
Our People
The journey starts here
Our International Graduate Programme turns you into a Brand Ambassador and sets you on an inspiring journey. It’s a solid foundation for a lasting career.
The Programme