02.11.2019

From Miami, to New York, to London, and then to back to Miami, Frenchman Rémi Brabant—Area Manager for Travel Retail in Latin America, the US East Coast and the Caribbean­­­—eagerly embraced international opportunities during his 12+ years in our Group.

Your career path?
I was working with a small cognac brand when Rémy Cointreau hired me to be the LOUIS XIII Ambassador for the region in 2006. For me, it was like going from selling Ford to Rolls Royce. I worked for two years in Miami, and then transitioned to Rémy Cointreau’s New York office, before heading to London and back again.

Your current role?
As an Area Manager for Rémy Cointreau Travel Retail in the Americas, I am responsible for our brands in my territory: Latin America, the US East Coast and the Caribbean. My task involves securing volume, generating profits and achieving budget within my zone, as well as developing our brands’ image.

What is your travel schedule like?
I work in Duty Free Travel Retail, so fifty percent of my time is spent on the road. There 90 airports in my territory. You can find me from the northern border of Canada to Tierra del Fuego (extreme south of Latin America). There are lots of places to visit! For example, I can arrive and spend an entire morning in the airport. In the afternoon, I can jet off to another airport for meetings, and then head elsewhere.  After airport tours and afternoon meetings, you go out to dinner with clients to discuss business. It’s very fast-paced, but I love the rush.

Best professional memory?
Last year we had our global GTR meeting in Abu Dhabi. For our team-building activity, we were tasked with building a go-cart out of cardboard and wood. After three hours working together, we took the cart on the Abu Dhabi Formula One race track, and our team won the race!

What else do you love about your job?
I enjoy interacting with people, traveling, discovering new cultures. I thrive on the action and fast-paced rhythm. Some people find it exhausting to constantly go from one place to another, but I find it entertaining. I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.

Why spirits?
I am from the Champagne region, so I knew about wine. I used to help harvest grapes in the Beaujolais region when I was a student. It seemed fitting that I would work in the business.

What distinguishes Rémy Cointreau?
It doesn’t feel like 12 years; it feels like just yesterday, because my role has evolved every few years.

Rémy Cointreau’s values—terroir, people and time—also really touched me. Authenticity speaks in the spirits business. I like our size and think it’s really strategic. Everyone knows our CEO, and we’re too small to be political. At some of the larger companies, you have to do a hell of a job, but also know the right people. At Rémy Cointreau, it’s just important that you do a hell of a job, and the rest will follow.