CEO MONTHLY Ι GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2024 21 gin de France, made from grapes with unique botanicals such as vine flowers. G’Vine was a revolution in the premium gins category, and by demonstrating it was possible to become a leader with innovation in a sleeping category then, it ignited the gin craze and creativity we witnessed in Europe since 2010.” In 2013, Jean-Sé bastien became a member of the Gin Guild, which celebrates excellence in gin distillation, and was founded in London by the Worshipful Company of Distillers, incorporated by Royal Charter in 1638. In 2015, Jean-Sé bastien won the Best International Business Performance prize, awarded by the Cognac DCF (Dirigeants Commerciaux de France). In 2016, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Charente Libre newspaper. In 2021, he was invited into Gin Magazine’s Gin Hall of Fame, which recognises outstanding contributions to the world of gin, and he was the first French person to be honoured in this way. Jean-Sé bastien’s creations have received over 400 accolades globally, including nearly 130 gold medals, averaging at more than one medal per month over the last 20 years! The international success of Cîroc vodka and G’Vine gin is reflected by both achieving podium positions in their respective categories. Excellia tequila was awarded a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and was deemed “outstanding” by Difford’s Guide (2010). La Quintinye Vermouth Royal was named Best French Red Vermouth in the World in the Ultimate Beverage Challenge Guide (2016) and was awarded the Chairman’s Trophy, as well as joined the Top 100 Spirits in the World list in the 2022 Ultimate Spirits Competition. Jean-Sé bastien’s incredible success is nothing short of inspiring and it’s easy to see how he and Maison Villevert have come to receive so much prestigious recognition. Thus, what is his secret sauce? “Narrative and storytelling are key, honesty and transparency are paramount to building a trusted brand,” he reveals. “We must be confident in our belief and principles to share them with others. I often say to my team that durable brands rely on three pillars: Signature, Consistent Quality, and Interaction with Consumers. In our case, the signature is me and the team I trained; consistent quality is ensured by our impeccable production facilities and raw material producers’ network; and interaction with consumers is structured around our distribution networks.” “Inspired by my family’s role in the history of Cognac, I have always been keen for Maison Villevert to portray the 500-year history of spirits in France from the times of King Franç ois I to the present day. Villevert Manor dates back to the 16th century, the Celtic Whisky Distillerie is based in a 17th-century farm, and Domaine du Pé rat’s origins are in the 17th and 18th centuries. In Saintes, on the banks of the Charente river, Grosperrin Cognac’s cellars date back to 1851, while Adé ona, the group’s distillation, production, and bottling hub was built in the 21st century. These impressive heritage sites welcome visitors and showcase French expertise in creating outstanding spirits.” Not only have Jean-Sé bastien and Maison Villevert made quite the impact within the premium spirits industry, but also with their social role and involvement in the local community, as he says, “We’re able to do what we do because of those around us.” Maison Villevert also commits hyper-locally via the organisation, Spirits Valley, the name of which directly refers to the geographical area of the cities of Cognac, Angouleme, and Saintes, the home of many different spirits for more than 300 years – including 50% of today’s super-premium spirits. Recently elected as President of the association, JeanSé bastien comments, “I’m proud to be an ambassador for Spirits Valley by ensuring the promotion and recognition of the exceptional know-how of this unique territory.” Ultimately, Maison Villevert has been on quite the journey so far, which hasn’t come without its pitfalls, doubts, and failures – but with the utmost resilience and passion, it has smashed through the glass ceiling time and again. The future is looking incredibly bright, and the company is aiming to reach €200 million turnover by 2030. JeanSé bastien states, “When considering aspirations, I am inspired by Romain Rolland, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915 and said, “When you dare, you are often wrong. When you don’t dare, you’re always wrong.” So, how could Jean-Sé bastien possibly build upon his own staggering success? “Maybe the question is more about achieving your dreams. And, of course, there are different definitions of success; a version I commend includes the notions of having, doing, being, knowing, and sharing. For me, “being” is important. I rate that highly, as you can have “succeeded” by learning to know yourself and truly being. And sharing is really important, too. I try to do that on a daily basis through my management model, which includes profit-sharing schemes for our employees. And, by no means least, Maison Villevert is very much about “doing”.” Company: Maison Villevert Contact: Jean-Sé bastien Robicquet Email: js-robicquet@ maisonvillevert.com Website: www.maisonvillevert.com
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