Industry becoming more gender neutral
Anmol Gill, Brand Manager, Bacardi India is enjoying being in alcoholic beverages sector where in she has learnt to execute business as an entrepreneur, with a founder’s mindset.
Anmol Gill is an out and out Fauji child. Her father was in the Army and she travelled with him to every nook and corner of the country, including vacations spent at LOC with special permissions. She studied in various schools, both private and public, and that gave her a perspective of varied lives, outlooks, challenges, but largely of acceptance and adaptability. Her mother has been an educationist with specialisation in Kindergarten education. “And my younger brother has been my lens to what can be done disruptively,” she adds with a smile. She says, “I followed the traditional overdone academic combination of engineering and MBA.” Recalling her first job, she informs it was a summer job as a promoter girl at Toyota Workshop to sell service packages! “I was in senior high school and I solely took up that job then to get some money to buy an extra pair of jeans. But the learning went a long way; my biggest lesson from that summer job was ‘What is your pitch?’ “And that still stands strong in my personal and professional life,” expresses Anmol.
She began her career with Bacardi as Assistant Brand Manager, Super Premium White Spirits with Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire in the portfolio. “I was at that point working for the luxury marketing division of L’Oreal and one fine day I got a call from Bacardi,” she recollects.
Parents were excited
Her parents were very excited when she landed the job at Bacardi. “Doesn’t the mention of Bacardi transport you to a very happy land of beach, song and dance,” she chuckles. She presently looks after the marketing and strategy for Brown Spirits portfolio of Bacardi, for India and South-East Asia. The portfolio has amazing brands like Dewar’s, William Lawsons and some amazing malts like Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Deveron, Royal Brackla, and Craigellachie.
Growing with Bacardi
Anmol says her company has given her a great platform to grow. “It has helped me learn and execute business as an entrepreneur with a Founder’s mentality. Bacardi has a lot to do with shaping me into a well-rounded marketer and business person that I am today.” She has experienced many empowering moments during her course of journey with Bacardi. “Every time I exceed my self-perception of doing a certain task — exceeding fitness goals, work goals, parenting goals; these become my empowering moments.”
Changing Perception
She says she has heard a zillion times that the alcobev sector is for men, but this erroneous perception has shifted dramatically in the last half a decade. “There are more women in the alcobev industry as stakeholders, and outside as customers and consumers than ever before. The target audience definition has also now changed from male/female to being more gender neutral and more specific to a type of psychographics,” explains Anmol. Talking about growth opportunities, she remarks: “Heineken USA has announced their first woman CEO. We are only limited by our beliefs and by our willingness to succumb to stereotypes.” What she dislikes about the industry is that in certain parts of the country, liquor is still seen as a taboo. She manages her home and work with ease and élan. “With a business to manage and two little girls, it is packed!! I am constantly juggling jobs. A kind of juggling, which I have mastered by default now — between meetings, brand updates, strategy planning, last minute maid cancellations, doctor appointments, kid’s annual days, and a gazillion other chores. It is the deadly combination of I have to do this and I want to do this,” she proffers.
