Rémy Cointreau has followed last month’s divisional restructure with the release of ‘RC Forward’, a five-pronged approach to put the brand owner in control of its “value creation momentum”.
The plan, announced today (8 April) by CEO Franck Marilly, is backed by a redesign of the company’s senior executive structure to include a steering committee within the executive committee. The moves hope to not only “regain momentum in [Rémy Cointreau’s] markets” but also to “maximise the potential of its brands”.
Five priority areas have been identified by Marilly, since he became CEO in June last year:
- “Strengthen the efficiency of the distribution network – Refine route-to-market strategies in order to expand reach and capture untapped growth opportunities
- “Increase value creation through enhanced Revenue Growth Management – Refine the approach to product, pricing, formats and promotions in order to optimise value generation across all channels
- “Maximise the impact of A&P investments – Better allocate resources across brands, optimise the media mix and focus every investment where it generates the greatest desirability and value
- “Optimise procurement – Structure a global approach to direct and indirect spend in order to unlock additional resources in support of growth,” and
- “Simplify to accelerate execution – Evolve the organisation, clarify responsibilities, streamline decision-making processes, strengthen the performance culture and unlock teams’ energy.”
In addition to last month’s foundation of a ‘Prestige Division’ to oversee the Louis XIII cognac and Telmont champagne brands (along with the Maison Psyché line of five cognac-inspired fragrances), a new region has been set up. ‘Emerging Markets’ will consist of an unspecified number of “high-potential markets” and will be overseen by Ian McLernon, who has been promoted from CEO of Europe, Middle East, India & Africa, Asia Pacific (ex greater China) & GTR, a post he has held since late 2022, to become group chief markets officer.
McLeron will also sit on a steering committee of five executives, joined by CFO Luca Marotta, whose position will be augmented by the newly-created deputy CEO role, chief operations & CSR officer Melanie Bulourde and chief HR officer Clarisse Petit. Another newly-created role, that of chief brands officer, will be filled “at a later stage”.
FInally, a brace of “cross-functional” positions have been set up; Douglas Taylor, the CEO of Rémy Cointreau’s whisky & gin operations, will also head up the ‘innovation lab’ that “will … explore and analyse consumption trends and new growth opportunities, with a purely end-consumer-oriented approach”, while China CEO Sophie Phe will oversee the ‘executive lab’, “dedicated to accelerating execution speed and the implementation of certain transformation initiatives across the group’s activities”.
“After three years marked by a complex environment, it is time for Rémy Cointreau to stand out within its industry,” said Marilly. “RC Forward Plan aims to give us the means to generate our own value creation momentum and thus become less dependent on macroeconomic cycles.
“Our ambition is clear: To sustainably improve profitability in order to generate additional resources to reinvest in growth.”
The company is scheduled to report results for the three months to the end of March – the final quarter of its fiscal 2026 – on 30 April. For the year-to-date, sales sit 1.9% down on the corresponding nine-month period a year earlier after Q3 came in up by almost 3%.
