Pollen Projects has announced the appointment of Claudia Schubert as chair of the non-alcoholic business’s board of directors.
Schubert (below), who was formerly the president of Diageo’s North America division, is also a non-executive director of Australian wine group Vinarchy, director of the board of trustees at The Culinary Institute of America and a senior advisor at Boston Consultancy Group. She spent 23 years at Diageo, joining as VP of marketing & innovation in 2002.
Between 2019 and 2024, Schubert also sat on the board of Diageo's former accelerator programme, Distill Ventures - which invested in, and eventually bought a controlling stake in, Seedlip, the non-alcoholic brand launched by Pollen Projects’ founder, Ben Branson.
Commencing operations in 2023, Pollen Projects now has two brands: non-alcoholic bitters Seasn and aged non-alcoholic spirits mark Sylva (main image).
“Building a brand is a journey,” said Schubert, who started her new role this week. “The right capabilities, relationships and network are critical as you grow, and that’s where I hope my experience can add real value to Pollen Projects.”
Pollen Projects CEO & former Seedlip COO, Emma Wykes, added: “Claudia saw the potential of this category incredibly early. She combines a deep understanding of consumers and brands with the experience of building businesses across markets.”
