In the second edition of the new ‘TR Talent Pool Profile’ series, TRBusiness speaks to multi-linguist and DF&TR veteran Joanne Willey about her more than two decades’ experience in the industry. She has journeyed across the beauty and confectionery categories, enjoying tremendous doses of success – and having fun – along the way.

 In July, TRBusiness and Bluedog Productions announced the creation of the ‘TR Talent Pool’ Initiative, helping the travel retail industry grow during unprecedented levels of upheaval for its workforce. We continue to support those who have lost their jobs as a result of the global pandemic with this new series, shining a spotlight on individuals that this industry simply cannot afford to lose.

Can you tell us about how you first entered travel retail and those early years in the industry?

It was purely by chance! In early 1995 I was working for the French cosmetics company L’Oréal in the corporate PR department. I had studied French, German and Business at Newcastle Polytechnic, having been drawn to languages, especially French, from a very early age.

In the days when there were no online search engines, I happened to walk past a job agency window and saw a card advertising for a French-speaking promotions assistant for a locally based company. I was ready for a change, so I applied and got the job. The company was Pernod Ricard, or more specifically the recently formed travel retail division, World Brands Duty Free (WBDF). Since then, I have never left this amazing industry.

The early days were all about hard work but a lot of fun and camaraderie, especially when you worked for a spirits company!  I can say that many of my good friends today were colleagues from WBDF. The team was from all over the world and we all got together for annual conferences etc in some amazing places such as Château de Cognac, or Speyside and Irish distilleries. This is not to mention trips to Kentucky and Havana.

My first Cannes was in 1996 and it was exciting, glamorous and exhausting all at the same time. The WBDF stand overlooked the marina and had a terrace, so every day there were non-stop top level meetings and product presentations.

One particular early Cannes memory was being asked to organise a farewell event for the late Phil Cushway in a beautiful villa up in the hills above the town. The whole of travel retail royalty would be attending, so the pressure was enormous.

It all went smoothly on the night but hadn’t been helped earlier in the day when the manager of the villa, while we were in full preparation mode, insisted on closing up and asking us to leave, so that he could have his two-hour lunch break!

How have you developed your career since first stepping foot into the industry?

I progressed at WBDF to account management and was mainly based in the UK office covering continental Europe. At one stage I was based in the Paris office managing Aelia, Aldeasa and Nuance/Lojas Francas de Portugal.

In 2004, a former colleague Steve Brock asked me to join him at the duty free division of Cadbury and my travel horizons literally broadened. My remit not only included Europe, but also key account management in the Middle East and India/Sri Lanka. I remember one hair-raising trip driving with a Beirut-based colleague over the border to visit a customer in Damascus. Not something that could be considered now.

In 2010, Kraft Foods (now Mondelēz International) purchased Cadbury and for a year I was Acting General Manager. During that time I was involved in ensuring that the transition of our business was a smooth process and this meant trips to Zurich once or twice a month. It was a steep learning curve, as in addition to my regular sales role I was also responsible for the existing Cadbury team who were based around the world.

Latterly, I worked at Diageo GTME and was responsible for the Heinemann distribution business. I was part of the team based in Hamburg and although I was only there for a relatively short time, I enjoyed the experience. I’ve spent the last five years at gift tin company Churchill’s Confectionery where I was Global Travel Retail Manager, but due to the current circumstances my role was made redundant at the end of October.

You have the benefit of having a rich vein of experience in multiple categories, from beauty to liquor and notably confectionery. Professionally, what have been your highlights and how have these shaped your approach to business?

I am most proud of the work I did in the Middle East during my time at Cadbury. Previously, duty free retailers were managed from the local domestic market.

I was asked to take over and was instrumental in increasing our market share significantly. I arrived and I listened. I was able to identify and solve issues. I was from the industry; I knew how it worked and what customers were looking for.

That was an important thing I learned – it was about being there and really understanding what the customer wanted. Many people know that we are one big happy family in travel retail, more than many other industries I know.

I also knew many people who were based in the Middle East and those contacts were important to getting the job done successfully.

Another project I took great pride in while working at Cadbury was helping to develop an exclusive product for British Airways’ on-board retail. BA wanted an offering from the iconic British confectionery company, but not something that could be found in DF&TR or in the domestic market.

We were a relatively small team, so it was all hands on deck. I was involved in the sourcing of the chocolates, design of the packaging and ensuring that it met the financial price points we were all looking for. Cadbury Luxury Selection was launched and stayed an exclusive on board for two years. Sales were incredible – a definite success story.

What sector of the industry interests you the most and what role would you be most suited for?

I have extensive experience working in the liquor and confectionery categories, but all categories in this dynamic industry such as luxury goods, accessories, beauty or technology also appeal. I have primarily worked in account management but having done PR/communications/event management, I could add value if I were involved with one of our important travel retail organisations.

I speak fluent French, my German has the potential to become fluent again and I speak conversational Spanish and Italian. Most of my career has involved travel and I am more than happy to be considered for an international role.

In your opinion, how must the travel retail industry ‘adapt to survive’ during a year of unprecedented loss?

We know that the airport environment will need to see significant changes. Identifying how passenger perceptions have changed this year will be key, as will analysing consumer attitudes. Travellers of course need to be assured that they are travelling safely.

We will all possibly be asked to get to the airport even earlier than we did before. So that means that the airport should become part of the trip and not just a means to get to a destination. If people arrive airside having been through a swift security and health check-in they will be in the right frame of mind to make a purchase.

Communication of promotions will need to change too. Gone are the days (for now anyway) when you can taste chocolates, sample spirits or try on perfumes. I think digital and technology will play a much more important role than ever before.

This could include communicating offers to travellers at the point of booking before they have even left the house. I know I’m echoing many comments from my travel retail colleagues but a joined-up collaborative effort is what is going to count now more than ever.

Finally, tell us about your role with Women in Travel Retail (WiTR)?

I was delighted to be asked two years ago to join the steering committee of Women in Travel (WiTR). WiTR was established in 2006 by a group of female executives from the travel retail industry keen to provide a forum for the industry’s women.

As well as offering a platform for networking, WiTR has emerged as one of the industry’s strongest advocates of charitable giving, supporting a variety of projects from Haiti to Africa and China, with a strong focus on helping children and young adults.

The current project is ImpactHK, which supports homeless women in Hong Kong where females on the streets, as in many other cities, are particularly vulnerable and susceptible to abuse and attack.

In 2017, WiTR became a registered entity and has a membership service offering benefits such as private members’ area access, WiTR member database, travel tips, well-being advice and resources, unique data and research, a dedicated jobs board, industry communication and newsletters, networking forums and fundraising support.

Joanne can be contacted at: [email protected].

To read the first edition of the TR Talent Pool series featuring Jonathan Corbett, click here.

Interested in getting involved with the TR Talent Pool series? Contact: [email protected]; [email protected]