Viewpoint
KRISTY RYAN Head of Sales, Australia WILLIAM GRANT & SONS AUSTRALIA
IT’S BEST TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS OF KRISTY RYAN WITH A COFFEE IN REACH. SHE’S QUICK-WITTED, STRAIGHT DOWN THE LINE AND ISN’T AFRAID TO STICK TO HER GUNS. William Grant’s vision to become one of the world’s great distillers started way back in 1887 as he and his extended family built the Glenfiddich Distillery by hand, brick by brick. Six generations later, William Grant & Sons distributes brands to 200 markets and the company employs 2800 people internationally. One of those is Kristy Ryan, head of sales for Australia. However, she didn’t rise to the top by resting on her laurels. She was born and raised in Sydney and her introduction to the alcohol industry in 2008 was not through spirits but wine. Her first day as the national account executive for Woolworths at Hardy Wine Company would teach her to stay fast on her feet to succeed. Just 24 hours later, Hardy’s became Constellation Wines, reflective of the industry’s ever-changing nature. Ryan held onto Woolworths when she took a position with William Grant & Sons as national account manager two years later before taking on a role within William Grant & Sons global travel retail business in 2012, which could take her beyond the limits of Australia - reporting into Singapore and looking after Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific & Thailand. For a short six months after 4 years and a half of eye-opening travel, Ryan set her sights on a career change with Nestle, but William Grant & Sons’ general manager Colin Rochester had other plans for her. “I was talking to Colin about coming back within three months of being at Nestle. You could say the lure of the industry pulled me back,” Ryan said. “I think we are lucky to work in liquor. It’s got an art to it that you can’t experience in many other industries: the passion we have for our brands, the stories behind them, the fact that you can see where the ingredients come from, how they are produced, meet the makers and see the final product consumed in a bar or someone’s house.” Ryan is described as a rising star in the Australian drinks industry and hangs her reputation on her customer-focused approach and results. “My style has always been fast-paced and honest. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the only thing that has changed is the conversation, so I’ll be honest about what we’re experiencing with COVID-19 as much as I was pre-COVID-19 and will be after. As long as you’ve got trust with your partners you’re going to learn and win together,” Ryan said.
12 drinks trade
