'To Attain Grand Status, A Brand Must Be A Luxury Player Globally'

Simon Hunt, CEO of William Grant & Sons, says the success of a company is defined by its pioneering attitude and that consumers demand authenticity and qualitywhen it comes to spirits

- Paramita Chatterjee

William Grant & Sons, the world’s third-largest Scotch whisky maker, turns 130 this December. Its CEO Simon Hunt says the secret family recipe and attention to detail makes its signature brands like Glenfiddich single malt, Grant’s blended Scotch, The Balvenie single malt Scotch and Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt enjoy the status they have acquired today. Hunt, 46, has been with William Grant & Sons since 2007. He initially served as managing director, North America, before being promoted to chief commercial officer and then CEO in March 2016. During his recent visit to India, he spoke to Forbes India about the legacy of the brand, why innovation is key to the company and how it’s an entity with an eye on the future. Edited excerpts:

Q William Grant & Sons has a lineage of over a 100 years. How has it evolved and what has remained unchanged?

William Grant, the founder of our company, spent nearly 20 years working in a distillery before he set up his own in Scotland, with help from his family. Along with his sons and daughters, he built the Glenfiddich distillery and on Christmas day in 1887, they distilled the first drop of Glenfiddich. I am excited as it will be the 130th anniversary of the company this Christmas. Since its launch, the business has grown from strength to strength. William Grant set out to make the best dram (a small shot of Scotch); that underpins a lot of things that we do within the business. We are now five generations in [the business] and still privately held; we have a consistent history and an authentic story. We operate differently from many other companies—we take a long-term view because of the business we are in. In other words, a big part of our DNA comes from the fact that we plan way in advance. For instance, the Scotch whisky that we make now may be served only 40 years later.