William Grant & Sons, an independent, premium spirits company, has built an iconic portfolio over the years. With powerhouse brands like Glenfiddich, Grant's, The Balvenie, Tullamore D.E.W., Drambuie, Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, and Monkey Shoulder, the company has established itself as a leader in the spirits industry. Operating with over 2,600 employees across 48 global locations, William Grant & Sons has continued to grow and innovate in an ever-evolving market.
But as they looked to drive further brand growth, they faced a crucial challenge that required fresh thinking and a unique leadership approach.
The Challenge: Building Leadership to Drive Brand Growth and Innovation
As a market leader, William Grant & Sons recognized the need to expand their leadership team with a highly specialized role. They needed a visionary leader to pioneer growth and innovation in a new space. This leader had to combine expertise in customer exploration, proposition development, and commercialization, a role with a truly diverse skill set that was hard to find.
While consumer experimentation, digital marketing, design thinking, and agile frameworks are each valuable in their own right, the complexity of combining these areas into a single role was a big ask. The company needed someone who could operate at the intersection of all these domains to propel their vision forward.
TALENT NEEDS: A LEADER WITH MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE
The William Grant & Sons team, led by the Head of Special Projects, Global Insights & Analytics Leader, and in close collaboration with the Talent Acquisition team, had a clear vision of what they needed. Together, we co-created the role profile that highlighted their priorities and pinpointed the required skill set. But identifying the right candidate required more than just ticking boxes—it required looking beyond traditional boundaries to source a leader who could drive innovation across various dimensions of the business.
The ideal candidate had to possess experience in:
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Consumer experimentation and insights to deeply understand customer behavior.
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Proposition development to translate insights into actionable strategies.
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Design thinking and agile frameworks to foster creativity and adaptability.
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Digital marketing to connect with today’s fast-paced, tech-savvy consumers.
The challenge was that no single role would typically cover all these areas. We needed someone with broad expertise, but also with the energy, mindset, and experience to make an immediate impact.
THE SOLUTION: A LEADERSHIP HIRE WHO DELIVERED IMPACT
This is where Bamboo Crowd stepped in, delivering a tailored, consultative recruitment process that perfectly matched the requirements. We didn’t just focus on filling a position; we focused on bringing on a leader who would drive innovation and growth for William Grant & Sons. Our deep understanding of their culture, vision, and goals enabled us to identify a candidate who checked every box, not just in terms of skill set, but also in terms of cultural fit.
Our solution:
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Candidate Screening: We leveraged our extensive network and market intelligence to present a carefully curated shortlist of highly qualified candidates, ensuring each one matched the criteria for both technical expertise and cultural alignment.
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Comprehensive Evaluation: We facilitated a rigorous evaluation process, using in-depth interviews, personality assessments, and scenario-based exercises to ensure the candidates not only had the necessary skills but also the adaptability to thrive in a dynamic, growth-driven environment.
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Collaboration and Communication: Throughout the recruitment process, we kept all stakeholders—William Grant & Sons leadership and the candidates—closely aligned, ensuring that both sides had clear expectations and insights.
The result? A visionary leader with expertise across all the desired domains, ready to take on the challenges of driving innovation and growth for William Grant & Sons.
“Bamboo Crowd clearly differentiated themselves by taking a truly consultative approach. Authentic, friendly, enthusiastic and a positive force in recruitment”
- Global Head of Consumer Experimentation + Design
IMPACT: DRIVING REAL BUSINESS CHANGE AND GROWTH
In just a few months, we successfully placed a Global Head of Consumer Experimentation + Design—a dynamic leader with the right mix of creativity, strategy, and business acumen. This hire has already made an impact, driving forward key projects that bring the company's vision to life. The leadership team at William Grant & Sons is now positioned to execute their ambitious goals, with a leader capable of connecting consumer insights, design thinking, and agile innovation to fuel growth.
Our collaboration with William Grant & Sons didn’t just stop at a successful placement; it reinforced how critical it is to have the right leadership to steer the company through periods of transformation. Together, we’ve helped them lay the groundwork for sustained growth and market leadership in the evolving global spirits market.
READY TO BUILD A TEAM THAT CAN DRIVE INNOVATION LIKE WILLIAM GRANT & SONS? FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW TO GET STARTED
If you're facing similar challenges in building high-impact teams that drive growth and innovation, Bamboo Crowd is here to help. Just like William Grant & Sons, you need the right people to bring your bold ideas to life.
Fill out the form below to start a conversation with our team and let us help you identify the right leaders and innovators to fuel your next stage of growth. We can’t wait to help your company stand out and achieve its vision.
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