The Chivas Leadership Programme, in collaboration with Absa, Cell C and FNB, incorporates a professionally-run series of monthly power-speaking seminars aimed at current and future South African business leaders. The programme, conceived by the Chivas South African marketing team, identified that while the brand’s primary target market are being fast-tracked into corporate leadership, there is an area vital to effective leadership where they need more up-skilling, that of powerful public speaking.

The Chivas Corporate Leadership, launched in July 2011, is presented monthly at the Hyatt Rosebank Hotel by the leading professional public speaking consultancy, The Voice Clinic. The Programme involves each of the three corporate partners sending eight employees a month to these seminars, the delegates having been identified by their training departments as future leaders. All the seminars conclude with a Chivas tasting for the 24 delegates and a networking dinner at The Grillhouse in Rosebank.

The Pernod Ricard Europe Premier Marketing awards ceremony took place at a gala dinner in Paris on 23 February. Wayne Merris, marketing manager of Chivas Regal in South Africa, who received the award at the dinner, enthusiastically commented: “From the outset of this Programme, Chivas and our corporate partners’ faith in its success has been endorsed by the enthusiastic and positive response of the delegates. Being honoured with this accolade at the Pernod Ricard Premier Marketing Awards is the supreme endorsement and we all look forward to the ongoing success of this Programme.”

The Chivas Corporate Leadership Programme now goes into the nomination for a finalist position in the group’s Global Best Practice Awards, with the eventual global winner being awarded the coveted Pernod Ricard Group Marketing Grand Prix at the global conference in France in April.

Pernod Ricard is the world’s co-leader in premium spirits and wines. The companies leading brands include Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky, Jameson Irish Whiskey, ABSOLUT Vodka, The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Olmeca Tequila, Red Heart Rum, Havana Club Rum, Malibu, Beefeater Gin, Martell Cognac, Ballantine’s Finest Scotch Whisky, Kahlúa Liqueur, Pernod, Ricard, Long Mountain wines, G.H. Mumm Champagne and many more.

Image caption: Wayne Merris, marketing manager of Chivas Regal in South Africa (right) receiving the Pernod Ricard Premier Marketing Award for the Chivas Corporate Leadership Programme in South Africa, from Martin Riley, Pernod Ricard group marketing director.