So Eric, what do you love most about working with Rémy Martin?
Three Things:
One - The state-of-mind of the teams and the values of the brand : being held by a family allows
you to think long term, to be true to who you are and to be very demanding in everything that you do. This is
essential in a high-end business.
Two - The unique taste profile of our products. Cognacs have a style. And RM notably. Our wines
come from the grapes of the Petite and Grande Champagne crus, at the very heart of the cognac region. Their
singularity is that they take longer to age but they age very beautifully, offering a unique length and a unique
aromatic complexity to our products.
Three - I like the idea that our products will survive us, that we are all one link in a long
chain.Our mission : transmit to the next generations what we inherited from the previous
ones.
You’ve taken the brand through great collaborations in the past two years, how do you pick what
designers and brands you work with?
Same as in fashion. The matter is not only to collaborate with designers for the sake of it and
for PR purposes. It has to be meaningful to the brand and to support our messages. We are lucky enough to be
attractive enough for creative people and the way we approach them really varies as it is all about connections,
whether they are direct or not.
What did you learn whilst you were working at Christian Dior and LVMH and how have you put this into effect at Remy
Martin?
At Rémy Martin, we are willing to put the client at the heart of everything we do. Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton
sell their products through their own stores. They have a great client culture. I acquired a certain retail
expertise that is very useful in my new assignment considering our strategy and our will to be client centric.
How would you describe your personal style?
Joker here. You should ask the teams. But for sure passionate and energetic in all I do. I cannot
do my job nicely if I am not passionate and proud of the products I contribute to.
What five accessories/items could you not live without and why?
Running shoes as I need to exercise for a better life balance. A book to
read, ideally about history, a notebook where I can write my poems and a picture of my four women (my wife and my three daughters) as I travel a lot.
And unfortunately my mobile phone as I hardly disconnect from work.
Where would be the best place to sip a Rémy Martin cognac (in the
world)?
There is not one best place. And I would rather focus on moments. And there are many. For instance
XO is a great product to enjoy with close friends when you have enough time to enjoy it. It can be on ice or neat,
but I prefer it neat. It can be at home or in a nice cosy bar as well as in a trendy place for instance. But you
might want to drink it on your own sometime, as a treat to yourself…
Your campaign ‘One Life Live Them’ invites guests to reveal their ‘inner talents’ – what would
you say your inner talent would be and why?
I am not sure it is a talent. But our campaign invites people to live larger lives, to fulfil
themselves in living their passions. So I would say a passion more than a talent. And like most people, I have many
passions. Probably the most surprising one for someone like me is poetry, as I like to write a sonnet every week,
whose topic can vary depending on the mood. I even wrote a poem for my teams to wish them a happy new
year.
What do you enjoy most about Cannes film festival?
Of course the glamour of Cannes is fascinating and it is interesting to see that it attracts many
lifestyle brands, whether they are in fashion or not. Cannes is so aspirational! The cinema industry and its
numerous stars are very inspiring and make people dream. What I personally enjoy most? Watching a great film in the
presence of the actors and the film director! This brings a big amount of additional emotion… Meeting business
partners in beautiful surroundings such as the beach, the palaces, hidden restaurants in the hills of
Cannes….
What did you think of the Pedro Almovodar film ‘Julieta’ we previewed at Cannes?
I really liked it. A rather sad story, especially in the context of Cannes, but a very powerful
one. Women are at the heart of the story like in most PA films, and I must say the actresses are playing very well.
Now I was surprised as it was much more “sober” than previous PA films I had seen. Which I think made the story even
stronger and which contributes to the beauty of the film.
Who would you say is your favourite director/film maker and why?
I can’t answer really. I would say I am more into stories and actor’s performances than really a
specific director. I have favourite films and actors/actresses, more than favourite directors. For instance, I am a
big fan of John Malkovich, who recently performed in the 100 years campaign of Louis XIII.
Finally, what would you say makes a ‘Rakish man’?
His shoes! I am a big fan of Maison Corthay, for instance. And of course his refined drinking
preferences
