Press release
Pernod Ricard establishes a Chair of
“Management of prestigious brands” at HEC School of Management
Paris, November 16th 2007
Patrick Ricard, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard and Bernard Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC
have signed a partnership agreement to create a Chair of “Management of prestigious brands”.
For Pernod Ricard, the creation of this Chair is an acknowledgement of its expertise in handling
prestigious brands. The Pernod Ricard Group owns an extensive portfolio of brands that are
synonymous with elegance and sophistication and are steeped in culture and heritage.
This Chair confirms the Group’s intention to strengthen its historic links with HEC, a School of
Management with an international focus and a multicultural environment. Additionally, Pernod
Ricard is a member of the Board of Directors of the HEC Foundation and has relied on the
School since 1992 for its Marketing and Finance training seminars.
Academic responsibility for the Chair will lie with Jean-Noël Kapferer*, an HEC Marketing
Professor. His work will include the following:
- research development,
- case study preparation,
- publications in internationally renowned journals,
- curriculum development with Pernod Ricard.
Pernod Ricard will finance the Chair for a period of five years.
“The partnership agreement between HEC and Pernod Ricard is perfectly in line with our
intention to reinforce our expertise in prestigious brands and to provide international career
opportunities to graduates from all backgrounds who share our values: conviviality and
simplicity, entrepreneurship, integrity and commitment”, Patrick Ricard stated.
According to Jean-Marie Hennes, President of the HEC Foundation, “The founding of this chair
fits with the HEC Foundation’s mission: to bring together the academic, student, and business
worlds”.
Bernard Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC, is pleased with this new chair. “After having been
partners for a long time, Pernod Ricard and HEC are going further in their desire to work
together in creating the management education of tomorrow.”
* Jean-Noël Kapferer,
A graduate of HEC, a holder of a DES in Economics and of a PhD from Northwestern University (Chicago,
USA), Jean-Noël Kapferer is a marketing Professor at HEC (Paris), where he is responsible for
consideration and research on brand issues. He strongly contributed to making companies aware of the
capital that brands represent for them and of the consequences of this fact on brand operational
management. He has written several books on communication and brands, which were extensively
translated and published worldwide. He regularly publishes his analyses and research in academic and
managerial publications. Jean-Noël Kapferer is also a brand strategy consultant and speaks at
managers’ seminars and international conferences on the ever-changing modern brand management
issues.
About HEC
Founded in 1881, HEC Paris produces ideas and leaders that shape the world of business.
HEC Paris offers a unique portfolio of executive education and graduate management programs: HEC
Grande Ecole (Master of Science), 20 Specialised Masters, MBA program, Executive MBA, TRIUM and
PhD. HEC has a permanent faculty of more than 100 professors along with 90 visiting and affiliate
professors from the most prestigious universities around the world.
For more information: www.hec.fr
The HEC Foundation
The HEC Foundation is made up of over 45 international companies who support HEC’s ambitions,
participate in its strategy and favour a direct link between the worlds of business and academia. For
businesses, becoming a partner of the HEC Foundation is a unique way to benefit from privileged
contacts with students and professors, and to contribute to HEC’s development. The partnership could go
further into teaching and research, developing poles of research, or founding a Chair. Currently HEC has
over nine Chairs funded by: Accor/Air France/SNCF, Apple, Atos Origin, Deloitte, Groupe Caisse
d’Epargne, Renault, SFR, Toshiba, and now Pernod Ricard.
About Pernod Ricard
Created by the merger between Pernod and Ricard (1975), the Group has undergone sustained
development, founded on both organic growth and acquisitions. The purchase of part of Seagram (2001)
and the acquisition of Allied Domecq (2005) have made Pernod Ricard the world’s n°2 in wines and
spirits with sales of € 6.4 billion.
Pernod Ricard avails of a balanced portfolio, including a number of the most prestigious wine and spirit
brands in the world: Ricard aniseed, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet whiskies, Jameson’s
Irish Whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Stolichnaya vodka (distribution rights), Beefeater gin,
Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagne, as well Jacob’s Creek and Montana
wines.
Pernod Ricard is one of the world’s leading companies in wines and premium spirits, the market
segments that are seeing the strongest growth prospects. The group is number one in the ultra premium
spirits market.
The Group favours a decentralised organisation, with brand owners and distribution networks established
in each key market, and employs a workforce of 17,680 in 70 countries.
In addition, Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and thus
encourages responsible consumption in order to prevent alcohol abuse.
For more information: www.pernod-ricard.com
Contacts
Francisco de LA VEGA/ Pernod Ricard Communication VP
Florence TARON/ Pernod Ricard Press Relations Manager
Richard PERRIN/ HEC Communications Director
Elisabeth de REALS/ HEC International Communication
Tel: +33 (0)1 41 00 40 96
Tel: +33 (0)1 41 00 40 88
Tel: +33 (0) 1 39 67 74 84
Tel: + 33 (0)1 39 67 94 23