Alexandre Ricard

Alexandre Ricard has led Pernod Ricard as Chairman and CEO since 2015, representing the third generation of the Ricard family at the helm of the French spirits giant. His grandfather Paul Ricard founded the company in 1932 with the creation of pastis de Marseille, and successive generations built it through acquisitions into the world's second-largest spirits company with annual sales exceeding €12 billion. Pernod Ricard's portfolio is one of the most prestigious in the spirits industry: Absolut Vodka, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Ballantine's Scotch, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet, Martell Cognac, Beefeater Gin, Havana Club Rum, and numerous local brands. The company operates across every major spirits category and every significant market globally, with particular strength in the U.S. (the world's most profitable spirits market), China, and India. Under Alexandre Ricard's leadership, the key strategic theme has been premiumization — deliberately shifting the portfolio toward higher-priced expressions, limited editions, and luxury products. This reflects a global consumer trend toward "drinking less but better" in developed markets, combined with growing middle-class aspirational consumption in China, India, and other emerging markets. Ricard has also invested heavily in digital commerce and direct-to-consumer capabilities. Key stock drivers include Chinese demand recovery (Martell cognac is heavily dependent on Chinese consumption), U.S. spirits market trends, premiumization success, input cost management, and the competitive dynamics with Diageo and LVMH Moët Hennessy.