Suntory Global Spirits boosts commercial excellence team in APAC
Suntory Global Spirits, the US-based spirits subsidiary of Japanese drinks giant Suntory, has established a commercial excellence team in Asia Pacific to boost consumer engagement and increase business growth across seven key markets.
Suntory Global Spirits has announced the appointment of Bruce Song as vice president, commercial excellence for Asia Pacific (APAC).
Song, who is based in South Korea, will oversee the newly-established commercial excellence team in the region.
The department has been created to enhance consumer engagement and drive business growth in seven key markets — Oceania, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Masato Hayashi, president, APAC and global commercial excellence for Suntory Global Spirits, said the establishment of the team in APAC was a “critical step to strengthening our regional capabilities and accelerating growth”.
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Song joined Suntory Global Spirits in 2017 as managing director of Korea, tasked with establishing the Korea route to market and business entity. Since 2023 he has served as MD of emerging Asia, leading a team of more than 200 across Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. He joined Suntory from drinks giant Diageo, where he was head of the company’s reserve business unit.
Song said of the strengthening of the commercial excellence team: “We want Suntory Global Spirits to be the most admired premium commercial organisation, and the preferred spirits partner for our customers,” said Song. “The Commercial Excellence agenda is essential to reaching this ambition and delivering sustainable growth – providing a shared set of global standards, as well as the tools, insight and commercial capabilities we need to support executional excellence and best-in-class customer engagement across our key markets.
“We have a great opportunity in APAC to tailor our approach, while ensuring consumers experience our brands with the consistent quality and craftsmanship they expect.”
Song will report to Hayashi and serve on the APAC and Global Commercial Excellence leadership teams.
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