Why TFWA’s Sarah Branquinho is a ‘future-facing’ decision-maker
In an exclusive interview, TFWA president Sarah Branquinho reveals her career journey and pinpoints what the global travel retail sector needs to do to continue to secure its future. Jessica Mason reports.
“Taking on the role of president of TFWA feels, in many ways, like coming full circle,” says Branquinho as she explains “I began my career with TFWA in 1984, joining the commercial team at a very early stage in the association’s development, and that marked the start of a long and fulfilling journey in duty free and travel retail.”
A broad perspective and experience of duty free
In the years that followed, Branquinho became closely involved in some of the industry’s most defining moments, particularly on the advocacy side, supporting efforts to retain intra-EU duty free sales – lost by one vote – and subsequently demonstrating the value of duty free and travel retail to governments and stakeholders globally in the face of multiple challenges..
She reveals how she “later moved into senior roles with World Duty Free [which then became part of Dufry, now Avolta] where I focused on external affairs and stakeholder engagement at a global level”.
Looking back, Branquinho believes that “these experiences gave me a broad perspective across the entire ecosystem, from brands and retailers to airports, policymakers, and industry bodies”.
Connection, dialogue and collective progress
Partly because of this, Branquinho has, over the years, had the opportunity to work closely with partners across the sector, which she knows has given her “a deep appreciation of both its complexity and its inherently collaborative nature”. Indeed, she notes how in essence, that experience, combined with a longstanding involvement with TFWA, has shaped her understanding of the association’s role “as a platform for connection, dialogue, and collective progress”.
During her tenure at the helm o the TFWA, Branquinho would like to stay attentive to the needs and wants of the sector. Additionally, she’d like to give a decisive take on how to move things forwards.
Listening and understanding
“My approach is deliberately listening-led. Before setting priorities, it’s essential to understand what members, and the wider industry, expect from TFWA today, and where they believe we can add the most immediate value,” she explains.
Here, Branquinho points out that “from that foundation, my focus is on ensuring TFWA continues to innovate and provide the ultimate platforms for stakeholders to connect and grow their businesses, while building on the strong foundations already in place. This is particularly relevant as we look ahead to the upcoming TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore, which will be an important moment to engage directly with the industry, test the new concepts and evaluate their success and relevance.”
Looking ahead, she insists that “any new initiatives must be anchored in a clear understanding of what will genuinely deliver value” and assures that “execution will centre on measured progress: evolving our events, strengthening engagement and ensuring everything we do remains aligned with the realities of the market”.
What TFWA visitors and exhibitors can expect
In terms of the show, visitors to the conference and exhibition both in Singapore and in Cannes “can expect a balance of continuity and evolution,” she says.
In fact, Branquinho highlights how “the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes remains the industry’s flagship global gathering, and its continued success reflects the importance of bringing the industry together at scale”.
Added to this, she reveals that “at the same time, we are evolving the upcoming TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore, to ensure that it has a clear and differentiated identity. In Asia Pacific, the ambition is to move beyond the perception of a ‘mini-Cannes’ and further establish the event as a specific platform that reflects the region’s role as a driver of innovation, across both products and retail channels”.
Considering the shows as a whole, Branquinho notes that “more broadly, TFWA will continue to act as a platform for insight and shared learning, helping the industry navigate change while maintaining confidence and momentum”.
The lessons she has learned along the way are rooted in “the importance of listening, and collaboration”.
An industry built on relationships
In reality, Branquinho says she recognises that “this is an industry built on relationships, and progress is most effective when it is collective. Taking the time to understand different perspectives and ensuring that decisions are grounded in real industry needs, has always been essential”.
Areas Branquinho feels are the most overlooked within the GTR sector, or rather “still evolving”, centre on “the need to think more holistically about the passenger journey”.
She explains: “We are seeing increasing interaction between retail, food and beverage, and experiential elements. The opportunity lies in ensuring these components work together to enhance the overall experience, rather than being viewed in isolation or in competition with one another. TFWA can play a role in this by creating platforms for dialogue, encouraging cross-sector collaboration, and showcasing best-in-class initiatives that demonstrate what a truly integrated approach can look like.”
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Understanding the experience-led, digitally-aware, price-conscious traveller
In terms of growth and potential, Branquinho also has a shrewd outlook for what will become a success when she explains that “today’s traveller is more experience-led, more digitally aware and, often, more price-conscious”.
In terms of the drinks sector, Branquinho says: “We are seeing strong interest in high value limited edition spirits, and wines and spirits which are location specific. Growth is also coming from delivering relevance through quality storytelling. Heritage and authenticity are key to the experience-led traveller, creating opportunities for long-established brands to demonstrate their roots, and for new innovative players to tell their story. Sometimes that’s around sustainability, or craftsmanship, but it can also be about creating a social media-led demand – being the trendy ‘must have’ product”.
There are, however, headwinds of which to be mindful while making plans. Branquinho agrees that “the broader economic and geopolitical environment remains complex”. Added to this, “growth is uneven across regions, not always in line with passenger growth, and many businesses are operating under continued pressure”.
Plus, “at the same time, traveller behaviour is evolving. Expectations are higher, and competition extends far beyond traditional retail channels”. What can be done? She considers this for a moment and says that “in this context, the industry must remain aligned, adaptable and focused on delivering value”.
Providing a stable platform to regulatory challenges
She adds: “Regulatory challenges continue to appear sporadically in different markets, creating complexity for brands and retailers. As a member of the Duty Free World Council, TFWA contributes to navigate these challenges while continuing to provide a stable platform for collaboration and shared understanding.”
Branquinho asserts her views with ease, but again shows how attentive she is, of not just the sector, but the people within it. This is why she is often described as collaborative, pragmatic, approachable and a good listener. These are qualities that she seems aligned with and also seem very much how she approaches the presidential role: bringing people together, understanding different perspectives, and working towards practical, shared outcomes.
Evolution is key
How will the GTR sector develop? According to Branquinho: “What we are seeing is a sector that continues to demonstrate resilience. Strong attendance at recent industry events and continued engagement across regions point to a positive underlying momentum” and she reiterates how “Asia Pacific is a key growth engine, with strong passenger projections over the medium term”.
But also, she adds that “at the same time, it’s important to recognise that growth is not uniform, and success will depend on how well businesses adapt to local conditions and evolving consumer expectations”.
After all, she points out: “2026 has been further complicated by the conflict in the Middle East which continues to affect passenger flows and trading in that region, and beyond”.
Holistic viewpoint
Branquinho oversees both charitable endeavours as well as participates in boardroom level discussions, giving her a more holistic view of the GTR landscape than many others.
By her own admittance, “being involved across different parts of the industry, through corporate roles, industry bodies and advocacy initiatives, has given me a much broader perspective on how the sector operates and evolves”.
But, she highlights that “at board level, the focus is often on addressing key challenges, setting direction, and ensuring alignment with stakeholder priorities. Through advocacy and industry engagement, however, you gain a deeper understanding of the wider ecosystem, how regulation, infrastructure, and collaboration between different players shape the environment in which we operate”.
A forward-looking industry
But looking at things with that broader view, Branquinho does see how “equally, initiatives that focus on people and inclusion highlight the importance of building a strong, diverse, and forward-looking industry”.
Here, she understands that when “taken together, these experiences reinforce the idea that travel retail is not just a commercial ecosystem, but a highly interconnected one, where trust and personal connections play an important role”.
The presidential position is one she will certainly excel in because of her unique skillset. Why? Because understanding that interplay is, as she herself observes, primary to the role of leading the sector and “essential to making balanced, informed, and future-facing decisions”.
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