What were your first impressions of Kingston?

Huge diversity. Huge energy. Wonderful people who are very proud of what they do, and rightly so. Kingston has a wonderful music scene, too!

Share with us five things about Luxembourg that Jamaicans might be surprised to know…

1 Luxembourg is smaller than Jamaica; we only have 700,000 inhabitants, so it’s like a quarter of what Jamaica is.

2 Like Jamaica, Luxembourg is a wonderful place to visit; there are a lot of old towns, fortresses and beautiful landscapes; not as spectacular as Jamaica, but still very nice.

3 Luxembourg is a very open and multi-national country where foreigners are well-received.

4 Luxembourg is a monarchy; we have a duke and parliament!

5Luxembourg is paradise in many ways, but not a fiscal paradise, contrary to what people think. It’s a place where people work hard, pay taxes and enjoy the good life.

Did you have any pre-conceived ideas prior to your arrival?

In my spare time I love to go hiking, and I heard that there are some wonderful mountains in Jamaica. Unfortunately, I will not have time to go hiking on this trip, but that’s definitely something I’d want to do on a future trip…to discover nature…the mountains…the waterfalls of Jamaica.

How did a civil engineer-cum-financial consultant-cum Villeroy & Boch commercial director become CEO of Moët Hennessy?

You don’t plan a career, it just happens, and it happens because you’re curious, you’ve developed the know-how and your abilities, and then things fall into place. I would never have predicted what I’d be doing with my life today, and you never know where life will take you, but you always move to the level and be open for all opportunities. It’s like our slogan “Never Stop, Never Settle”. Just be open for all opportunities.

How has your training and vast experience put you in good stead for this position?

When you study engineering you learn that you have to explain things, you have to understand things. In science, you’re always behind the reason “why?” Everything is predictable. When you come into legacy brands like wines and spirits or fashion brands, it’s not so obvious to understand the reason why. If you go the extra mile to understand who your consumer is, what makes them choose this or that product, what makes it that this particular brand is more successful than the other, then the process becomes adapting a scientific methodology to a non-scientific world.

What’s your Christmas wish?

It’s all about family, and I’ve not seen enough of them so this year I plan to travel with my family. I have four children who are already in their mid-twenties and kinda have their own lives. So it’ll be a treat to see them on our next trip.

Were you to spend Christmas & new year’s in Jamaica, where would you choose and who would you be with?

In the hills hiking or at a lodge with my wife Claire and our children.

What’s your new year’s resolution?

To make 2019 an even better year than this year; to continue to engage and motivate my team; make them happy; help them grow to help Moët Hennessy grow, so that more and more people around the world can enjoy the magnificence of our great wines and spirits.

What are your Christmas and new year’s messages to Jamaica?

I wish Jamaicans a wonderful Christmas with their families and friends and I wish for everyone to remain in good health. I know Jamaica has done well in its developments recently and my wish is for Jamaica to continue to do well and to prosper for the benefit of all its citizens.

What’s your preferred type of music?

I’m very versatile and a little traditional as well with the kind of music I listen to. It can be anything from Bob Marley to jazz, from classical to flamenco. But when I’m enjoying something really nice, like a glass of Champagne, whisky or Cognac, I like to have some music playing in the background because it’s part of the experience, the atmosphere, and the enjoyment.

What are your fave magazine subscriptions?

So many…home interior mags, The New Yorker & Der Spiegel

Fantasy car… Vintage racing cars and Mercedes-Benz models of the 1940s and ’50s

Media personality… Don’t know where to start (chuckles)

Suit designer… Christian Dior does fabulous suits.

TV show… Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Pastime… Hiking while listening to music

Name some things that take you back to home when away.

A sofa, great music, and a glass of Hennessy.

How much Hennessy VSOP do you anticipate will be consumed by close of 2018?

Roughly 90 million bottles. That would be a record!