Page 48 - The Summit of the Americas 2021

INSIDER

Duty Free Global’s Barry Geoghegan doubles down

on travel retail worldwide

When the coronavirus pandemic “Our message was going to one
essentially shut down international travel, selected partner, such as the buyer, now it
Duty Free Global doubled down on its goes to the buyer plus the assistant buyer
core travel retail business. Duty Free plus the marketing team to the logistics
Global Founder & Commercial Director team. All of a sudden our reach, and our
Barry Geoghegan tells TMI that as wine message, and our brand story went from
and spirits duty free specialists to travel the one decision maker to the entire team.
retailers worldwide, DFG did not pivot to We’ve expanded the community. It is a
domestic markets. “Duty Free is what we much more democratic stakeholder now
do,” says Geoghegan. that understands what we do.”
“We were in the eye of the storm,
stuck in the middle of it. We don’t have the Finding solutions
pivot ability to do domestic. Geoghegan tells TMI that as the
“We are completely focused. We industry faced never before seen challenges
didn’t divert our attention. We decided that this year it was important that Duty Free
when you are a niche player, you make two Global worked to be part of the solution.
choices. You either try to be a jack of all In October, Geoghegan became
trades and master of none. Or you become a member of the TFWA Management
really good at your niche. I decided to take Barry Geoghegan, Duty Free Global Founder & Committee. This follows Geoghegan’s
a deeper dive into this channel.” Commercial Director earlier involvement as a member of the
Geoghegan says that by sticking to the Academy Advisory Group (AAG) for Duty
travel retail channel Duty Free Global has Free World Council (DFWC).
become “expert industry specialists.” guidance to brand partners and operators as “I personally made the decision to
“The only pivot we did was spend to what is more likely to work.” get more involved in trying to help the
more of our time understanding the next One small advancement for Duty industry. I want to be part of the recovery
generational tools, the digital tools. We Free Global was the creation of a company not wait for the recovery to happen.
got more into research and the passenger LinkedIn page, which has expanded its It’s important to be at every event. It’s
profile, why certain things work in certain audience as it tells the stories of its brands. important to give support. We’re all in this
cultures, why Hainan is different than Hong “I’ve had stories on LinkedIn that game together.
Kong International. attracted 15,000 views. And that’s all “I think to be a supporter of a channel
“From a digital viewpoint we are now happened in the last 12 months,” says you need to be a participant. You need to be
more equipped to give sincere direction and Geoghegan. proactive.”

Death’s Door Gin, Somrus Coffee Liqueur, and MOB33 Gold Heist rum are three recent additions to Duty Free Global’s wine and spirits portfolio that it will
be featuring at the Virtual Summit of the Americas.

The Virtual Summit of the Americas Issue April 2021 48