Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I is the UK’s third-largest soft drinks manufacturer, owning beloved non-alcoholic beverage brands such as Lucozade Energy & Sport, Ribena, and Orangina .
Their portfolio spans energy drinks, fruit-flavoured soft drinks, carbonated citrus, and isotonic waters, with zero-/no-added sugar variants. The company emphasises broad distribution across the UK and Ireland and strong sustainability initiatives, including sugar reduction and recyclable packaging.
The Brief
Having successfully placed a Senior Category Manager into the UK commercial team, Allexo were appointed exclusively to lead a search for a new European Insight Lead for Suntory’s regional business.
With a strong focus on continuous data & insights, the business were looking for profiles with experience working closely with the likes of NielsenIQ, Circana and Kantar data, partnering with marketing and digital teams to deliver actionable insights at all levels.
Operating in a matrix structure, there was a need for someone with strong stakeholder experience who would be comfortable operating at all levels of the business, and who could translate complex data & insights from a variety of sources to tell stories that inspire action and change.
The Process & Results
Following an in-depth briefing call, two key talent pools were targeted – individuals coming with experience operating in a similar role on the client-side, and high-performing individuals from insights consultancy who could demonstrate the ability to transition successfully into industry.
Working through the Allexo Process, a shortlist of 8 qualified profiles were introduced ahead of schedule, with two candidates being considered at offer stage.
The successful candidate joined the business from a key competitor within the soft drinks category, having previously worked at a leading global insights consultancy.
