‘Best thing about job is the amazing people you meet’

Multyfarnham native Eoin Weir has spent almost two years working as a brand ambassador for Jameson in India. Based in Mumbai, he answered a few questions for us about life there and how he is enjoying his role as brand ambassador.

What is your background?

I went to school in St Finian’s College and completed my leaving cert in 2015. From there, I went to DCU, where I studied general science for a year before making a change to a business course.

While I had a deep interest in the sciences, and I still do, areas of business which focused on people such as sales strategies, new product innovation, consumer research and others appealed to me more.

In 2020, I graduated from DCU with a BSc Marketing, Innovation and Technology. As part of my degree in college, I completed a year-long marketing internship. I have also worked in the photo laboratory in Weir’s Pharmacy, and my local Mace in Ballinalack.

Each of those roles involved a considerable amount of customer service – something which I believe is serving me well in my current role.

What attracted you to the role of brand ambassador and when did you move to Mumbai?

After doing some research about the programme, I discovered it was consistently one of the top ranked graduate programmes in Ireland. Add to that, an award-winning training and development programme and global support network, and it looked to me to be the ideal graduate programme for a someone looking to build a marketing career after graduating. The fact that the job involved helping build an incredible Irish whiskey brand was quite appealing also.

This is my second year in Mumbai. I joined the programme in August 2021 and moved to Mumbai in November 2021. I’ve been home a couple of times since for Christmas and of course for the cultural event of the year – the fleadh!

How are you adjusting to life in Mumbai? What do you miss most about Ireland?

Moving to a new country for the first time, to a considerably different culture and climate to that of Ireland, is always going to bring its challenges. Everything from the food and the weather to the traffic and the language each brought unique tests.

However, the team in Ireland and the local team in Pernod Ricard India have been supportive in helping me get settled. It is also great that I can always rely on any of the other 60+ Jameson brand ambassadors across the world for a helping hand or word of advice.

I was pleasantly surprised that language has been a lot less of a barrier than I thought it would be. English is the second most spoken language in India after Hindi and I rarely have any issue conversing with business partners or consumers.

I was also surprised to learn that there is a rather small Irish community in Mumbai. When I landed, the Irish consul general at the time in Mumbai, Gerry Kelly, informed me I had increased the born-in-Ireland population in Mumbai by about 25%! Many of the Irish ex-pats living in Mumbai had left during Covid and are yet to make their way back in any meaningful numbers just yet.

While I am thoroughly enjoying my time here, there are always going to be a few things you miss about home. For example, you can’t beat the warmth and cosiness of an Irish bar. Also, while I do miss the face-to-face with friends and family, I’m fortunate that it’s now easier than ever before to keep in touch over WhatsApp or a quick video call.

What does your role as a brand ambassador entail? Are Indian people fans of Irish whiskey?

The role varies greatly from one country to another. In my own experience in India, a lot of my work focuses on educating consumers and bartenders about how Irish whiskey is made, why it tastes the way it does, and how it can be best enjoyed.

The role is people-oriented – you are constantly building and managing new relationships and meeting new consumers. I’ve had the opportunity to upskill in photography, content creation, market research, networking, bartending, sales and more.

Jameson is in growth in all key regions around the world, including emerging markets such as India, demonstrating the ever-increasing affinity for the brand on a global level. India is in fact the largest whisk(e)y market in the world, and Jameson is the fastest growing spirit in its category in India.

What have been the highlights of your time in India, so far?

The best thing about the job is the amazing people you meet. From India’s best bartenders to Bollywood stars, every day there’s someone new you’re working with who can share fresh ideas and perspectives with you. My favourite thing about the programme is the level of responsibility you are given. You can really make the role your own, focusing on areas where you can genuinely add value to the company, while learning new skills.

Because Jameson is still focusing on raising awareness in India, a lot of my work revolves around large event sponsorship. My highlights have been sponsoring two of India’s biggest motorbike festivals, a music festival set in a palace in the middle of a desert and another festival on a cruise ship.

Is there anything you really want to see or do before you leave the country?

India is made up of 28 states, which in their own right could nearly be countries themselves, such is the difference in their culture. As such, it means that there is a whole lot of India that I probably won’t get around to seeing before I leave in the next year or so.

The places I still would love to visit though include Kerala for its beaches and sanctuaries, Sikkim for its dramatic Himalayan landscapes, and Jaipur for its ancient temples and history.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of applying for a Jameson brand ambassador role?

Irish Distillers are looking for graduates with ‘serious character’. What that essentially means is creative, innovative, self-motivated individuals who are serious about getting the job done but don’t take themselves too seriously. In your application, if you can communicate examples of times when you’ve shown innovative skills, taken on responsibility, and made some people smile along the way, you’re off to a great start.

Graduate Programme open

The 2023/24 Jameson International Graduate Programme is now open for applications. This year’s brand ambassadors will have the opportunity to work with Jameson in one of more than 35 international markets, including Europe and emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America, offering a unique opportunity and experience.

Sinéad D’Arcy, head of Jameson International Graduate Programme, said: “At Irish Distillers, we have a history of supporting, nurturing and mentoring young talent. It can be a challenging environment for graduates leaving university and entering the workforce.

"As the workplace and graduate landscape evolves, we continue to adapt the Jameson International Graduate Programme to meet the needs and expectations of graduates. The programme is a unique offering that provides graduates with the tools and opportunity to realise their personal and professional goals while working for an Irish brand, as part of a global community.”

Graduates on the programme receive a competitive benefits package, support via a global network and a multi-award-winning training and development programme, as well as extensive career progression opportunities post-programme.

The Jameson International Graduate Programme has been recruiting and training graduates for 30 years and is recognised as the most popular FMCG graduate employer in Ireland for the past nine consecutive years through the gradireland Graduate Employer Survey.

“Following a milestone year for Jameson, with record global growth of 22%, there has never been a more exciting time to join the programme. Jameson brand ambassadors have played a critical role in the growth of Irish whiskey on the world stage over the last 30 years and many have remained within the wider network, and some programme alumni progressed into leadership positions at Irish Distillers domestically and Pernod Ricard globally. We look for graduates who are creative, innovative, self-starters with an entrepreneurial mindset. We call this ‘serious character’,” MS D’Arcy said.

The 2023/24 Jameson International Graduate Programme is now open for applications. Visit jamesongraduateprogramme.com for more. The closing date for applications is Wednesday February 15.