TRI-POD: Talking leadership & engagement with Global Travel Retail, Bacardi MD Leila Stansfield : Moodie Davitt Report

The latest edition of TRI-POD, The Moodie Davitt Report’s video podcast in association with The SEVA Group, features Leila Stansfield, Managing Director of Global Travel Retail, Bacardi.

It is one of the best episodes to date, as Co-hosts Roger Jackson (Managing Director and Co-owner of Organico Travel Retail in partnership with The SEVA Group) and Martin Moodie discover Leila’s astute and deeply humane approach to leadership.

Leila is one of the few women to lead a brand’s travel retail division, a disappointing reflection on a channel that prides itself on diversity, equity and inclusion.

**“Be yourself. Be authentic. Don’t try and be something you’re not,” is Leila Stansfield’s advice to aspiring business leaders**

Her thoughts on women in leadership – in fact, leadership in general – make for candid and compelling listening.

“Diversity is critical in all businesses,” she says. “For Bacardi, we make that a priority. We believe in it. And I think that’s important, not just because it’s the right thing to do or a nice thing to do but because Bacardi believes it’s critical.

“If you want to drive performance and if you want to try and track talent, you must have a diverse group of people around the table running your business – people that represent the consumers you are serving.”

“I fundamentally believe that if you bring out the best in those around you, and if you can support those people to be themselves and to believe in who they are and their potential, then together you achieve so much more. And you have more fun when you do it. That’s what’s in my DNA,” she says.

What one bit of advice would Leila give to women aspiring to be business leaders? “My advice would probably be the same both for women and anyone seeking to be to be a leader,” she replies.

“Be yourself. Be authentic. Don’t try and be something you’re not. Be brave. Take risks. Leaders have to make big, bold decisions. Don’t play it safe. Take some thoughtful, mindful risks and then play it forward.”

What a brilliant response. And there’s more, much more, on this equally brilliant episode, including the one truth about leadership that no-one warned Leila about. Tune in for her illuminating answer, one that will resonate with many who have been cast into the role of leading a company or division.

We also learn about Leila’s formative days in the north of England and the richness of her Cambridge University experience.

And, as always, we conclude our episode by flying Leila to our resident desert island on our emphatically low-cost carrier TRI-POD Airlines.

**“Ms Stansfield, Captains Moodie and Jackson have turned on the fasten seat belt sign. Please remain in your seat and cling on for dear life.”**

There Leila tells us what creature comforts she would most enjoy. What music would she listen to as she whiles away the time (get ready to bop in your kitchen)? And besides her natural choice of duty-free item from the glittering Bacardi portfolio, what iconic (a word we usually avoid but which is richly deserved in this case) item would she choose from another category, one whose shape is reminiscent of the Trinity concept?

Who would be her three chosen dinner guests, from history or living today? Prepare for a surprise connection between a great Indian man of peace and the northern England town of Burnley. All is revealed in our latest TRI-POD episode. ✈

Note: Would you like to appear with Roger and Martin on TRI-POD? Drop Martin a line at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com and we will be in touch.