Michael Schmid is an accomplished innovator with a diverse background in consumer goods and the spirits industry first as well as with a strong technical and commercial expertise. He started his career at Braun GmbH where he spearheaded innovations in the electric appliances sector and later transitioned to the sports industry where he designed and manufactured a wide range of products.
During his tenure at Procter & Gamble, he gained deep consumer insights and commercial knowledge before spending the last decade at Bacardi where he held various roles in packaging development, activity management and breakthrough innovation. As the packaging development and breakthrough innovation lead, he naturally led several initiatives including sustainability ones.
Michael is also an active member of the Next Generation Blenders Club (NGBC) which provides Bacardi talents with experience from across categories and disciplines to build capability for the future. Michael spent most of his career working in an international context including various assignment abroad.
Natalia Kowalczyk is the Vice President and Marketing Director at Brown-Forman, a global company renowned for its ownership and distribution of iconic brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Diplomático Rum, Gin Mare, and Woodford Reserve, among many others. With an extensive career spanning strategic, corporate, and commercial roles, Natalia has cultivated a rich professional background across several major international markets, including Milan, Sydney, London, and Amsterdam.
Currently, Natalia leads the marketing division at Brown-Forman, where she leverages her deep expertise to drive brand growth and market presence. Her leadership is characterized by a strategic vision and a commitment to fostering brand equity and consumer engagement.
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Natalia is a dedicated advocate for women’s advancement in the workplace. She proudly sponsors the GROW Employee Resource Group (ERG), an initiative focused on fostering the growth of remarkable and outstanding women, supporting their professional development, and promoting gender diversity within the industry.
I am the Finance & Sustainability Director (specialising in ESG) at Menzies, looking after the internal finance department, and I am part of Menzies’ strategic advisory division.
During my time with Menzies, I have worked closely with business owners to understand their objectives and help design ESG strategies to enhance their competitive advantage, increase top and bottom-line growth, improve stakeholder engagement, and create supply chain robustness whilst maintaining strong financial controls and performance.
In reference to the ESG strategies we design, our primary focus is to evaluate a business against key ESG criteria. We then propose measures that will strengthen the business, ensuring it is well-equipped to address sustainability challenges and ethical issues.
We offer a range of ESG support including:
- B Corp Certification Advisory Services
- Carbon Footprinting
- Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
- Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)
- ESG Assurance
- ESG Strategy Advisory Services
I have been fortunate enough to have some great experiences in my time at Menzies, with one of my proudest moments being the time that I received the 35 under 35 award from Accountancy Age. However, launching an ESG advisory offering is a huge move for the firm and the sector in general, which I am proud of.
There are a number of things in my life that bring me joy, but I really enjoy my food, both cooking and eating, and this is a real passion of mine. I also enjoy watching rugby with friends and spending as much time with my family as I can.
In her 20 years with Nationwide, Theresa has gained experience across the business including customer facing roles, contact centre planning and customer experience. She brings her passion for the customer to the fore in her current role leading Nationwide’s customer feedback programme, providing a detailed view of performance through the eyes of the customer.
