How has been your career to date and how did you get into wine and the drinks industry?
I didn’t go to university - the appeal of earning a wage won out and I went straight to work, doing temp jobs in different places hoping that one day I would find a good fit.A role came up at Matthew Clark as a telesales operator and I never looked back.
My passion for the drinks industry grew from there. The people, the products, the history of brands and their creators - it was all fascinating to me.
I watched people who inspired me. Saw their careers blossom and wanted a piece of it. There’s no industry like it - it just draws you in and keeps you there.
Throughout my career, I’ve always thought about a knowledge gap I have and then pushed myself to learn everything I can about whatever that may be.
I would say most of my earlier roles came to fruition because of two things. Looking for a gap and then working out how I could crack it. Throughout my career, I’ve covered roles in varying positions of seniority including sales, customer services, operations, supply chain, new business, account managing, key accounts, national account, company transitions, mergers and acquisitions, consolidations, NPD, buying, coaching and training.
It might be easier to mention an element of the drinks chain that I haven’t covered.
Actually - a driver. I have never been a delivery driver, but I would love that!
Why did you want to work in wine specifically?
Gemma Wills relfects on her wine business career to date as she looks for her next role in the industry
I think wine found me - as it has done on many a night out. Since establishing a love for the on-trade over 27 years ago I have had the pleasure of working across all drinks categories.
Due to the customers, I worked with, and opportunities I had from an early stage, the wine sector has always been at the forefront, but by no means has defined or inspired any role that I’ve wanted or been in. From my time at Champagne Lanson, I fell in love with the story telling, the craftmanship and dedication and how every single house has a slightly different method, style and taste.
I’ve never been one for learning at a desk. I learn from experience and connection.I struggle to remember all the technical points around winemaking, but I can tell you something about how the wine was made, who made it, their story, what makes it unique and most importantly, how to sell it.
I am more commercially led when it comes to wine rather than technically.It’s the same with beers, soft drinks and spirits.I look for the commercial angle first, find the gap and then how that product can fit. More importantly, how it fits for the customer and consumer.
I learned a long time ago that the most important thing, is to listen. Listen to what’s being said and crucially, what’s not being said. Find out what it means to someone.
What have been the key step changes in your career so far and what helped drive those changes?
I must credit what was my first proper job at Matthew Clark in which I built the foundations of my career at.
Walking through the doors at Matthew Clark as a 21-year-old telesales operator, with no idea of who or what they were felt like ‘just another job’ that would pay for my nights out in town and the ultra-sexy 15-year-old mini metro I had just bought. What transpired was finding a love for an industry I had no idea I wanted to be in.
After a year or two, I got the chance to become a team leader by my then manager Penny Barkas. She saw something in me I had no idea existed and with a gentle shove in the right direction I got the job. I remember my world suddenly opening up.Going out on the road, meeting salespeople, sorting issues. Without this opportunity and support I have often wondered what I would be doing now.
The next change came when I left Matthew Clark after 10 years or so and went to work for Averys Wine Merchants.This step change bought uncertainty, worry and a whole new world of ‘oh my god, what I have done’ after leaving the comfort of Matthew Clark and everything it had taught me.
Although Averys was - and still is - an amazing company, I knew this wasn’t where I wanted to be.Looking back though, it was the best move I ever made as it made me understand what I did want, and more importantly, what I didn’t.
Then came seven years at Champagne Lanson. A job I adored and loved every minute of and one I would have stayed at forever if I had not had the itch of wanting to go back to Matthew Clark and see how far I could go there.
Winning my first big national group felt like a step change as I proved to myself I could do it – and more importantly the buzz I got from it. From there on in, I knew that working on new business was where I wanted to be and working for Kenny Gray was the best place to do it in.
Kenny - like managers before and after him - let me run. He gave me the autonomy to do what I had to, and an arm round the shoulder when I needed it.
I guess in summary, the key step changes were driven by being relentless, a desire to get on in my career, a bit of dogged determination and being supported by great people, amazing businesses and some broad shoulders.
What have you been most proud of in your career so far and why?
Without a shadow of doubt, the teams I have had the privilege to work with and manage. I strongly believe that you are only as good as the team you work with and I credit a lot of the success I’ve had to the amazing people I’ve worked with.
Too often, I’ve seen leaders that believe they are the best. They believe they know the most and deserve their place in a senior structure. My most recent team would describe my superpower as being able to build a winning team. The reality is that THEY were my superpower.
Gemma Wills says he has learnt so much on how to be an effective, caring leader from her time working with Caroline Thompson Hill at Vinarchy
We talked a lot about ‘legacy’ in the early days of Accolade. Caroline Thompson Hill (ex managing director) was a strong believer in legacy and people and always encouraged me to think about what my legacy would be. Being a part of someone’s journey, supporting someone and seeing them shine, believing in someone and giving them the support and tools to achieve their goals or hit their target.
If I can leave a business or a team in a stronger position than when I joined, I will have left a legacy. I did wonder whether this should be the moment to blow my own trumpet and showcase the amount of new business I’ve won over the years, or promotions I was fortunate to have been awarded – but these all centre back to people.
Whether it was gained via teamwork, amazing customers or right place at the right time. Either way I’ve always had an amazing network of people around me of which I will always be forever proud of.
I’m also so proud of an initiative I set up during my time at Vinarchy. We would spend so much time during reviews as a leadership team, talking about succession planning and development but zero time looking at the countless mentions of ‘this person is great, but they aren’t confident enough’ etc.
How were we supporting this army of people who were fabulous but didn’t have the confidence to do something about it. I invited people to get in touch with me if they felt their confidence wasn’t where it was, or if they felt held back by something or just needed some support.
I was overwhelmed by the response and on the back of that set up a group called Trellis. A place where anyone, regardless of pay grade or job title could speak in a safe forum, ask advice and listen to people who all felt the same.
It was one of the most inspirational groups of people I had ever seen. From HR to sales, supply to buying, directors to new starters. All saying enough is enough, I want to do something about this.I will always be immensely proud of the courage they all demonstrated.
What have been the biggest challenges and your advice to others on how to get over them?
I think I have been my biggest challenge, in the best and worst way if that’s possible. I am relentlessly competitive and driven to win. If there’s an obstacle or issue, I can’t rest until I’ve resolved it or put a plan in place to resolve it.
I’ve often questioned whether this comes from a place of having to prove something. Prove that I’m good enough, prove someone wrong about me, which I guess ultimately plays in to the imposter syndrome I always battle with.
Self-doubt in my own abilities will probably be the one thing that has hindered me, but I also recognise that I will always harness that doubt in someway and use it to crack on, whether that be in finding a way that I can make something work, see a project through, help others or challenge myself harder.
If I recognise the same traits in others, whether that be my team members, peers or senior managers within the business, my approach remains the same although the style in which I deliver it may vary.
I think the reality is that almost everyone at sometime will be impacted by imposter syndrome. It’s just that some are more comfortable than others to talk about it.
Which is why I am so proud of the work I did at Vinarchy setting up the Trellis initiative. Announcing to the entire business that this was something I struggled with and wanted to understand and improve on felt so uncomfortable. Asking others to contact me if they felt the same and wanted to work on it with me was terrifying.
What if no one did!? What happened was 82 people getting in touch saying, ‘I feel exactly the same’.
So, my advice to others is, if you feel you’re not being listened to, that you’re overlooked, that you’re dreading a presentation because you’re ‘not confident enough’ speak to others about it. You’ll be amazed by not only how reassured you’ll feel, but how many new connections you’ll make and how beneficial this can be, to not only you, but the business you are in.
You are currently looking for a new role in the drinks industry - what sort of positions and types of company do you think you are most suited for?
Gemma Wills belives she is a good team player and is always looking to see how she can help others in the business thrive
Since I left my previous role, I’ve thought about this a lot. I’ve often thought that not being able to say, ‘I want to be a…..’ was a weakness, but I’ve come to appreciate that’s not the case.
It means I am open to whatever that next step may be. I love being able to make a difference, to get involved, get my hands dirty but most importantly, leading a team of amazing people.
I also love the trouble shooting part of any role. I’ve been around long enough now to have seen the rise and fall (and rise again) of many an organisation and recognise the point at which the family size pack of sticky plasters holding everything together needs to be ripped off.
Recognising what’s great and works and removing what doesn’t is something I’ve always enjoyed. I think our industry is in all kinds of bother at present and we cannot approach it in the same way we always have.
Customers and consumers needs and tastes are changing, occasions and footfall may be up but volume is down. How we move on to the next stage of this ever-evolving sector will make or break many and if I can play a part in ensuring this industry is thriving in a few years from now, I will be fulfilled.
I would be open to saes director, commercial director, consultancy and advisory roles – to be honest, job title has never been important to me.Being able to make a difference is.
You have extensive experience as a channel and sales director - what are the key skills you need to succeed in that role?
You need to have a second nature for balancing risk vs opportunity, especially in the industry at present. Being able to weigh up whether investment in time and money is worth the risk and the opportunity and being able to bring people along on that journey ensuring expectation and delivery are realistic.
Being able to listen is a big one. You might have the experience that tells you that you know best, but this is very seldom the case. Listening, learning, sharing, trying and being able to catch things or people before they fall is something I hope I do every day.
Being able to walk away is also something that many of us struggle to do. I will always be a salesperson through and through and live for the chase of a win but knowing when to back down and focus somewhere else (both for yourself and for your team) is crucial.
Having strong people skills is also vitally important. Dealing with key stakeholders throughout the business and understanding what something means to them.
What specific skills and experience do you think you could offer a new employer?
Gemma Wills: "Listening, learning, sharing, trying and being able to catch things or people before they fall is something I hope I do every day."
I’ve had some great roles at some amazing companies that have all given me extra strings to my bow in terms of experience and knowledge. I think if you were to cut me in half, I would have the on-trade running through it, so being able to offer a new employer my experience alongside the 20 years plus of managing some amazing teams would be a good starting point.
I guess if someone is looking for a well experienced, knowledgeable senior leader who can take the rough with the smooth, who’s strategic, ambitious, caring and can get shit done, I’m in.
I would say my strengths lie in people management, new business, (national and IFT), customer relations and problem solving.
How would you describe your personality?
I would say I’m very determined, competitive, extremely empathic, caring, excitable, positive and have an incurable desire to learn something new.’m good on my feet and in a crisis, good listener and have been told I give great hugs.
I’m the one who gets a million ideas and goes off in 10 directions. Anything less and I’m looking for the next problem to solve - I think on one of the many leadership style questionnaires I’m a yellow yellow!
Who have been the biggest influencers/ mentors on your career?
Ian Smith. During my first 11 years at Matthew Clark, Ian was our commercial director. I remember hearing people talking about what a kind person he was and how great he was with customers. Always out, always entertaining. Every time I saw him in and around head office, he was always smiling and chatting to the senior leaders, and I remember thinking how important he must be.
When I returned to Matthew Clark as a national account manager, I spent a lot more time with Ian. He would come out in trade with me, meeting customers, giving his time to sit and listen. I used to watch how he engaged with people. He was so relaxed, informal even, and yet when it came to the crunch in securing a deal, he was razor sharp.
He would never promise something he couldn’t deliver, built trust and was just a good person to do business with. He was also kind and thoughtful. Just little gestures, words of appreciation, a look that made you feel he understood.
At the core of his personality, he was a kind man who cared. He didn’t have to shout the loudest or have the last word. At times, when sat in leadership meetings, feeling like I should say something, or I should do something to show I know what I’m about, I think of Ian and his quiet calmness (and also those moments of pure randomness) and know that its OK. I’m ok. When Ian passed away, what went with him was years of relationships, unwavering fairness and a lifetime of experience.
If I could leave half of his legacy when I’m no longer around, it would be one hell of an achievement.
Who do you most admire and respect in the industry for what they have achieved and why?
I have worked with a lot of amazing people in this industry. I think Clara Shand (AG Barr) stands out to me as someone who has always shown resilience, tenacity and manages her network in a way that sets her apart.
Gemma Wills has huge respect for C&C's Simon Jerrome and a former colleague at Matthew Clark for not just what he has achieved in his career but how he has achieved it
Simon Jerrome (head of wine buying at C&C) has stood the test of time throughout his career and manages to be one of the most knowledgeable and hard-working buyers I have ever worked with, always with a smile on his face and a kind word.
The man moves at a million miles an hour. I respect what he has achieved and how he has adapted over the years.
My two previous managing directors at Accolade (Vinarchy) Caroline Thompson Hill and Derek Nichol.
Both were great people leaders. Caroline took over Vinarchy and turned it around in record time just before I joined. She transformed its people strategy, its vision and did it without changing who she was as a person, showing me that being me was enough – I didn’t need to change to fit a mould.
Derek’s leadership style also bought out the best in people. Kind, considerate and principled.
What do you think the wine industry offers people as a career that keeps you wanting to work in it?
I can answer this by telling you what it offered me and why I will (hopefully) remain in it. The industry has given me lifelong friends, new skills, opportunities to travel, access to some of the best and most exciting drinks in the world, freedom to be myself and a flexibility to concentrate your time on what matters in life when you need it the most.
The industry is never a nine to five job which is great for me as I’ve never been a nine to five person.
What have been your biggest achievements and proudest moments outside of work?
Tricky one – I always struggle to recognise a personal private achievement, and this could possibly be an uncomfortable one to share, but I’ve been on somewhat of a journey this past 18 months and have lost just over 10 stone.
It’s taken a lot of hard work and commitment and has been a real revelation. I think when anyone goes through a huge change, whether it be via work or personally, your head takes some time to catch up with the adjustments but I’m proud of what I have achieved.
I’m also extremely proud of my better half Ross. He also works in the hospitality industry as a head chef which is no easy job. Long hours, less than ideal conditions and mentally tough. He makes me proud every day when I see what he achieves.
Anything else to say?
At the grand age of 48 and after reflecting on everything we’ve spoken about above, I realise how much I have achieved since picking up the phone 28 years ago and saying, ‘telesales how can I help….’
What a journey it’s been. I’m so excited to enter a new role. To meet new people and become part of a new success.
* If you would like to contact Gemma Wills you can email her on willsgem673@gmail.com.
* If you are looking for a new role and would like to share your career highlights and what you believe you can offer to a potential new employer contact Richard Siddle on richardsiddle5@gmail.com.
