Raphaël Hernandez (BSB'08): The Luxury of Being Well Surrounded

Portrait of a graduate Senior Brand Manager at Moët Hennessy Spain

When he talks about his first professional steps, Raphaël Hernandez very quickly highlights the chance he has had to be supported by exceptional managers. “My first permanent contract, at Bouchard Père & Fils, taught me a lot about the strength of origin and the land. But it also very quickly allowed me to prove myself in marketing & communication through exciting projects, such as the redesign of the entire graphic identity of the company or the organization of a prestigious auction in Hong Kong.”

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After 7 years in Beaune, Raphaël joined Moët Hennessy Spain, where he leads the luxury champagne segment (Dom Pérignon, Krug and Ruinart) As Senior Brand Manager. In Barcelona, as in Beaune, an inspired manager helped him at the start to express all his talent. “Last year, my management of several new vintage launches earned me the distinction of being named among the best operations in the world.”

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But let's go back to the origins. ” I chose the Bachelor for the richness of its generalist program, for the possibility of doing internships in companies from the first year and for its openness abroad”. Semester in the United States, internship in hotels in Madrid and in events in Paris: Raphaël remembers his 3 years at BSB as a gradual immersion in the reality of business. “I gradually acquired a global vision of the constraints of the various professions. Even if my professional orientation was quickly affirmed in favor of marketing and communication, I know that my impact also depends on finance or sales.”

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Product, luxury, land, know-how

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Marketing, sales and then luxury. And finally wines and spirits, as a final proof. “The passages by the young Champagne Jacquart house, the Louis Vuitton ocean liner and the elegant Montblanc have shaped my career path. The 7 years at Bouchard Père & Fils made me grow up.”

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Burgundy remains a strong reference for Raphaël Hernandez. ” The promotion of land plots is becoming the model on the wine and spirits market. I am happy to have learned my job where the spirit of luxury is shaped, with the land and know-how at the center of the exclusive relationship with the product. It also seems to me that the School of Wine & Spirits Business is gaining even more weight. Not to mention, of course, the commitment of today's teams and the quality of alumni scattered around the world.”

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While he strives to welcome the requests of his young successors with kindness and relevance, Raphaël has not yet taken the step of returning to share his experience in Rue Sambin. “12 years later, I know that going back to school would be a great pleasure for me, a bit tinged with nostalgia for the 3 great years spent in Dijon. Perhaps to help young people to see clearly in their project, in the way in which I myself was guided in my decisive choices.”