Crafting a Luxury Breakthrough: Behind the Johnie Walker Vault Couture Blend Launch

How did this collaboration begin, and what was your role in bringing it to life in Southeast Asia?

The collaboration was born from the Diageo Luxury Group’s creation of our new global luxury platform — Johnnie Walker Vault — designed to showcase the pinnacle of our whisky Blending Artistry, brought to life by our Master Blender, Dr. Emma Walker. Earlier this year, Olivier Rousteing was announced as the platform’s first creative collaborator, and since then the campaign has unfolded across key cultural centers worldwide — from the launch of The Couture Expression whiskies in New York, to the Harrods retail takeover in London, and most recently the global tentpole in Singapore for The Couture Blend.

As Head of Johnnie Walker Luxury for SEA and Strategic Partnerships, I led this project for the region. I mobilized a multi-functional, multi-market team to shape the launch strategy, deliver the global moment, and amplify its impact across Southeast Asia. My responsibility was to ensure the creative vision landed with cultural relevance, luxury codes, and commercial ambition.

Why was the Singapore launch such a defining moment for Johnnie Walker and Diageo Luxury in SEA?

For Johnnie Walker, this event marked a pivotal step in elevating the brand into a contemporary luxury icon in Southeast Asia. With luxury as a key growth pillar, hosting the global tentpole in Singapore — the luxury capital of SEA — gave us global visibility and allowed us to redefine how the brand shows up in the worlds of fashion, culture, and high-end hospitality.

For Diageo Luxury, it reinforced our ambition to lead in premiumization and luxury experiences. Partnering with Marina Bay Sands enabled us to deliver a world-class launch that amplified the creative collaboration between Dr. Emma Walker and Olivier Rousteing, while strengthening our ecosystem of luxury partnerships. It’s the kind of moment that elevates brand equity, attracts new consumers, and signals that SEA is a driving force for luxury within Diageo globally.

How did you foster collaboration across teams and partners to deliver such a complex launch?

For me, strong collaboration begins with a shared ambition. Before any major launch, I bring internal teams, agencies, and partners together around one question: What do we want this moment to be remembered for? That collective purpose becomes our north star and elevates our sense of ownership.

I then break the program into clear workstreams with defined owners, timelines, and deliverables. This gives people clarity and confidence, and helps each team understand how their contribution ladders up to the wider creative vision.

My role throughout is to stay close — removing roadblocks, maintaining energy, and celebrating progress. When people feel supported and connected, collaboration becomes seamless and the level of execution rises naturally.

What values guide you when leading high-performing, creative teams in the luxury space?

When leading creative, high-performing teams, I anchor on trust, respect, and shared ambition. People do their best work when they feel empowered to bring forward their expertise — but also accountable to outcomes tied to a bigger vision.

I strongly champion curiosity and creativity. In luxury, the difference between good and exceptional lies in the details. I encourage teams to push boundaries, challenge conventions, and obsess the craft — all while staying anchored in brand integrity.

I also try to model calmness, clarity, and composure, especially under pressure. When leaders create stability and psychological safety, teams feel confident to experiment, collaborate deeply, and deliver world-class work.

Looking back, what has this project — and your journey at Diageo — taught you about leadership and personal growth?

This has been one of the most complex programs I’ve led, and it reinforced the importance of a clear governance model. When expectations, decision rights, and escalation paths are aligned early, it creates the clarity and momentum a project of this scale needs — and protects the energy of the team.

I’ve learnt that leadership at this level is less about driving the work, and more about creating the conditions for experts to excel: trusting people with real ownership, removing barriers, connecting dots across markets, and securing senior alignment so the team can focus on delivering world-class work.

Reflecting on my journey at Diageo, I’m reminded of how deeply passionate this organization is about its purpose — celebrating life every day, everywhere. Even in a challenging business environment, that purpose fuels us. It’s why we push for creativity, invest in our brands, and show up with so much heart. Leading in an environment with such a lived purpose has been a real source of resilience and inspiration.