His decision to enter an already crowded market and take on another country's national obsession raised eyebrows in the spirits industry.
Drawing these distinctions has contributed to the wine and spirits industries' public relations problems, he said.
I ended up in the spirits industry as a fluke.
"We thought, why couldn't this work in the spirits industry?"
A president is selected annually from influential individuals in the of wines and spirits industry.
The spirits industry, generated £2.4bn in revenue for the Treasury in 1991.
Indeed, while the rest of the spirits industry is slumping, cognac has enjoyed strong growth in recent years.
She has also traveled the world extensively to provide consultation and educational seminars for the spirits industry.
What patience we have all shown towards the lobbyists of the spirits industry!
The spirits industry is due for another round of deals.