Hennessy continues to stand alone as the best selling cognac in the world. An important reason for that is the continued support the brand provides to the Hispanic community, and in return the preference Latinos have for Hennessy – straight – or mixed in a craft cocktail.
Two individuals also responsible for much of its success are Brand Ambassador Saul Canelo Álvarez, who recently became the undisputed Super Middleweight Boxing Champion of the World; and on a business level, Derek Ruediger, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing. He has led many of the initiatives that keep the legendary cognac on top.
In an exclusive interview we sat down with Ruediger to discuss the winning relationship with Canelo, find out his secrets to climbing the corporate ladder, and discover his thoughts on achieving market dominance and remaining number one in the competitive spirits category.

HOMBRE: We at HOMBRE were fortunate enough to attend the last Canelo Álvarez fight in Las Vegas, what can you tell us about your experience there?
Derek Ruediger: What an incredible weekend. The MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. We were proud to be in Canelo’s corner once again to watch him make history and become the Super Middleweight Undisputed Boxing Champion of the World, and continue the next chapter in his “Never Stop. Never Settle.” story. The atmosphere was electric, you could feel the support of his fans as he continues to solidify his legacy as the best pound per pound boxer in the world.

H: How do you see Hennessy’s relationship with him?
DR: We’ve been in Canelo’s corner since 2017. Hennessy is a brand founded on the spirit of Never stop. Never settle. and that spirit is exemplified by those that persist in mastering their craft and constantly pushing the limits of their own potential to achieve new levels of greatness. And when we think of the world of boxing we believe there is no one that fits this ethos and this spirit better than Canelo Álvarez. Someone who grew up in the boxing gyms of Guadalajara and has risen over 60 professional fights to build his legacy, and reinforced that legacy last year.

Maluma at Hennessy’s headquarters in Cognac, France

H: Hennessy is also working with Maluma, talk to us about that relationship.
DR: Hennessy is incredibly proud of the relationship we’ve built with the Hispanic community in the U.S. We were first introduced to Latin America in 1860 when Hennessy Cognac arrived in Mexico, and since then the relationship we’ve been able to build with the Latin American community is one that we are very proud of. That includes our partnerships with visionaries like Canelo, but also Maluma in the world of music. He is someone who is constantly pushing the limits of his own potential to achieve greatness. We’ve done some great work with Maluma, and we’re excited for what’s to come this year and beyond.

H: How important is the Hispanic community to a brand like Hennessy?
DR: The Hispanic community is incredibly important to Hennessy. We believe strongly in supporting and investing back into the communities that have propelled Hennessy to what it is today, which is the number one cognac in the world, and the number one cognac in the United States.
We are proud of having championed the accomplishments of many diverse talents in the Latin American community whether that’s Canelo Álvarez, Maluma, or JonOne in the world of art.

Hennessy V.S bottle designed by JonOne

Beyond collaborations, we’re an active participant in the community. Whether that’s supporting engagements, or whether it’s bringing resources and investments to support community development.
An example of that is through ‘Unfinished Business,’ which is a long term program we developed in partnership with the Hispanic Federation among other community organizations that help provide financial support and educational resources to Latinx, Black and Asian owned small businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of Covid in the U.S.

Derek Ruediger, Vice President of Brand Marketing for Hennessy

H: Tell us about yourself, how do you arrive at the Hennessy brand?
DR: My name is Derek Ruediger, I’m the Vice President of Brand Marketing for Hennessy. In my role I lead the development and execution of initiatives that reinforce the brand’s role in culture, and strengthen our connection with our consumers.
I’ve been with LVMH for over 8 years now, most recently having worked in the Moët & Chandon brand.
Before that I was with the scotch whisky brands of Glenmorangie, and Ardbeg.
All of them, in their own right, have a strong connection with the Hispanic community. I’m incredibly proud to now be working with Hennessy, a brand that has an important role in supporting culture, and championing those who are pushing the boundaries of what they’re doing in their respective fields.

H: What is the best part of your position?
DR: I would say that the best part of my position is seeing the impact that our work has on supporting the community and championing culture. You look at someone like Canelo Álvarez and the opportunity that we have to be a part of his journey, and share his story with the broader community. You see the impact that it has on those who take in that story. Canelo is someone who lives in that constant pursuit of excellence. He believes that no matter the obstacle you keep fighting, you keep working, you’re honoring your family, your community, your culture. Those who are fans of Canelo or fans of Hennessy will appreciate the story that we are telling together.
That is incredibly impactful.

I also spoke a little bit before about ‘Unfinished Business.’ Seeing the impact that some of those programs had in different community organizations is incredibly rewarding.
We were in Dallas last May for another Canelo fight, we were there for that victory as well, and while there we had the opportunity to visit one of the small businesses that received support from the program. To see that small business, and to hear the owner say that without the support of ‘Unfinished Business’ it might not be a part of the community today. To us that is what it’s all about, and that is why we continue to push forward.

H: So you’re making a major impact in the community.
DR: It’s an important part of what we do. I fundamentally believe that it’s important that we support and we give back to the community that has helped propel the brand to be what it is today.

H: Hennessy is the best selling cognac in the world and still continues to grow; what leads to such market dominance?
DR: The main thing we have seen is a strong connection with our consumers. We have seen the brand be incredibly resilient, we have seen strong consumer desire for Hennessy. We see the passion and the excitement for the stories that we are telling, and in this case the stories that we are telling are with Canelo Álvarez. For anyone that was in Las Vegas on November 6th it was impossible to miss Canelo, and it was impossible to miss Hennessy. Together we’re telling that story, and the journey to continue to push your own potential to achieve new levels of greatness.

H: On a personal note, you’ve reached a high level in a major global corporation, to what do you attribute your own success?
DR: I truly do feel that the spirit of Never stop. Never settle. is the spirit that personally has driven me.
I think it’s about persistence and pushing yourself forward and tackling obstacles no matter how they come, and continue to work through them, pushing the limits of your own potential.
I also think a big part of that is the team around you.

Jasmin Allen, Hennessy Senior Vice President with Maluma

We’re fortunate to have a strong team on Hennessy led by Jasmin Allen our Senior Vice President, Deon Harris our Vice President of Consumer Engagement, and Sarah Bentley who is our Director of Strategy Business Planning.
Together we are fortunate to have the opportunity to play a role in pushing Hennessy to the next level and writing the next chapter. For me it has been a story of that persistence and support from the team around you.

H: What advice can you offer business executives moving up the corporate ladder?
DR: I would say work hard, foster the relationships around you, recognize that persistence is important.
Mastering your craft is critical, and a big part of that is driven by the team around you, by those that support you, and by how you support others. It’s an ethos that I’ve tried to follow though my career trajectory and I know that I would not be where I am today not only without that persistence in constantly pushing my own potential, but without recognizing the importance of the team around me.  Also ensuring that I was focused on supporting them the same way that they were supporting me.

Saúl Canelo Álvarez

H: It’s a new year, what are the plans for the brand in 2022?
DR: It will be another exciting year for Hennessy. The brand is really going from strength to strength. When we think of Canelo Álvarez we’re very proud to be in his corner as we watched him make history, and that’s  just the next chapter of his story. We are looking forward to what he has to come in 2022.
If there is one thing we know is that his Never stop. Never settle. journey is far from  over.

H: Finally, what does the future hold for Hennessy’s involvement with the Latino community?
DR: In much the same way we are proud to be in Canelo’s corner, we are incredibly proud to have the Hispanic community in Hennessy’s corner. They are a critical component and a critical consumer base to how the brand has achieved so much success through partnerships like Canelo, and through the success of the Hispanic American community.
We are incredibly proud of the journey that we have been on with him, and are excited to continue to support the community in much the same way the community has supported us.

Saúl Canelo Álvarez