Unleash Your Spirit: Driving Growth and Opportunity with Lenny Sipsma, Global Brand Director

Through all our corporate pursuits, Suntory seeks to Inspire the Brilliance of Life. Our values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society unite us to achieve this purpose.

For our employee spotlight series, we’re talking to Suntorians around the world who demonstrate what it means to “Unleash Your Spirit.”

Lenny Sipsma, Global Brand Director for Jim Beam, has been with Suntory for nearly 9 years. Over the course of his career – spanning multiple markets and brands – Lenny has played a key role in advancing Jim Beam's global presence and evolution. His journey reflects a passion for shaping iconic whiskey brands and a commitment to collaboration that drives success across teams and markets.

Q.     Tell us a bit about yourself and your Suntory career. What is your current role with Suntory?

I’ve been with the Suntory business for almost nine years.  My Suntory career began at Frucor Suntory in Australia (part of Suntory Beverage & Food). I started as a Senior Brand Manager on Energy Drinks and advanced to Marketing Manager. During development conversations, my manager mentioned an opportunity with Beam Suntory (now Suntory Global Spirits) as Group Marketing Manager for Spirits. I was fortunate enough to secure the role which marked the beginning of my career in Spirits.

Four and a half years later, I moved to our New York office as Global Brand Director for Jim Beam.

Q.     Can you share some of your insights/learnings from the experience so far?

It was an exciting time when I first moved to Suntory in Australia. Reaching energy drink consumers through music festivals and surfing sponsorships was so different to the marketing campaigns I’d worked on before. Frucor Suntory was (and still is) a big player, with V Energy challenging competitors for the #1 market share. This meant working with strong budgets and overseeing strategy, innovation, activations, and communications.

Switching to Beam Suntory introduced me to on-site marketing, an impactful channel for bringing brands to life. Bartender advocacy also became a new and effective tool for brand building. Moving to the Global Brand House in New York was a fantastic opportunity to be closer to the heart of the brand. Connecting with the team in Clermont, Kentucky, and markets around the world has provided me with valuable insights to elevate my work.   

Q.     What is your best “Yatte Minahare” story – a time where you acted boldly, tackled a challenge or turned a dream into reality in your role at Suntory?   

In Australia, Maker’s Mark had long been a bartender favorite thanks to the fantastic work of our Advocacy team, 'The Blend.' We decided to step up the growth trajectory with a full-funnel approach, utilizing bartenders, ATL, digital, in-store promotions, and influencers. We exceeded our targets, a great testament to the team’s cross-functional efforts.

Our Jim Beam Black 7-Year-Old relaunch is also a true 'Yatte Minahare' in the making. We’ve reintroduced the brand with a great new liquid, packaging, and assets. Now we’re partnering with key markets to accelerate its growth. Initial responses from consumers and whiskey influencers are very positive, so we’re confident we’ll reach our ambitions. I encourage everyone to try a bottle or order a drink at the bar and let us know what they think!

Q.     At Suntory, our commitment to providing employees with opportunities to “Unleash Your Spirit” is the value we aim to offer. What does “Unleash Your Spirit” mean to you and how have you been able/encouraged to “Unleash Your Spirit”?   

The beauty of Suntory for me, is the opportunity to shape your own career across functions, brands, countries, and teams. I’ve been fortunate to work across different Suntory companies, teams, and markets, which has been key to my progress.   

Q.     What is one piece of advice you’d give to other professionals, including others across Suntory’s global business?

You are in charge of your own development. Set a clear North Star and go after it. It’s not always easy, and you’ll need to get back up whenever something doesn’t work out. In the end, the worst thing you can do is not try. Suntory has so many opportunities, and I truly believe you can build a great career here.