Maxime Henain

In his role as Global Head of Culture and Brand Partnerships, Maxime Henain oversees Absolut Vodka’s collaborations. Based in London, we caught up with him to get some insight into his career with us.

How does the idea of conviviality manifest itself in the work environment at TAG?

It means always reaching out to each other. My Global Head of Culture role is a ‘one-man gig’ so I need to be able to reach out to people and talk to them. I have always been an openly gay man at work and I have never had a problem here or when I worked for Pernod Ricard. I know a lot of people who come into this company initially wonder whether they can be open or not. But they soon discover they can. Conviviality isn’t about looking for acceptance. It’s just about being able to be who you are, being open to differences and being able to connect.

Can you tell us about an exciting project you have worked on recently?

I loved the Heinz pasta sauce collaboration we did in 2023 because it was fast paced. It was pure FMCG style so it was a learning curve for us all, which I found fascinating. The culture and corporate clash were real for everyone; for them, for us and me every day as our industries and processes are so different. I really enjoyed it; Heinz was a great partner to work with. I learned so much from another industry that I can now use to benefit the Absolut brand. 

What has been your proudest moment at TAG?

Working on our #SexResponsbily campaign in the US in early 2020, which shone a light on sexual consent. I’m very proud of this one because it’s a brand not being afraid to have a point of view on controversial and important issues. This is exactly what brands should be doing – recognising they have a role in commenting on social matters – but very few do. The campaign had added strength because we were pushing our view on consent at the height of #MeToo. 

What’s your favourite cocktail?

My favourite is not actually a vodka cocktail. It’s a negroni with Monkey 47 gin. I’m a huge Monkey 47 fan, which is a fantastic product and has a fantastic story. If I had to go for a vodka cocktail, I would go for a vodka soda with Absolut Citron and a wedge of lemon. It would be as simple as that!