Suntory’s Tom Bell on Ribena, rats and Robin Hood

No comments

Tom Bell - approved

Name: Tom Bell

Job title: Marketing director

Company: Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I

What was your first job? My very first job was working on a milk round when I was 11 delivering milk to houses. I was following in the footsteps of my three older siblings who had done the same. I then worked at Scotch Corner service station on weekends and school holidays near where I grew up in North Yorkshire. I was actually responsible for stacking the drinks in the fridge, so maybe working in soft drinks was always meant to be…

Jobs outside of Suntory seem a long time ago as I’ve been privileged to have a number of roles in the business – I joined SBF GB&I in November 2017 as the head of grocery sales, before moving into marketing. I’m now proud to sit on our executive committee leading marketing for the business.

What was the first music single you bought? Parklife by Blur. Another influence from growing up with older siblings who had a big impact on my music taste. Before buying my first CD though I remember the experience of pressing record on a tape recorder when the radio was playing to try and record my favourite songs.

“I love sport and we get to work with some of the best athletes in the world through Lucozade so that’s a work perk enough for me”

How do you describe your job to your friends? That I love my job! And that we are the custodians of some of the UK’s most incredible heritage brands like Ribena and Lucozade. They are part of British culture – even if you don’t drink them, you’ll know someone who has a memory with them in some way. They are brands that have been cherished for generations and I love that we can shape their future so they remain around for generations to come.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? The people I get to work with every day. We have a special culture at Suntory and it gives me energy seeing our teams produce results and thrive.

Lucozade Sport 1

What is the least rewarding part? When our drinks fridge in the office has run out of my favourite Ribena.

What is your motto in life? I don’t have a life one, but a work motto I go by is ‘results through empathy’.

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? Honestly I don’t think there is anything. I love sport and we get to work with some of the best athletes in the world through Lucozade so that’s a work perk enough for me.

Do you have any phobias? Rats. They feature in my nightmares and I’ve been scared of them for as long as I can remember. I’m fine with bungee jumping, holding snakes, swimming with sharks… but rats terrify me.

A few years ago I was told by my wife that I’d ‘ruined summer’ because I refused to go outside in our garden when I’d spotted a rat.

If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? I’d love to see even more big activations in store. We recently did our first total store wrap with Sainsbury’s for our new Jude Bellingham Ice Kick and I’d love to see even more opportunities for disruptive shopper marketing.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? If I can’t have my family with me then the luxury item I would have is a radio. I’ve been an Everton supporter ever since I was little and grew up listening to the commentary on the radio every weekend – something I still do for every match if I can’t be there to watch it.

What animal most reflects your personality? I was asked what my favourite animal was by my four-year-old last week. I chose dogs, owls and whales and (according to AI) it reflects my loyal heart, wise mind and deep soul.

What’s your favourite film and why? Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It was one of three VHS we owned when I was growing up and this was definitely my favourite. During long summer holidays Prince of Thieves was watched daily and I’m (fairly) confident I could recite most of it.

Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Not along ago we asked ourselves a version of that question – if we could pick any athlete to work with next, who would it be? Jude Bellingham was the answer and we’ve done just that.

What would your death row meal be? I’m heavily influenced by my mum and dad here. My mum was a chef and so I was lucky to grow up eating unbelievable food at home and she’s developed my love of fine dining, so going out for nice meals with my wife really makes me happy.

But then when my mum was at work and my dad cooked, we would eat meat and bread, and there’s still something incredibly comforting about that for me.