What is WAW?
WAW is a strategy consulting firm specialised in prestige wines and spirits, based in Paris. It addresses its clients’ growth, value and positioning questions, and delivers roadmaps their teams execute.
Prestige wines & spirits through the lens of strategy consulting.
Tailored answers, true to the DNA and operational reality of each organisation.
We are Wine, Wise, Wildly Creative, Wired, Willful.
Our Manifesto
We are WAW, and we believe in creating actionable strategies that empower prestige wine and spirits players to thrive.
Our expertise in the sector, combined with a rich understanding of international luxury, allows us to turn complex challenges into clear strategic roadmaps that lead to real business growth.
-
We believe in clarity.
In an industry as intricate as wines and spirits, success lies in understanding the full scope of market dynamics. We clarify the ins and outs of industry trends and challenges, grounding our strategies in relevant data and market intelligence. Whether we are navigating terroir, product innovation or client experience, our insights are always backed by evidence, giving you the clarity and confidence to decide.
-
We believe in solid, business-focused insights.
Our approach goes beyond surface-level analysis. We identify strategic, actionable insights that help you reflect on the critical issues affecting your business. From optimising product portfolios and crafting compelling brand platforms to enhancing customer experiences and designing D2C strategies, our recommendations move the needle and drive tangible results. Every recommendation we make is tailored to ensure it can be seamlessly executed by your teams, driving both short-term impact and long-term success.
-
We believe in action.
Luxury is about more than just image: it’s about creating value and values that last. At WAW, we are committed to delivering strategies that are not only visionary but also operational. We work closely with your teams at both the Headquarters and Maison levels to ensure that our recommendations are pragmatic and fully aligned with your business goals. From strategic frameworks to implementation roadmaps, we provide end-to-end support to help you turn strategy into action.
The team
A senior team. Hands-on expertise.
Only seasoned wine & spirits experts, bringing deep sector knowledge and first-hand experience to every assignment.
The people who shape the strategy are the very people who deliver it.
At WAW, our team brings together complementary expertise from the wines and spirits industry and luxury strategy consulting. We combine deep sector knowledge, strategic and business acumen, and entrepreneurial experience, a multidisciplinary approach that lets us understand and address the complex challenges facing luxury wines and spirits businesses.
-
Louise Villepelet
Founding Partner & Head of Strategy
With over a decade of high-level experience focused on the luxury sector, Louise’s multi-disciplinary background, including degrees from HEC (MBA), Cambridge University and Paris Panthéon Assas, spans luxury strategic consulting and private equity, providing her with a holistic approach to strategic growth and brand elevation.
Read the full profileClose
As a former manager at Kearney, Louise led transformative projects for major global brands in retail, consumer goods and luxury. She also spent five years at MAD, the premier luxury strategy consulting firm, advising iconic French and international houses, particularly in the wines & spirits sector. Her expertise covers D2C strategy, client experience, retail excellence and internal and external growth, driving significant performance improvements for luxury Maisons.
Before consulting, Louise practised law in Private Equity at Linklaters LLP in London and Paris, developing a strong foundation in corporate growth, mergers and acquisitions.
At WAW, she leverages her deep understanding of luxury strategy to guide prestige wines & spirits brands in developing customer-centric strategies that enhance brand desirability, optimise retail experiences and build sustainable business models.
-
Anne-Claire d’Izarny-Gargas
Founding Partner & Head of Industry Intelligence
Anne-Claire has 15 years of experience spanning entrepreneurship and the W&S industry. An ESSEC graduate and WSET Diploma holder, she combines deep oenological expertise with a keen ability to navigate the complexities of the global wine market.
Read the full profileClose
Anne-Claire’s career began in marketing and communication at Moët Hennessy Europe before she transitioned into entrepreneurship. She founded and successfully sold two niche high-end brands, honing her skills in product innovation and market expansion strategies. This journey sharpened her ability to create value and drive growth by blending product and brand development.
Her passion for wine has led her to blind tasting competitions as well as to explore more than 30 wine regions globally, deepening her understanding of terroir, winemaking techniques and regional market dynamics.
At WAW, Anne-Claire leverages this wealth of experience to craft bespoke strategies that elevate prestige wines & spirits brands, ensuring both product and positioning resonate with discerning global consumers.
-
Charles Montet
Director, Business Strategy
With seven years of experience in strategy consulting in the luxury and wine & spirits sector, Charles embodies a profile at the intersection of strategic insight and product expertise. A graduate of Centrale and HEC, and holder of the WSET Level 3, he combines analytical rigour with a passion for wine, offering both business and operational vision.
Read the full profileClose
He began his career at PMP Strategy, where he built solid experience in strategic planning, due diligence and market development. Charles further honed his expertise with international players in the prestige wine & spirits industry, leading strategic transformation and performance optimisation projects for iconic Maisons as a Project Leader at MAD.
Today, at WAW, Charles stands out for a data-driven business approach. He supports Maisons in deploying Ultra-Prestige strategies, driving digital transformation, enhancing commercial performance and developing advanced business plan modelling, contributing to the growth and excellence of prestige wine & spirits brands.
WAW in five questions.
Who does WAW work for?
For groups that own wine and spirits Maisons and for great estates, from the executive committee to the teams at headquarters, on the estates and in the markets.
What are WAW’s areas of expertise?
Six: clients and CRM, hospitality and experiences, prestige elevation, value creation, product innovation, collective excellence. Each covers specific offers, from a 360° business assessment to executive committee sessions.
Who is on the WAW team?
A team drawn from luxury strategy consulting and the wines and spirits industry: Louise Villepelet (HEC, Kearney, MAD), Anne-Claire d’Izarny-Gargas (ESSEC, WSET Diploma, Moët Hennessy Europe) and Charles Montet (Centrale, HEC, PMP Strategy, MAD).
How to meet WAW?
By email at welcome@wearewaw.com, by phone on +33 6 65 73 42 47, or through the form on the Contact page.