Philip Lee LLP is delighted to share the fifth episode of Series 2 of Business Plus Talks, our podcast produced in association with Business Plus.
Hosted by David Burke, the series brings listeners candid conversations with CEOs, innovators, policymakers and change-makers, exploring the pivotal moments that shaped their careers and perspectives.
The fifth guest of Series 2 is Mary Sadlier, CEO of Coole Swan, following last week’s episode featuring Conor McCarthy, Executive Chair of Emerald Airlines and Dublin Aerospace.
In this episode, Mary Sadlier, CEO of premium Irish cream liqueur brand Coole Swan reflects on her journey leading one of Ireland’s most successful premium drinks brands, from perfecting the product to scaling an internationally recognised business.
Meath-based Sadlier has led Coole Swan since 2011, guiding the brand to sell over 250,000 bottles worldwide each year. Made with a distinctive blend of single malt Irish whiskey, Belgian white chocolate and fresh dairy cream, Coole Swan is produced in small batches in Co Cavan. Mary and her husband, Philip Brady, Coole Swan’s Head of Operations, famously took 231 attempts to perfect the recipe. In 2020, the brand became the first Irish liqueur to achieve the highest score on American publication Wine Enthusiast’s Spirit Rating, and the brand counts Tom Hanks among its fans.
The conversation explores the realities of building and expanding a premium Irish brand on the global stage, from long-standing retail partnerships with Musgrave, Anzac and John Lewis in the UK to strong export markets in the US, UK, Germany and Canada. Drawing on her background in corporate finance and acquisitions with Diageo across LATAM and EMEA, Mary shares insights on leadership, resilience and the strategic decisions behind Coole Swan’s continued growth, alongside her experience moving from multinational corporate life to entrepreneurship.
We are proud to support this podcast and bring you conversations that inspire, challenge and inform, just as our values inspire us to lead the way in law and business.
Business Plus Talks Series 2 in association with Philip Lee LLP, is available across all podcast players, with a new episode released every Wednesday.
