Dr Anne Brock on what it means to be a woman in a man’s world

As a rare female master distiller, Dr Anne Brock’s technical experience and education has made her a visionary in the gin world and beyond. Beginning a medicine degree but choosing a more research based route, Anne now leads a team of 14 distillers at Bombay Sapphire’s Laverstoke Mill to produce every drop of the world renowned blue bottles. Working as a leader in a rather male dominated world, Dr Anne Brock has advanced herself through the ranks with her feminist strength and intricately scientific skill. We caught up with the industry icon to find out how she found her way to these realms, and what advice she’d give to other women breaking down the boy’s club…

Do you feel like your gender has impacted your career? For better or worse?

In the distilling world, if I’m honest, I think it’s helped me because I’ve stood out. When I’d turn up to gin events, I’d be one of, if not the only, woman in the room. I think that because of that I became recognisable, and I started to get considered more often. Although it’s obviously not what got me jobs, I felt like I stood out and was remembered.

Does it feel like a male dominated industry?

When I think about it, yes. My entire distilling team is made up of men. I have been to gin events and I’ve been the only woman in the room. I sit on the board of directors at the Gin Guild and I’m the only woman. So yes, it does. I know that there are women there, but you can tell they haven’t until up to now. There are some big female names in the industry, but there needs to be more.

Does that make you feel more aware of being a woman?

Yes I think it does. I’ve benefitted from the fact that I’ve had a scientific background, so have been around men all my life. I haven’t ever struggled with being around a lot of men. But day to day I do sit back and I feel very aware of the fact that I’m around big blokes, and that I’m their boss telling them what to do. Which isn’t a bad thing, it makes me aware of my power as a woman. With my team it took them a while before they saw me as someone they could go and moan to, but they do now and they don’t look at me as an anomaly.

Have you noticed the perception of women in your industry change over the years?

Although I’ve only been at Bombay Sapphire for a year, what I can say is Bacardi as a company is that it is very progressive in the industry. There are so many great women in high positions and everywhere, the Vice President of Bombay Sapphire Natasha Curtin for instance, who joined just after I did. So I’d say a company like Bacardi has really helped push things forward.

What advice would you give to a young woman looking to follow in your steps?

I think that it would be not to worry to much about people’s perceptions, to do your best and be confident in that. It may be a male dominated industry but that just means you should go for it even more.

Be the change.

Exactly!

How does the Stir Creativity project feel as a part of this change?

It’s so exciting, it’s such a great concept. The Canvas event made me so proud – even though I had nothing to do with it! (laughs) But it’s all about the distilling creativity and experimentation, which is so vital for bartenders to be able to experiment. And there’s nothing like that feeling, walking into a bar and seeing a bartender pick up your product, seeing it inspire his or her creativity is indescribable.

What do you think needs to change in order for it to be perceived as a more welcoming atmosphere to women?

I think that there needs to be more women in the position where they can stand up and say “look we’re here and we’ve been doing it for a long time”, and be listened to. One of the great things at the moment is the upsurge of craft distillers, so that means that there are more jobs right now than ever in this industry, so you are seeing more woman able to move into those jobs. I think that that’s going to be a major change, before there would be four jobs available at the main distilleries, and the chances are that most of those would have gone to a man.

Has anyone ever given you really memorable advice?

Yes! I met an incredible woman I met at a Gin Guild event she was a Master Brewer at a major brewing company, and she had just got her certificate of distilling with the IBD, but then decided to set up her own gin distillery. Whenever I see her at events she gives me some new great advice. Most memorably she told me that it is a marathon, not a sprint.

Who is your ultimate female icon?

Definitely so many women have inspired me. When I was younger there was a woman called Dr Pauline Cutting and she wrote a book [Children of the Siege] about working as a surgeon at the Palestinian refugee camp of Bourj al-Barajneh. Growing up that was a major inspiration in me working to become a doctor, but I had so many incredible women around me.

Did you have a feminist upbringing?

Absolutely, my mum brought both my sister and I up to believe we could be anything. That we could be career women, so now she’s got two children who love their jobs but don’t want to get married or have children! (laughs)  No but it seriously was always expected of me to do what I wanted and do my best at it.

How did you find yourself in the position of Master Distiller at Bombay Sapphire?

A combination of serendipity and being in the right place at the right time. I’d been working at setting up distillery for a brand, and I didn’t realise it at the time but I was definitely comfortable and bored. So when the Bacardi company approached me asking if I’d be interested in interviewing for it. I remember thinking oh wow I’ll never get that job, so I was planning on not going for it but my boss at the time said look if a company like Bacardi come you go. So I did, and here we are!

What’s next then?

When you’re in a role like this, at a place like Bombay, I think that this could be my job for life. I remember when I was interviewed Ivano [Tonutti, the Master of Botanicals at Bombay Sapphire] said that if you go with this job, this could be it. Bacardi are so supportive of career advancement, and especially of women in leadership positions, there are definitely places I could progress within the company. My heart definitely lies in the operations, technical production side of things.

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