Daniela Păunescu, Brand Manager at Alexandrion Group: On the balance between tradition and innovation

Daniela Păunescu, Brand Manager at Alexandrion Group, shares insights on premium brand strategy, balancing tradition and innovation, and building long-term relevance in the spirits industry.

With nearly a decade spent in the universe of premium spirits, Daniela Păunescu naturally blends strategy with intuition, being part of a team that shapes and directs Romanian brands built with patience and clarity. She believes in well-structured processes, accountable decisions, and the power of simple things. For her, relevance is not rushed; it is built over time through consistency, attention, and respect for each brand’s identity.

C&B: If we were to look at a narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Daniela Păunescu: Looking back, as in the case of many of us, my path was neither linear nor guided by a very clear plan from the beginning. It was rather a succession of contexts and choices that, over time, became turning points. I worked in other fields at the start, including economic and business journalism, where I learned to better understand the mechanisms behind companies and how a coherent story is built around a product or a brand. That clarity has stayed with me ever since.

A first and most important turning point was entering the premium spirits universe. There I learned that brands in this category are not built overnight and that relevance comes from consistency and coherence, not forced visibility. It was the environment that made me stay and deepen this direction.

Then came the shift from execution to more strategic thinking. I became increasingly interested in the meaning behind products and in how a brand preserves its identity over time. That was when I realized I am drawn to long-term building, not just immediate results.

The current stage is the closest to the way I work. In recent years, I feel I can call what I do a career construction that I develop consciously. I choose bold projects I believe in and fully commit to, without the rush to force growth. I appreciate processes that are given time to settle and things built with meaning, step by step.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Daniela Păunescu: The most difficult moment was not a single event, but rather a period in which I had to make important decisions without having all the answers and without the certainty of an outcome. The pressure was high, and the temptation to force things was real. Instead of looking for quick solutions, I chose clarity and discipline: to prioritize what truly matters, to say “no” when directions were not aligned with what I am building long term, and to accept that some things need time to make sense. That period taught me that professional maturity does not lie in absolute control, but in the consistency and patience with which you navigate uncertainty.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Daniela Păunescu: I believe that, more than a classic ambition, what constantly guides me is the fear of remaining average. The desire to do things that truly matter and to evolve in a real way, not just formally.

In this process, I have benefited from a valuable professional context: collaborating with leaders and top management professionals who acted as mentors, offering inspiration, constructive challenges, and clarity in key moments.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them day by day?

Daniela Păunescu: I am guided by a few simple but firm principles. First of all, I believe in meaning, in doing things that have coherence and long-term relevance, not just immediate impact.

Another essential principle is lucidity: I try to see things as they are, not as I would like them to be. In an industry where the temptation to exaggerate is constant, I prefer honest constructions that preserve their consistency over time.

I am also guided by the courage to access things that seem hard to reach. The more difficult or ambitious a project is, the more it attracts me, not out of a desire to complicate things, but out of the conviction that real growth happens there. I like entering territories that require a certain degree of boldness.

What is equally relevant to what defines us is what we choose not to let define us. A line from a film that many already consider a classic often comes to mind — The Devil’s Advocate: “Vanity is my favourite sin.” A dear colleague often slips it into our conversations, and each time it reconfirms the same idea for me.

In the film, the character played by Al Pacino speaks about vanity as the most subtle sin, the one that can easily hide under the appearance of ambition, passion, or the desire for performance. Most of the time, we lie to ourselves, and what seems like authentic determination is, in reality, just well-packaged ego. For me, that line functions as a constant reminder not to build out of vanity or the need for quick validation, but out of the desire to create solid, relevant, and lasting things.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Daniela Păunescu: They would probably say that I am demanding, first and foremost with myself. I strongly believe in responsibility, accountability, and respect for work done well. I may not always be the most easygoing, but I am involved, fair, and focused on real results, not just ticking off tasks.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?

Daniela Păunescu: Honestly, I do not feel there has been that one big moment yet that completely changed my trajectory. I believe truly transformative decisions are rare and come in time, and I am still in a stage of building, not of radical turning points.

C&B: How do you define the role of a Brand Manager within a group with the tradition and scale of Alexandrion Group?

Daniela Păunescu: This role, first and foremost, is one of responsibility and balance. It is not only about managing a product category, but about understanding and protecting a heritage built over time, while carrying it forward in a way that is relevant to the present.

For me, this role means acting at the intersection of strategy, identity, and context. On the one hand, it is essential to preserve the coherence and values that define the group’s brands; on the other hand, you must constantly find ways to keep them alive and connected to today’s consumers. It is a continuous exercise in adaptation.

In an organization with such tradition, the Brand Manager also becomes a curator of meaning: someone who filters trends and makes decisions that support long-term value. At the same time, the role requires courage — the courage to propose new directions, to access ambitious projects, and to maintain high standards while the pressure for quick results is high.

At the same time, this role is exercised within a very clearly defined context shaped by Alexandrion Group’s DNA as a family business built on a long-term vision. The values, rigor, and ambition instilled by the group’s founder, the late Dr. Nawaf Salameh, remain living benchmarks in the way the group operates, and their continuity through the Salameh family provides stability and strategic coherence. Under the leadership of Antonio Salameh, in his role as Chairman, this legacy is not only protected but also adapted to current realities, with a strong focus on performance and sustainable development. For a Brand Manager, this means working within a framework where tradition coupled with innovation represents a competitive advantage, and where every brand decision must respect and strengthen this long-term construction.

C&B: What are your main responsibilities in managing the brand portfolio in Romania?

Daniela Păunescu: My main responsibility is to ensure the coherence and relevance of the brand portfolio in Romania, with a special focus on emblematic brands such as Carpathian Single Malt Whisky and Brâncoveanu Vinars. Each of them has a strong identity and a distinct strategic role, and managing them requires a deep understanding of positioning, market context, and long-term direction.

I coordinate the brand strategy at local level — from positioning and communication plans to launches, activations, and partnerships — ensuring that each initiative is coherent with the group’s values and relevant for Romanian consumers. At the same time, I work closely with commercial teams and external partners so that strategy is properly reflected in execution and results.

An essential aspect of my role is constant alignment with the Chief Marketing Officer and the Chairman of the group. Development directions are built through dialogue and shared vision, so that each step supports both the identity of each brand and the broader ambition of the group. This collaboration ensures strategic coherence and clarity in important decisions.

At the same time, my responsibility is to maintain the balance between tradition and evolution: to protect the heritage of these brands while identifying real opportunities for growth and visibility. Day by day, I strive to build with patience and discernment, so that the value created is durable and relevant over time.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and which moments of the day bring you the greatest satisfaction?

Daniela Păunescu: My days alternate between strategy and execution. I usually start with an overview of ongoing projects and continue with alignment discussions, directional decisions, and extensive collaboration with internal teams and partners. An important part of my time is also dedicated to analysis — how brands evolve and remain relevant in the current context.

The greatest satisfactions come from moments of clarity: when a direction settles naturally, when an idea takes shape, and when projects built with patience begin to show results and make sense. I appreciate the feeling that, day by day, things are being built coherently and intentionally, even if the most visible results always appear over time.

C&B: How do you evaluate the success of a brand campaign within Alexandrion Group?

Daniela Păunescu: I evaluate the success of a brand campaign beyond immediate numbers. I look at its coherence with the brand strategy, at how the message is understood and embraced, at the quality of execution, and at its real impact on consumer perception. Of course, business KPIs matter, but for me a clear sign of success is when a campaign builds long-term brand equity and leaves something relevant in people’s minds, not just momentary visibility.

C&B: How do you build and maintain the relevance of Alexandrion brands in a competitive and constantly changing market?

Daniela Păunescu: The relevance of Alexandrion brands is built, first and foremost, through the work of a well-aligned team and through decisions made together. My role is to contribute to this construction through strategic clarity and respect for each brand’s identity. In a competitive and constantly changing market, I believe the difference lies in the ability to work coherently, with the same direction and standards.

In the spirits and whisky category, relevance comes from consistency and authenticity, not noise. We listen to the market, understand the consumer, and carefully choose which trends are worth integrating, so that brands evolve naturally without losing their DNA. Without close collaboration between teams — especially marketing and sales — none of this would be possible.

For me, success comes from the fact that brands grow healthily over time, as a result of well-executed teamwork.

C&B: Can you share an example of a campaign or launch you are particularly proud of?

Daniela Păunescu: One of the projects I am truly proud of is the limited edition Brâncoveanu XO dedicated to Gheorghe Zamfir, launched in 2021. It was an impressive experience to work directly with such an important figure in Romanian culture. Every discussion and every detail of the collaboration showed me how powerful a brand can be when it becomes a space for dialogue between generations and values.

At a complementary but equally memorable pole was the launch of SIGINA gin at the Neversea Festival in the summer of 2024. The energy, the public reaction, and the way the brand came alive within the culture of the moment were simply electrifying.

And perhaps the most ambitious of all, Carpathian — the first Romanian single malt, launched in 2022 — a premiere that raised the standards in the whisky category in Romania and beyond.

What connects all three is that none is an individual project. The innovation behind them, the strategy, execution, and attention to detail are collective efforts, and I am a link in this mechanism that contributes to transforming ideas into memorable brand experiences. In all of them, the pride comes from knowing that the teams responsible created relevance, authenticity, and impact both locally and globally.

In an industry where visibility can be gained quickly but relevance is earned over time, Daniela Păunescu relies on coherence, clarity, and long-term building. For her, brands are not just products, but ecosystems of meaning, identity, and responsibility.