On November 5th, coinciding with the opening of the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), French luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton showcased its premium spirits brand, Hennessy, at the event. Laurent Boillot, Hennessy’s President and CEO, also visited China, taking this pivotal opportunity to engage in a deeper dialogue between the brand and the Chinese market.
Above: Hennessy’s booth at the CIIE
This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, and Hennessy stands as one of LVMH’s earliest brands to establish trade ties with China. Since exporting cognac to China for the first time in 1859, Hennessy has cultivated a relationship with the country spanning 165 years.
At this year’s CIIE, Hennessy highlighted its commitment to China and the global market through a central display at the LVMH pavilion. The exhibition showcased the brand’s initiatives across various dimensions, including product innovation, craftsmanship, artist collaborations, and sustainability.
In both 2017 and 2023, Luxe.CO had the opportunity to interview Laurent Boillot. During this CIIE, the publication revisited its conversation with him to explore how Hennessy navigates challenges in the Chinese market and why it invests heavily in sustainability and cultural brand building.
Above: Laurent Boillot at Hennessy’s booth at the CIIE
Unwavering Long-Term Confidence in the Chinese Market Despite Short-Term Challenges
China remains one of Hennessy’s two key growth engines. During the interview, Laurent Boillot reiterated, “After China, still China.”
This mirrors a statement he made in November last year during the opening of Hennessy’s first Asia-Pacific flagship store at Shanghai Qiantan Taikoo Li, underscoring his enduring confidence in the Chinese market’s potential.
However, Boillot acknowledged the challenges posed by global economic uncertainties, noting, “Like our peers in the luxury industry, we are facing sequential challenges and difficulties.”
Boillot candidly acknowledged that the shifting economic environment has influenced market trends. Anticipating these trends and adjusting product and brand strategies accordingly is, in his view, a core responsibility of a CEO. As a driven and ambitious leader, he remains relentless in pursuing performance goals. However, he emphasized that while performance is a short-term priority, his true focus lies in the brand’s long-term development within the Chinese market.
Hennessy’s portfolio includes a diverse range of products such as Hennessy V.S, V.S.O.P, X.O, Paradis, and Richard. Currently, its operations are supported by a large-scale production line capable of producing 20,000 bottles of cognac per hour, a reflection of cutting-edge industry standards. Simultaneously, Hennessy operates boutique workshops that craft just a few bottles each week.
In China, Hennessy V.S.O.P remains the cornerstone of its market presence, with Boillot predicting that this product category will continue to dominate in the future.
Above: Hennessy’s limited-edition “Reconstruction” collection for the 2025 Chinese Year of the Snake, created in collaboration with Chinese fashion designer Chou Shu-Ting.
Boillot dismissed the notion that the current challenges in China reflect a fundamental shift in consumer preferences. He noted that interest in cognac remains strong. Viewed within the context of Hennessy’s 259-year history, he described the current market situation as a short-term fluctuation. “Such situations have occurred in other countries throughout Hennessy’s 160-year global journey. In China, prosperity will likely return in a few years.”
Globally, Hennessy has seen notable success in other markets. For instance, South Africa has emerged as the second-fastest-growing market for Hennessy V.S.O.P globally within just four years. Meanwhile, the United States remains a vital growth engine, and sales in France have doubled, achieving a historic milestone since 1919. Other regions, such as Nigeria, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, have also experienced growth.
In comparison, Boillot admitted that short-term recovery in China remains a challenge, with retail expansion plans currently on hold. Instead, Hennessy will focus on enhancing in-store experiences. Alongside cocktail preparation and tasting sessions, plans include introducing workshops combining cognac and Pu’er tea—a nod to cultural fusion.
Smiling, Boillot remarked, “I haven’t forgotten what I want to achieve. Changes in external circumstances only mean it will take more time. But our determination to grow the Chinese market remains unchanged. For us, the priority is to maintain dialogue and connection with consumers.”
Above: The experiential bar at Hennessy’s flagship store in Shanghai’s Qiantan Taikoo Li
As a Leader in the World of Cognac, Amplifying the Impact of Sustainability
Hennessy’s commitment to sustainability also requires a long-term vision.
With cognac rooted in the soil and aged in oak barrels, protecting soil health and forests has become a cornerstone of Hennessy’s sustainability initiatives. Since 2020, the brand has been running its global “Forest Destination” program, which aims to restore 50,000 hectares of forest worldwide by 2030. This includes reforestation projects in Guizhou and Inner Mongolia, China.
By the end of 2023, in collaboration with “Reforest’ Action” and local enterprises, Hennessy had planted nearly two million trees of native Chinese species in Guizhou and Inner Mongolia. These efforts not only enhance the local ecosystem and biodiversity, and restore degraded land, but also significantly support the economic wellbeing of local communities.
Regarding these reforestation activities in China and other regions, Laurent Boillot candidly stated: “Will this project make our business better? No. Are we seeking financial returns? No. This project indeed requires an investment from our profits, but it does not compromise our future. I believe everyone must do their part, and the sum of these small efforts will achieve something significant. I think this is equally important in China.”
Above: Reforestation activities under Hennessy’s “Forest Destination” program in Guizhou, China.
Above: Reforestation activities under Hennessy’s “Forest Destination” program in Inner Mongolia, China.
Ultimately, Hennessy’s actions are “not only to save the planet but also to safeguard the future of our industry.”
In the heart of Hennessy’s cognac-producing region, Charente, France, the brand launched its “Thousand Kilometers of Hedgerows” initiative. By 2030, this project aims to plant 1,000 kilometers of hedgerows to create ecological corridors between vineyards. By the end of 2023, Hennessy had partnered with 58 winegrowers to fund the planting of 134 kilometers of hedgerows.
Above: Hennessy’s “Thousand Kilometers of Hedgerows” initiative.
Simultaneously, Hennessy is supporting its vineyard partners in transitioning to sustainable agriculture. The brand has mobilized a team of experts, including technical collaborators, members of agricultural chambers, and independent consultants, to ensure that all vineyards achieve Cognac Environmental Certification (CEC) by 2028.
Boillot admitted that encouraging these partners to make changes has not been easy: “It requires investment and decision-making. Some partners have directly accepted our recommendations, while others are holding on to their original practices.”
Hennessy has been experimenting with sustainable agricultural transitions on the 180 hectares it directly manages, exploring “zero-cost or very low-cost solutions.” Boillot added, “Our soil is in danger. For our children, and their children, we have a responsibility to act.”
During the CIIE, Boillot joined Andrew Wu, President of LVMH Greater China, Anne Cai, Vice President of HR and Corporate Communications for Moët Hennessy Diageo China, and Tang Youde, China representative of Reforest’ Action, in hosting a dialogue titled “Hennessy: A Sustainable Legacy, a Cross-Cultural Dialogue.”
Above: Laurent Boillot at the sustainable development dialogue, “Hennessy: A Sustainable Legacy, a Cross-Cultural Dialogue.”
In addition, Hennessy and its partners released the Chinese version of the Hennessy 2023 Sustainability Report, which documents the brand’s decades-long efforts to mobilize experts, associations, and enterprises to promote sustainable practices globally. Leveraging its leadership in the world of cognac and its strong brand influence, Hennessy’s actions have deepened awareness of sustainable agriculture and development, inspiring many followers.
Boillot remarked, “Sustainability has no finish line.”
Above: Laurent Boillot at the sustainable development dialogue, “Hennessy: A Sustainable Legacy, a Cross-Cultural Dialogue.”
Cross-Border Collaboration in Arts and Sports: A Sincere Dialogue with Chinese Traditional Culture
“Vitality” emerged as a recurring theme during Laurent Boillot’s interview. He remarked, “Since I joined, we have been committed to infusing Hennessy with vibrancy.”
In recent years, Hennessy has actively engaged with sports, film, music, and the arts, collaborating across disciplines with prominent figures from diverse backgrounds. This approach has brought fresh energy to the brand and positioned it firmly within the cultural spaces where younger generations gather.
For example, in September, Hennessy appointed the rising Chinese actor Dylan Wang as the brand ambassador for Hennessy Blaze in China. The brand also collaborated with NBA star LeBron James to produce an advertising campaign and co-branded products.
At this year’s CIIE, Hennessy drew inspiration from the Chinese Year of the Snake to design special installations for its booth. The brand also presented a limited-edition “Reimagination” series, created in collaboration with renowned Chinese fashion designer Chou Shu-Ting. Last year, Hennessy’s Chinese New Year Dragon-themed collection and booth were highly successful, with the dragon-themed series selling out within weeks, according to Boillot.
Above: Hennessy’s limited-edition “Reimagination” series for the 2025 Chinese Year of the Snake, created in collaboration with Chinese fashion designer Chou Shu-Ting.
Hennessy’s vitality is not just about its dynamic collaborations but also its sincere dialogue with China’s traditional tea and liquor culture.
Over the past two decades, Boillot has visited China numerous times, nurturing a special connection with Chinese culture. He firmly believes, “One day, China will produce great luxury brands.” In 2017, while serving as the Global President and CEO of Guerlain under LVMH, he founded the high-end luxury skincare brand CHA LING, inspired by Chinese culture and natural resources.
Though seemingly unrelated, the beauty and spirits industries share a hidden connection: the soil.
The grapes used to produce Hennessy cognac thrive in the unique terroir of the Charente region, while CHA LING draws its inspiration from “ancient Pu’er tea,” which owes its character to the distinctive environment of Yunnan.
The brand’s mission was to support local ecological conservation projects in Yunnan. As Boillot expressed, “Never forget the soil that nurtures it.” Although he has since shifted to the spirits industry, his passion for CHA LING and Chinese tea culture remains undiminished. He elaborated, “Tea trees naturally grow in Yunnan due to its altitude, climate, and latitude. From there, tea trees were introduced to India and Japan”.
Similarly, Boillot is actively fostering exchanges between Hennessy and Chinese liquor culture. In late 2023, he visited Guizhou to meet with the Kweichow Moutai Group, touring their distilleries, tasting Moutai, and exploring potential trade and sustainability collaborations.
From grapes and tea leaves to luxury brands in beauty and spirits, Boillot has consistently focused on cultural development as a means to shape brand identity and convey humanistic values.
For cognac, the soil represents not only the unique terroir of Charente but also the deep heritage of French winemaking culture. In China, tea culture similarly reflects a way of life and philosophical principles. The dialogue between these two rich traditions and great cultures is key to Hennessy’s efforts to establish local connections.
During the CIIE, the Comité Colbert hosted the Jeux de Mains exhibition at Zhangyuan, Shanghai, showcasing dialogues between master artisans from 17 French luxury brands and distinguished Chinese craftspeople.
Above: Hennessy at the “Jeux de Mains” exhibition
As the rotating chairman of the Comité Colbert, Boillot led Hennessy’s participation in the event and facilitated a dialogue between French cognac and Chinese Pu’er tea, exemplifying the union of “two worlds and two cultures.” He shared his vision of bringing cognac barrels to China and experimenting with combining Pu’er tea and Hennessy cognac to create new experiences.
Beyond his passion for Chinese tea culture, Boillot is also the initiator of the Gold Phoenix: Artisans 8 Sino-French Craft Exchange Program. Launched in 2020, the program has supported Chinese and French artisans, promoting the preservation and innovation of traditional crafts and culture. This year, the program spotlighted “Chinese Woodcraft,” with designer and artisan Hua Yong winning the award. During his residency in France, supported by Hennessy, Hua Yong explored Hennessy’s sustainably managed forests and engaged in deep exchanges with local artisans.
“No matter the age, especially for the younger generation, there is a desire to reconnect with their culture. This is true in China as well,” Boillot observed.
Above: Hua Yong with Laurent Boillot
About Laurent Boillot
Laurent Boillot joined the LVMH Group in 2002 and has served as the President and CEO of Hennessy since 2020.
Laurent Boillot has always prioritized the Chinese market and cultural exchanges with China. From 2007 to 2019, he was the Global President and CEO of Guerlain, LVMH’s high-end beauty brand. During his tenure, he championed orchid and tropical rainforest conservation projects in Yunnan. In 2014, Boillot founded the luxury skincare brand CHA LING, inspired by Yunnan Pu’er tea, to support the preservation of Pu’er tea cultural heritage and biodiversity in the region.
In 2022, Laurent Boillot was elected Chairman of the Comité Colbert, continuing to foster closer ties between the French luxury industry and China.
| Image Credit: Provided by the Brand
| Editor: LeZhi
