Dominique Wood-Benneteau | Influence 100
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Dominique Wood-Benneteau

Head of Global Communications & Brand
Engie
France

 

After 16 years in brand comms at Diageo, including eight years in the drinks giant’s top communications role, global brand and communications director, Dominic Redfearn took on what must currently be one of the most challenging roles in in-house comms last September. When he joined under-the-spotlight oil and gas company Shell to lead strategic communications, he was keen to underline the role he – and his controversial new employer – would play in the crucial transition to net zero energy. 

Redfearn is no stranger to the complexities of corporate affairs and crisis management in a highly-regulated industry, and the first few months in the job have seen his team handle comms around everything from new sustainable energy investments to brand campaigns. 

At Diageo, as principal communications advisor to the CEO and global executive committee, Redfearn was responsible for reputation strategy; corporate communications; financial communications; employee engagement and internal communications; crisis and issues management; campaigning and PR; category communications; and the corporate brand, from strategy to execution. Between 2016 and 2017 he was also responsible for corporate affairs strategy across Asia-Pacific.

Redfearn joined Diageo in 2007, initially as head of corporate, broadcast and digital media, thanks to his broadcast production background at Dow Jones, CNBC and Medialink. He then moved into a head of media and content role, before taking on a newly-created role in 2014 to create a stronger Diageo corporate brand, leading on the development of an integrated corporate brand and reputation strategy for the company.