Paragon Brands MD Chris Jones on flights, supplier portals and Aperol Spritz

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Chris Jones Paragon Brands

Name: Chris Jones

Job title: Managing director

Company: Paragon Brands

What was your first job? My first job was working weekends stacking shelves and working checkouts at Sainsbury’s at 16 – this led to me becoming a management trainee after my studies and five years of management. I still tidy shelves when out shopping!

What’s been your worst job interview? It was a very memorable seven-stage interview over three months for a major brewer, culminating in a lengthy one to one with the CEO… then they decided to restructure and cancel the role, so I didn’t get to work for them. It certainly gave me an experience – but not one I’d want to repeat.

What was the first music single you bought? I bought Boomtown Rats – I Don’t Like Mondays when I was 11 from HMV. I think it cost £1!

How do you describe your job to your friends? I work with fun and unusual drinks brands and I import and sell some of the world’s best spirits into supermarkets and bars.

“My bugbear is online supplier portals – they are seemingly designed to be unintuitive and make life harder than it needs to be”

What is the most rewarding part of your job? I get a real kick out of seeing brands I introduce to the UK market becoming established – such as the Aperol Spritz which I launched in the UK in 2012.

I get the same feeling of excitement watching the evolution of the ‘baby beer’ with Licor 43 – it has really taken off across the country, and it has been brilliant to see the team getting behind it and watching it grow from the ground up.

What is the least rewarding part? Getting up at 4am for early morning flights. I travel quite frequently for work and while I love meeting suppliers, partners and customers around the world, the early starts are not as fun as they used to be.

What is your motto in life? Be a decent person – what goes around comes around. In the grocery industry, paths can cross at various stages, so it’s important to treat people well and be remembered for being decent and honest.

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? I’d love to have first-class upgrades on all flights – I’m 6ft 3in so I struggle to fit into regular economy seats, and it would make the journey much more pleasant so I can arrive rested and refreshed.

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Source: Sainsbury’s

Do you have any phobias? I have a fear of motorbikes. A school friend was badly injured on one and I’ve been terrified ever since. Even just the noise of a roaring motorbike triggers me.

If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? The grocery industry is generally set up well and the supply chain works, on the whole.

But my bugbear is online supplier portals – they are seemingly designed to be unintuitive and make life harder than it needs to be.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? A good coffee machine and a well-stocked bar. And ideally an ice machine.

What animal most reflects your personality? A Labrador dog. I’m loyal, friendly, sometimes annoying, but always endearing – or so my friends tell me.

What’s your favourite film and why? La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful). It’s one of the most touching, uplifting films ever made, but watch it only in Italian with subtitles – not the dubbed version!

What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? One moment that sticks out as particularly embarrassing is splitting my trousers from belt to crotch while boarding a plane to go to a business meeting in Portugal.

I had to run to a shop in the airport on landing to buy some overly expensive new trousers to look presentable for the meeting.

Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Tom Cruise. I love his films and admire how he keeps taking on ever-increasing challenges without any fear.

What would your death row meal be? Lobster washed down with chablis then Häagen Dazs Pralines & Cream ice cream for dessert.