Unleash Your Spirit: Liz Osei

23 February 2021

Meet Liz Osei - Marketing Manager – Metro New York & Upstate New York, and a multicultural marketing pioneer at Beam Suntory.

One of seven children, Osei is a first-generation Ghanaian America. Education was a top priority for her parents, growing up in Willingboro, NJ, a suburb of Philadelphia.

Osei earned an MBA from Strayer University, and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Temple University, where she also played the wing position on the rugby team.

“I’m an ambitious and competitive person, and I apply that to everything I do in my life,” Osei said.

Osei joined Beam Suntory as an activation specialist in 2008, and later served in sales manager positions in the on-premise (bars and restaurants) and off-premise (retail stores and other outlets that sell spirits). As an on-premise manager in Washington, DC in 2010, she spotted an opportunity to market directly to diverse consumers.

“I took the lead on creating programming and we were able to involve the Howard University Alumni Association and local Black-owned businesses.”

Her work laid a foundation for increased marketing to diverse consumers throughout the Maryland/DC market, and she supported efforts in other markets throughout the US as well. She is thrilled by the influence and creativity of today’s multicultural brand managers who have helped the company make great progress in the way it markets to diverse consumers.

“I was the only Black woman on my team at the time, and I wanted to learn all aspects of sales, so I knew in order for me to grow, I had to make myself uncomfortable and challenge the status quo,” said Osei.

In her current role, she is responsible for making national programs locally relevant. For example, when the pandemic forced most US bars and restaurants to close, a new program called “Cocktails to Go” started. Bars and restaurants across the country were selling cocktails for consumers to take home. In New York, she and her team worked with local accounts, providing Maker’s Mark mason jars to make and sell cocktails.

“Liz consistently shows up with her full self, in a positive and engaging manner that has earned the upmost trust and respect of her peers,” said Jennifer Christman, Senior Marketing Manager – East Region. “Liz is a model employee when it comes to building a diverse network of colleagues whose identities, cultures, experiences and backgrounds positively influence her work. We are lucky to have her on the marketing team in New York!”

Osei continues to support Beam Suntory’s efforts in Diversity & Inclusion by serving as a key contributor to BOLD, Beam Suntory’s Black EIG.

Recently married, being a stepmom has become a highlight for Liz. When she’s not working, she and her family like to escape bustling New York. Prior to the pandemic, they would travel and often visit amusement/theme parks, which constantly won the favor of her stepchildren.

You can learn more about how Beam Suntory employees are “Unleashing Their Spirit” around the world in our people profile series.