Leading with purpose: Beste Ermaner on PMI’s global travel retail transformation

After more than two decades at PMI, Beste Ermaner stepped into the role of Vice President of PMI Global Travel Retail in March 2024. From her early days in marketing in Turkey to global leadership roles in Switzerland, Ermaner has built a leadership style rooted in consumer focus and the courage to challenge convention.

In this interview, she speaks to GTR Magazine about how PMI GTR is shaping the company’s smoke-free future in one of the company’s most complex and far-reaching businesses.

GTR Magazine: Can you share insights into your career path at PMI, including roles and experiences that have shaped your leadership approach?

Ermaner: Over the past 25 years at PMI, I have taken on roles that shaped how I think about business, people and change. I started my journey in marketing in Turkey, which laid a foundation in understanding our consumers and building strong brands. I then moved to Russia as Commercial Sales Director, gaining invaluable experience in field operations. Over time, I transitioned into more strategic positions, leading global innovation and later stepping into global leadership roles at our headquarters in Switzerland.

Each chapter taught me something new, but a few things have stayed constant: stay agile, keep the consumer at the center, and be courageous to push boundaries. That mindset is especially important in my current role leading our Global Travel Retail (GTR) business. It is a fast-moving, complex space full of opportunities. I am privileged to work with a team that is passionate, curious and unafraid to challenge the status quo. Together, we have shifted our GTR business to be more consumer-centric and experience-driven, reaching over 350 million adult nicotine users who travel globally.

GTR Magazine: Can you walk us through a typical day in your role as Vice President of PMI Global Travel Retail?

Ermaner: Every day looks different, and that’s what keeps me energized. My mornings often begin early, connecting with teams across time zones to discuss progress on our strategic priorities.

Much of my day is spent thinking about the future: how we can continue to innovate, elevate the consumer experience and strengthen our multi-category portfolio. I also spend a lot of time with our business partners, retailers and operators because collaboration is at the heart of how we create value in this business.

What matters most to me is staying close to people: my team, partners and consumers. Behind every achievement is a team of exceptional individuals. I am constantly inspired by the brilliance and dedication of our internal teams, business partners and distributors who bring our iconic brands to life. Success in our industry is never a solo effort. It is a collective journey powered by collaboration, creativity and shared purpose.

GTR Magazine: What key decisions do you make daily, and how do they impact PMI’s operations and goals?

Ermaner: My days are a mix of high-level planning and quick decision-making, which is what I love most about my role. PMI GTR is a key driver of the company’s transformation and a major contributor to global performance. At the core of PMI’s smoke-free vision, we accelerate the transition toward a better choice, advancing our position as a key global and domestic touchpoint.

Decisions we make every day directly impact consumer acquisition and brand awareness across borders, and that calls for brilliance in execution – day in and day out.

GTR Magazine: How do you manage the diverse aspects of your role, from strategic planning to market execution?

Ermaner: It really comes down to having a clear sense of purpose. I approach each day with strategic focus and flexibility, making sure our long-term vision is always connected to what we are doing on the ground. Strategic planning defines how PMI GTR contributes to the bigger picture of our smoke-free transformation: identifying growth opportunities, shaping our multi-category roadmap and staying ahead of what consumers expect.

Strategy only matters if it comes to life in GTR markets; that’s where execution kicks in through premium retail experiences, bold innovation and strong partnerships across the travel retail space.

GTR Magazine: What are the unique challenges and opportunities in the GTR business, and how is PMI adapting to them?

Ermaner: GTR is a business unlike any other, defined by a global footprint, high complexity and constant volatility. We operate in 166 markets across seven channels: airports, borders, shipchandling, ferries and cruises, airlines, military and diplomatic. Each channel requires a tailored approach, with unique operating models, consumer profiles, portfolios, pricing structures and commercial strategies.

This complex, multi-faceted landscape presents vast opportunities. Our global reach connects us with over 350 million adult nicotine users from more than 200 nationalities, giving us a broad perspective on consumer behavior and travel retail dynamics. This scale allows us to identify emerging trends early, respond with agility and play a strategic role as a brand awareness builder, an acquisition engine and an extended arm of our domestic markets.

GTR Magazine: How is PMI Global Travel Retail leveraging technology, particularly AI, to stay ahead in such a dynamic travel retail environment?

Ermaner: Success in this space requires us to be more agile, more connected and more consumer-centric than ever before, considering rapidly shifting consumer behaviors and traveling patterns in travel retail. We are integrating AI into the core of our operations as a strategic imperative for redefining how we work. It is enabling us to make more informed decisions, elevate efficiency and craft more meaningful, personalized exceptional consumer experiences. Our transformation journey aims to unlock AI’s full potential to generate sustainable value not only for us, but also for our consumers and trade partners.

GTR Magazine: How does PMI’s Global Travel Retail division contribute to the company’s vision of a smoke-free future?

Ermaner: PMI’s GTR division is the powerhouse of the company’s global movement to build a smoke-free future. We connect with adult smokers worldwide, often at moments when they have more time and are more open to new experiences and choices. That gives us a rare opportunity to introduce them to smoke-free alternatives and support their shift away from cigarettes. It’s not just about offering better products, but rather about offering better choices that can make a real difference in people’s lives. Knowing that we are helping drive this change is something I take pride in.

GTR Magazine: Can you discuss PMI’s multi-category portfolio and the role of innovation in meeting consumer preferences?

Ermaner: We are proud to be leading the way with our multi-category approach. It is a key enabler of PMI’s smoke-free transformation. It is less about offering better alternatives and more about understanding and meeting the evolving preferences of legal-age nicotine users looking for smoke-free alternatives.

GTR offers a global platform to showcase our full range of smoke-free products: from IQOS, the world’s number one heated tobacco brand, to ZYN, the world’s number one nicotine pouch brand, and to VEEV, our premium e-vapor brand. Each one is designed with different needs in mind, and that diversity is what makes our portfolio so relevant and so strong. We are committed to executional excellence across all GTR markets, ensuring our iconic brands are visible and truly connect with adult consumers.

GTR Magazine: As a leader passionate about women’s empowerment, how do you advocate for gender equality within PMI and the broader industry?

Ermaner: Empowering women in the workplace is something I care deeply about because I have seen the difference it makes when diverse perspectives lead to better decisions. I have worked with incredibly talented women who just needed someone to believe in them and to give them space to lead, speak up and grow. I have made it a personal mission to be that “someone” whenever I can. I mentor and sponsor women on my team and across PMI, helping them be visible, heard and confident stepping into bigger roles.

GTR Magazine: What inspires and motivates you each day in your leadership position?

Ermaner: What inspires me most is my team and their passion for pushing boundaries. A sense of responsibility guides me not just to deliver results, but to foster a culture where people feel genuinely valued, heard and empowered to contribute with honesty, individuality and openness. GTR is an incredible ecosystem: fast-moving, multicultural and full of opportunities. Behind every strategy and success are people driven by shared purpose, bold ambitions and a sense of authenticity that empowers us to push boundaries together.