Movers And Shakers With April Wachtel

Today’s guest is Eugene Khabensky, Director of Business Development and Ventures at Diageo. Eugene specializes in finance, strategy, commercial insights, and business development, so I was excited to pick his brain on how he evaluates businesses for potential investment. In his tenure at Diageo, he has worked on many exciting projects and acquisitions including Diageo’s acquisition of Casamigos Tequila. In his current role, Eugene oversees the Diageo relationship with the Distill Ventures program in North America where he brings a comprehensive cross functional view to unlocking brand acceleration and building successful plans for growth. In this interview, Eugene gives some great insights on what Diageo is looking for in potential investments, what level of detail you should  present depending on the stage of your business, and which part of the pitch process is incredibly important, yet often overlooked. I’m appreciative for Eugene’s time, and hope this interview helps founders prepare for the competition i