KEDGE Alumni has numerous offices around the world, enabling local alumni to meet, network, share experiences and have a great time.

Today, we invite you to discover the portrait of Tanguy DE BODINAT, a graduate based in Mexico!

To begin with, could you tell us a little about your entrepreneurial background? What was your educational and professional background to get to this point?
I grew up in the Paris suburbs and had a fairly happy childhood/adolescence, in a very promising and open European context with lots of exchanges, travel and cultural interaction.

After taking my baccalauréat S in 2005, I entered the University of Assas to study Eco Management and obtained my bachelor's degree during an exchange year with the UBA (University of Buenos Aires). I loved this experience, which also included a long solo road trip across Brazil; I already knew that I would return to live on this continent and in this Latin culture.

I joined KEDGE in 2009 (at the time of BEM) where I was seduced by the cultural environment and decided to take a gap year to work in wine. After an end-of-study internship in marketing at Rothschild France distribution, I was offered a fixed-term contract that wasn't very attractive given my previous experience.s attractive given my experience and qualifications, I decided to try my luck abroad (summer 2012).

Why Mexico?

I wanted to return to "Latin" America, thinking of Brazil, but at the time, the political and economic context was not favorable. Then, and above all, having family in Mexico made it a natural point of entry. I found a job as a salesman with Interamericana, one of Mexico's leading wine importers. I was quickly promoted to national sales manager and traveled all over Mexico developing a portfolio of 200 labels.

Tell us about Climats! What made you decide to set up your own business? And why Climats?

It was following this experience at Interamericana that I perceived the potential and the lack of offer on wines from qualitative French family estates intended for gastronomy. Thus, I took the decision to set up my own company in 2016.

Initially, for 5 years I concentrated and specialized solely on France. Every year, I organized "wine tours" lasting several weeks to meet the best winemakers in each region, some of whom are already well known, but also the young talents and future stars of tomorrow.

It all started with the importation of a mixed pallet of 3 labels from the famous Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, whose wines are world-renowned for their quality, but which had no presence in Mexico. It worked well. 🍷

Today, Climats imports numerous estates from all over France, emblematic of their region of origin and with a strong identity and personality reflecting their terroir.

And since 2020, we've been importing from Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany and California, as well as distributing Mexican estates.

In all cases, our philosophy is the same: quality, favoring manual and parcel-based work, long maturation periods and little use of new wood; delicate wines compatible with gastronomy in general, but also with Mexican cuisine.

From the outset, and I hope to keep it that way, I've visited all the estates and met all the winemakers whose wines make up the Climats portfolio. There's clearly a Climats style and a consistent personality to all the wines we import (which may or may not appeal), but with a guarantee of quality and typicity to which I'm attached.

Why Climats? 🍇
It's a term specific to Burgundy and refers to the wine-growing terroir. In Burgundy, a Climat designates a parcel of vines, progressively and precisely delimited by man, and which has been recognized by its name for centuries. The personality of the Climat is expressed in the wine, vintage after vintage, thanks to the know-how of the winemaker. Nowhere else in the world has man sought to link wine production to its place of production in such a precise and intimate way.

As you can see, it's a passionate approach to wine, based on the land. We believe that this working philosophy has inspired the greatest winemakers, whether Burgundian or not.

What have you gained from your studies at KEDGE?

At KEDGE, I received a high-quality, practical and pragmatic education that perfectly complemented my (very theoretical) university education. At Assas I studied the history of economics through great authors and theorems, at KEDGE I acquired an analytical capacity and an ability to solve and propose solutions in any situation while working in a team. KEDGE was a step, a bridge to professional life, after student life, an environment conducive to serenely considering what comes next.

It's also a powerful international network. I've built up a close group of friends who I continue to see regularly despite the distance.

Being in Bordeaux pushed me into the world of wine, for which I had a certain attraction but no pre-disposition, and from which I have never left.

Today, you live in Mexico. What do you like about this country? What's different from France for an entrepreneur?

Mexico is a country full of charm, with a rich history and a strong cultural identity. The diversity of its landscapes, cuisine and climates, as well as its rich heritage and architecture, make it a wonderful place to explore. There are miles of coastline to explore, mountains over 5,000 meters high, pine forests as in Switzerland, deserts of impressive, thousand-year-old cacti...it's a source of endless pleasure and inspiration! 🌱

The friendliness of its inhabitants, their warm welcome and the ease with which they make friends and work together are a plus when it comes to integrating and putting down roots in the country.

Mexico is sometimes mistakenly thought of as a developing country. In fact, it's the 12th largest country in terms of GDP, and therefore in full development. For a young entrepreneur, the opportunities are incredible.

How did you get on as an entrepreneur in Mexico?

Well, with pitfalls to avoid!

Everything seems simple when you're still a "tourist", but when you want to formalize your life here you come up against certain obstacles due to an opaque administration that's difficult to maneuver. Administrative problems can seem insurmountable. Particularly in a sector like alcohol importation, where you're under the strict, even arbitrary, control of the SAT, the Mexican tax authorities. It's not always easy to understand how they work or what the rules are. But in the end, with patience and determination, everything works out.

What are your future ambitions/projects for your company?

To become a benchmark in the Mexican winemaking industry. Be positioned in the country's best restaurants and hotels. Sell directly to a community of wine enthusiasts. 🚀

Finally, after 7 years in business, we're exactly where we want to be. Our ambition is not to become a big company, but rather to remain a company specialized in the gastronomic segment and recognized for the quality of its products and services.

Speaking of projects: I've just created a parallel but directly related project to Climats: NIV.

NIV (Vin a l'envers) is a wine bar/restaurant where you can eat well, drink great bottles and have fun.

Maybe in the future I'd like to open a gourmet restaurant where quite unique and exclusive wines would be at the center of the customer experience.

Finally, what message would you like to send to graduates and students who want to do business in Mexico?

When you're 23-25 and just out of school, it's the perfect time to try your luck abroad. The experience can only be enriching, whether it's short or long (11 years already in my case). You only regret what you don't undertake, so go for it, follow your instincts and your passions. Be prepared at the outset to make a few concessions on your salary expectations and your hobbies; hard work pays off, and you'll soon get back what you put in.

Good luck!