Mickael Minot: Luxury’s global insider joins James Cropper

When Mickael Minot first heard the name James Cropper, something clicked.

“It just felt right,” he recalls. “I’d come across James Cropper many times in my career, as a top-tier supplier. From the moment I heard the name in relation to this role, it felt like an epiphany.”

Now appointed as Brand Owner Director, Mickael is leading the charge on global brand-owner partnerships, connecting the world’s most iconic names in fashion, beauty, spirits and beyond with the craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability that James Cropper has quietly perfected for 180 years.

A global career in luxury packaging

Mickael brings with him more than 16 years of international experience, including seven years living and working in Japan, followed by an MBA at EDHEC Business School in France. His packaging credentials span a rare breadth: from mass to ultra-luxury, from primary plastics to secondary paper, and from start-ups to global giants like Chanel, L’Oréal, H&M, and C&A.

In his previous role as Global Sales Manager at Toly Products, a Malta-based leader in cosmetic packaging, Mickael was tasked with driving the cardboard and paper side of the business, often to sales teams more accustomed to selling plastic.

“I was promoting sustainable alternatives to people who’d spent decades with polymers,” he says. “And then James Cropper called me with almost exactly the same mission. But with deeper roots, stronger heritage, and no geographical limitations.”

A new chapter – and a factory that took his breath away

After just a few days at the Burneside mill, Mickael says he knew he was in the right place.

“When people ask how I’m feeling, I say: I feel at home,” he adds. “There’s a great balance between what I already know, and what I still have to learn. I’ve worked with mills before – Fedrigoni, Arjowiggins, Billerud – but never directly for one. Now I’m inside. And it’s a different world.”

What struck him most was the contrast.

“You’re in the middle of the British countryside, surrounded by green hills and lakes. It’s a relatively small factory – around 500 people. But then you look around and realise some of the world’s most iconic packaging – from timeless luxury to modern tech – is made right here. It’s surreal. Almost too good to be true, in the best possible way.”

For Mickael, paper is not just a material, it’s a medium of emotion, memory and multisensory experience.

“I’m passionate about multisensoriality. The packaging is the first visual impression, and touch is the second. Even before the product is revealed, your senses are activated. The moment your hand touches soft, beautifully made paper, the luxury experience has already begun.”

He sees paper as both beginning and end – the first moment of brand engagement, and the final flourish when a customer walks away with a bag in hand.

“It’s the quiet communicator,” he adds. “The projection of identity. That’s why top luxury houses invest in it. Not just for looks, but for the way it feels, the way it speaks, the way it lingers.”

The power of signature colour

Ask Mickael what brands care about most in packaging, and he’ll tell you: colour and trust.

“Everyone claims they can match any colour. But when your track record includes decades of trust from the most exacting names in luxury, that speaks volumes. There’s no room for ‘almost’ – not when a single shade defines an entire legacy.”

He sees colour as a pillar of luxury identity; a way for brands to stake emotional territory. And James Cropper’s colour capability, backed by one of the UK’s most advanced labs, is the gold standard.

“People want to own a colour,” he says. “They want it to be theirs. And with James Cropper, they can.”

Two Icons: Black precision and sculpted sustainability

There are two products, Mickael says, that always come up in conversation.
“One is a deep, inimitable black paper, so distinctive it has become shorthand for understated luxury. The other is a sculpted, moulded fibre wrap used by a prestige drinks house, instantly recognisable and endlessly referenced.”

For Mickael, these are not just success stories. They are proof points. Entryways.
“These two products are the key to unlocking the future,” he says. “They show what is possible when craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability come together.”

When asked what luxury means today, Mickael doesn’t hesitate.

“It’s changed. It’s not just about price anymore. It’s about values. Trust. Detail. Craft. Story.”

He’s seeing two key trends emerge: discreet, understated luxury for seasoned connoisseurs, and bold, visible luxury in emerging markets, where recognisable branding still signals status.

“James Cropper is perfectly placed for both,” he says. “We can deliver subtle sophistication, the quiet ‘wow’ of opening a box. But we also have the vibrancy and production scale to serve bolder expressions.”

Above all, he emphasises traceability and truth.

“There’s no room for risk. One mistake in traceability or ethical oversight can cost a brand billions. That’s why working with someone like James Cropper isn’t just about the paper. It’s about trust. Discretion. Accountability. And care.”

Looking ahead

Mickael’s mission is clear: reignite relationships, open new markets, and tell the story of James Cropper in ways the world hasn’t yet heard.

He’s already engaging with senior leaders across global beauty, luxury retail, and legacy family empires. His vision reaches into Champagne, circles back to Swiss watchmaking, spans Dubai’s prestige retail scene, and taps into the pulse of the U.S. market.

“They’ve hired a warrior,” he laughs. “I’m learning fast, I’m building fast – and I’m fired up.”

With one hand holding the epitome of timeless elegance, and the other a symbol of modern design, Mickael Minot is poised to make his mark.