A new series called The Macallan Conversations finds some of the most remarkable people who’ve made their mark across Asia.
The club scene might be on a hiatus for now, though that doesn’t mean the wheels aren’t turning behind the doors. People are figuring out how to navigate the current crisis, and when all this is done, they’re going to want to go out and celebrate.
Before the pandemic put most everything on pause, Manila had a thriving nightlife, with Xylo, Revel, and Yes Please being some of the names that get thrown around when it comes to bars around the metro. And behind all of these is GP Reyes.
Reyes has had quite the success with the bar scene, including names like 71 Gramercy, The Island at the Palace, and Draft Gastropub under his name. His idea of combining luxury and the nightlife struck a chord with people who had been looking for something to fill their evenings with in Manila.
But Reyes wasn’t always the nightlife purveyor he is now. Before all of this, GP was carving a name in the PR industry.
“I established GPR Advertising, Events, and Public Relations. Projects started to come in droves and things started to look up. We hold ourselves responsible during this time for some of the most legendary and successful campaigns in the advertising and events industry.”
Still, he decided to give all of it up to build a life that he imagined living for himself. It was a move that was both risky and brave, though it eventually led him to help shape the evening culture in the country.
It is in this spirit that he talks to Macallan about his experiences. As part of the Macallan Conversations—a series of videos that embody the single malt Scotch whisky-maker’s Make the Call philosophy—Reyes opens up about his hopes and talks about what it takes to be in the business.
“Reyes is one of the best manifestations of the brand’s passion for greatness and excellence. Instead of settling into his comfort zone and enjoying the advantages he grew up in, he made the call to make a bold decision. It meant making sacrifices but his passion and daring paid off,” says Au Aguilar, Senior Brand Advocate of Macallan PH.
The Macallan Conversations is a series that talks to people around Asia, the ones who have gone to extraordinary lengths to stake a claim in their line of work. In it, Macallan finds a kinship with the people in the series, being known as one of the best single malt whisky-makers in the world. Such is its dedication to its craft that it even made a new shade of purple for its limited-edition whisky last year, and its vintage bottles regularly top the auctions.
In any case, you can catch the conversation with GP Reyes in the video below:
