
The Global Whiskies and Spirits Summit
Thursday 28 March 2019
The HAC, City Road, London
Speakers
Quick links

Andy Pye
Business Development Manager
Seymourpowell
Seymourpowell have a track record of imagining and the creating award-wining designs and world-first innovation solutions stretching back over 30 years. They’ve helped companies plan everything from the future of domestic lifestyles, sports nutrition through to space travel. They’ve also created many of the products, interactions and services you encounter every day. In the spirits industry, they have a track record with established producers and those looking to take their next steps.
Speaking time...
10:15am

Attila Lorincz
Founder & CEO
Doupla
An ambitious creative enthusiast with years of spirit marketing experience (on both global and local market-leading brands), currently leading an award-winning team to help our clients communicate outside the box / above the ad noise.
Speaking time...
10:15pm

Craig Johnson
Vice President Marketing
Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail
Craig was appointed Global Vice President Marketing for Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail in January 2019. Initially he studied a BA in engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology and then a MBA at the University of Connecticut. He started his career at BIC in 1993 where he transitioned from engineering to marketing, before joining Allied Domecq Spirits USA in 1999as Brand Director Innovation and Advantage. Craig joined the group at Pernod Ricard USA in 2004 as Brand Director and became Vice President Marketing, Spirits in 2010. Joined the Absolut Company as Global Brand Director, Malibu, and was promoted to Global Marketing Director in 2015.
Speaking time...
9:40am

Joe Bates
Gin Magazine / Travelux / Whisky Magazine
Joe Bates has been writing about the duty-free business as a freelance journalist for nearly two decades. He’s a regular contributor to industry titles, including; Whisky Magazine, Gin Magazine and more recently Travelux. Bates specialises in the spirits sector and has acted as lead judge on a number of travel retail awards.
Speaking time...
12:25pm

Ken Grier
Founder
De-Still Creative
The legacy Ken Grier leaves behind after his 20 years at the Edrington Group is frankly astonishing.
Starting his marketing career with cider, frozen pizza and Lego, he swiftly got to work across the Edrington brands, establishing himself as a visionary and creative marketer. His impact across several brands includes: leading the team who introduced the Famous Grouse malt range into Taiwan – enabling Edrington to provide a strong distribution platform which allowed Macallan to sweep in and dominate for 10 years; developing the early days of Highland Park in 2005/06; and working with the team to develop The Famous Grouse Experience in Crieff, which won a BAFTA award and was considered ahead if its time.
Ken will be widely known for his work on Macallan, and the list of projects during his 20 years on the brand is astonishing. In 2002/03 he introduced Fine & Rare Macallan; he took the decision to move The Macallan away from being 100 per cent sherry cask led to introduce the Fine Oak Series, which initially catapulted Macallan into the top four single malts in the world.
Speaking time...
9:05am

Mark Meek
CEO
The IWSR
Originally from South Africa, Mark joined the IWSR in December 2013, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the publishing and business information industry.
Mark is tasked with firmly setting the IWSR as the world’s most-trusted data and insights company for the global drinks industry. He has over 20 years’ experience working for world-class organisations, having worked at The Guardian and Independent newspapers in various commercial and editorial roles, as well as at Datamonitor and Progressive Digital Media (owners of Canadean) as CEO.
Speaking time...
TBC

Noah May
Head of Wine & Spirits
Christie's
Noah May joined Christie’s London Wine Department in 2007, after graduating from The University of Leeds with an honors degree in English Literature and Philosophy. Mr. May has been involved in a number of high-profile wine auctions in Europe, including the sale of Historic Cognacs from the Private Cellars of La Tour d’Argent in 2012 and the sale of Fine Wines from the Private Collection of Sir Alex Ferguson CBE in 2014. In May 2013, Mr. May was awarded the British Guild of Food Writers Award for Food Writer of the Year for various publications relating to wine and gastronomy. In September 2014, May joined Christie’s New York Wine Department, where he is focused on building relationships with collectors, the sourcing of rare wines for auction, catalogue production and specialist wine events; his professional interests include the fine wines of Burgundy and Rioja, and the rare spirits market.
Speaking time...
14:50pm

Paul McQuade
Head Buyer
Lidl
Paul McQuade was appointed Head of Buying at Lidl UK in 2016, having worked as Senior Buying Manager and Buying Manager at the supermarket since 2006. Paul brings a consistent track record and history of purchasing spirits for retail within a rapidly growing brand.
Speaking time...
14:50pm
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