Howard-Sneyd leaves Laithwaite’s

Justin Howard-Sneyd MW is leaving his full time position as global wine director for Direct Wines to set up a consultancy business.

Justin Howard-Sneyd MW

His new operation, called The Hive Wine Consulting, will provide advice to Direct Wines, and it’s believed Justin will devote around two days a week to the mail-order business as “global wine consultant”.

Justin’s move will allow him to spend more time developing his Roussillon-based wine estate called Domaine of the Bee, as well as help other winemaking projects.

“Justin has done a fantastic job for us over the last three years and I am delighted that Laithwaite’s Wine will continue to benefit from Justin’s considerable creativity and energy,” commented Simon McMurtrie, chief executive of Direct Wines:.

“However I fully support Justin’s ambition to spend more time speaking, writing, tasting and judging in the wider world of wine,” he added.

Before Justin joined Direct Wines in February 2010 he was head of the Waitrose wine buying team, where he had worked since 2005. Prior to that he had spent five years as a wine buyer at Sainsbury’s.

Direct Wines is the world’s largest mail order wine merchant and comprises retail brands 
Laithwaites Wine, Sunday Times Wine Club, Averys, Virgin Wines, British Airways Wine Club, Nectar Wine Club and the Telegraph Wine Club in the UK.