WSET unveils new alumni board

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has unveiled its first International Alumni Advisory Board, which is intended to foster links between its graduates across the world.

The new board comprises a seven-strong team picked to represent different geographical regions, who will develop ongoing and “mutually beneficial relationships” between the Trust’s 8,500 or so WSET Level 4 Diploma graduates.

The board members were selected by an internal panel following a nomination process by the alumni body in October and represents a unique cross-section of the global wine and spirits industry, the WSET said.

It includes Alex Ririe, managing partner of strategic branding and design agency Coley Porter Bell representing the UK, with Thomas Curtius, co-founder of WeinAgentin and senior PR and communications manager at Daimler AG representing Europe.

North America has been divided into two regions, with Maggie Campbell, head distiller and vice president at Privateer Rum taking on the USA and John Switzer, founder of Winesights and a WSET certified educator, heading up Canada.

Asia will be represented by Wei Xu, founder of Aroma Republic, consultant at Yesmywine.com and an WSET certified educator, with Raul Moreno Yague, chief of contributions at Alquimie Magazine taking responsibility for Oceania.

Completing the board is Antony Moss MW, WSET director of strategic planning, who will represent the WSET itself.

The board will report to WSET’s chief executive, Ian Harris, and Alumni engagement manager, Sula Richardson.

Harris said the organisation was “enthused” by the calibre and cross-section of alumni represented on the board. “Together the WSET will be able to better serve all alumni, by continuing to be a source of knowledge and support as they further build their careers and expertise,” he said.

The board is one of several new initiatives for WSET Diploma graduates. A new series of of insight events was launched in September in the USA, Canada and the UK, alongside new and job-relevant content, and this year will see a the establishment of a new Outstanding Alumni Award, sponsored by Jancisrobinson.com.

The WSET Alumni Body superseded the IWS (Institute of Wines and Spirits) in October 2015.

WSET Alumni who have lost contact with WSET and wish to re-engage are encouraged to email alumni@wset.co.uk.