In honor of their respective 50th anniversaries, the WSET & IWSC launched a new initiative to recognize the next generation of top wine and spirits professionals
London, England (February 12, 2019) – Over the past 50 years since being founded in 1969, both the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) have been leaders in educating and identifying future influential wine and spirits professionals. To celebrate their respective 50th anniversaries, they have joined forces in looking to the future as they seek the next generation of wine and spirits professionals through their new initiative, “The Future 50.”
“Both WSET and IWSC have reputations as the international benchmark for excellence in our fields,” says Ian Harris, WSET Chief Executive. “As 2019 marks 50 years of success for both, we are delighted to be looking to the future and showcasing the next generation of talent through our joint ‘Future 50’ project.”
The “Future 50” will identify the next generation of professionals who will help shape the future of the wine and spirits business. The Future 50 will be up-and-coming talent at any level in the business and from all areas of the trade, including product development, design and distribution to marketing, journalism and hospitality. The “Future 50” will be announced in November this year ahead of the IWSC’s annual Awards Banquet.
How It Works:
Nominations: WSET and IWSC are seeking professionals to either nominate an impressive colleague or self-nominate. Criteria below:
- Be under 40 years old by November 2019
- Work in any profession as long as they prove direct contribution to the industry
- Be able to demonstrate distinctive achievements in their field within the last 3 years, such as:
- Motivating and inspiring others
- Entrepreneurial or technological advancements
- Exceptional educational achievements or contributions
- Overcoming adversity
- Outstanding performance in their field
Nominations are open until March 14th, 2019. Please visit Future 50 website to view more details or to enter a nomination.
Judging: Judges will be assessing nominees based on their achievements in the drinks industry in the last three years in a range of areas including, but not limited to, career, academia, social responsibility and innovation. The panel of judges will include an illustrious selection of professionals from around the world including Joe Fattorini (The Wine Show), Stephanie Macleod (Master Blender, Dewar’s), Christine Parkinson (Group Head of Wine, Hakkasan), Richard Paterson (Master Blender, Whyte & MacKay), Xavier Rousset MS (restaurateur), Ian Harris (CEO WSET), and Allen Gibbons (CEO IWSC). The main judging panel will be supported by a global regional advisory panel covering 17 countries and including Debra Meiburg MW (Hong Kong), Ian Dai (China), James Tidwell MS (USA) and Pedro Ballesteros MW (Spain).
About the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
WSET is the largest global provider of qualifications in the field of wines, spirits and sake. WSET offers qualifications across four levels, from one-day beginner courses through to an expert level diploma. Courses are available in more than 15 languages and over 70 countries and are open both to industry professionals and interested enthusiasts. Qualification levels 1 to 3 are recognized by the UK Government (Ofqual) and all WSET qualifications have a strong reputation worldwide as the industry standard for knowledge. In the last academic year (2017/18) 94,822 candidates sat for a WSET qualification, and since 1969, WSET has awarded more than half a million individuals a WSET qualification. For more information about WSET, please visit www.WSETglobal.com.
