Full Line-up for WSTA’s 2020 Industry Summit Announced

Events | 11 September, 2020

The WSTA has revealed the full line-up of speakers and special guests ahead of their annual Industry Summit, next week.

This year, the WSTA’s flagship event will take place virtually, but that hasn’t stopped the team from pulling out all the stops to secure a wide array of talent to speak in six sessions across three days.

The WSTA once again welcomes Alex Forrest Whiting as Chair of the event that has been billed as ‘too big for one day’.

Following an industry overview from Miles Beale, WSTA CEO, Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE will appear alongside Russell Davies, Managing Director of the event’s headline sponsor, Hillebrand, to discuss how to drive value for the consumer using technology on Tuesday afternoon.

The pair will be followed on Wednesday morning by keynote speaker Rooney Anand, Chairman of Away Resorts and Purity Drinks and former CEO of Greene King.

Rooney will be followed by Joy Spence, Master Blender for Appleton Estate rum, who will talk to her life’s work as the ‘First Female Master Blender in the Spirits Industry’ in an afternoon sofa session.

The final day of the event kicks off with a panel session with Alex Depledge, Founder and CEO of Resi and one of the UK’s highest profile female entrepreneurs, with a string of industry awards to her name – including a place on the prestigious Debrett’s 500 Most Influential People List. 

Steven Macatonia of Union Hand-Roasted Coffee and Claire Strickett, Senior Planner at adam&eveDDB are also on the panel. Steven developed the initiative for ethical coffee sourcing where sustainable trading relationships are developed with coffee producers with the objective to improve livelihoods of farmers and their workers.

The event then wraps up with Joe Fattorini chairing ‘Anatomy of a Digitally Native Brand’, wherein Melanie Jappy, the producer of The Wine Show and John Moore, Co-Founder and Finance Director of Wolfcraig Distillery, will dissect the use of digital with Joe.

Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said

“We are very excited that the 2020 Industry Summit is less than a week away. It’s a shame that we can’t get together and once again return to the British Library to build on the success of last year’s event, but we’ve taken the right decision to move this year’s event online – and have worked hard to ensure the event does not disappoint.

“In fact, we are confident attendees will get a lot more for their time and money. We are thrilled to have secured a full roster of insightful and inspiring speakers. They all have good stories, great advice and plenty to say, so everyone with a ticket is in for a treat!”