The Gin Guild Celebrates New Era with the Installation of 30 New Members
21st October 2024
Mansion House, London, UK – 14th October 2024 – The Gin Guild proudly announces the installation of 30 new members during a vibrant ceremony on Friday 11th October, marking a significant milestone as the Guild surpasses the 550-member mark. This achievement sends a strong message that the glory days of gin are far from over. Instead, the industry is poised for a new era of sustainable growth and innovation.
Held at Mansion House, the official home of the Lord Mayor of London, the ceremony brought together gin industry leaders to celebrate the diverse talents joining the Guild. “Like gin itself, The Gin Guild is a vibrant, international community,” said Desmond Payne, Master Distiller Emeritus and Grand Rectifier of The Gin Guild. “These new members embody the spirit of innovation and sustainability that defines the future of gin.”
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Among the new inductees are prominent figures from renowned brands and distilleries, including:
- Francesca Beardon (Bacardi): Global Marketing Manager for Bombay Sapphire, known for her work on innovative product strategies.
- Sandrine Ricard (Pernod Ricard): Advocate for sustainability in the gin industry, shaping eco-friendly production methods.
- Hidetsugu Ueno (Bar High Five/Nippon Bartenders Association, Japan): Celebrated bartender recognised with the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to hospitality.
- Sarah Berardi (William Grant & Sons): UK Hendrick’s Gin Brand Ambassador, now representing the brand on the West Coast of the USA.
The new members represent a diverse array of backgrounds, from master distillers and brand ambassadors to innovators in sustainability and education. Their collective expertise will enrich The Gin Guild’s mission to protect the definition of gin and enhance its international image.
“Gin is like a chameleon, adapting its image to match its surroundings,” Desmond Payne continued. “This ability allows it to showcase a multitude of styles and flavours, reinforcing our commitment to promoting gin in all its glorious forms.”
The ceremony featured fantastic networking opportunities, and discussions on the future of gin, emphasising the Guild’s dedication to education and collaboration within the spirits community, before a formal banquet in the Egyptian Hall, attended by the Lord Mayor.
The full list of new members installed:
Founder Nominated Rectifiers:
- Francesca Beardon – Bombay Sapphire
- Sandrine Ricard – Chivas Brothers
- Fabiola Falasca – Pernod Ricard
- Jiří Richter – Pernod Ricard Czechia
- Jakub Bobček – Pernod Ricard Slovakia
- Sarah Berardi – William Grant & Sons
- Luke Condell – William Grant & Sons
Founder Sponsored Rectifiers
- Hidetsugu Ueno – Bar High Five Tokyo, Sponsored by Pernod Ricard
- Kevin Armstrong – Satan’s Whiskers, Sponsored by Bacardi
- Joseph Schofield – Schofield’s Bar, Sponsored by Bacardi
- Daniel Schofield – Schofield’s Bar, Sponsored by Bacardi
- Eleonora Biason – abc kitchens at the Emory, Sponsored by Bacardi
Warden Rectifiers (corporate members representing Gin distillers or brands
- Danielle Leavell – Astraea Spirits
- Andrew Heald – Fishers Gin
- Jeremy Rockett – Martin Miller’s Gin
- Pierre Martin Neuhaus – Normindia Gin
- Tim Whitefield – Tanglin Gin
- Aare Ormus – Junimperium Distillery OÜ
Warden Nominated Rectifiers (from our corporate member firms)
- Libby Wilding – Cygnet Distillery
- Tarin McAllister – Edinburgh Gin
- Therese Østervold Storebø – Feddie Ocean Distillery
- Ben Bewley-Pope – Fishers Gin
- Alexandre Maret – Normindia Gin
- Vincenzo Visone – Quintessential Brands
- Liam Sparks – Sazerac UK
- Jo Hack-Davies – Sipsmith
Rectifiers installed in their own right
- Gary Spedding – BDAS Testing
- Duncan McLean – Green Room Distillery
- Alex Maurice – Renais Spirits
- Marcel Thompson – Still Magic
- Richard Patterson – Fever-Tree
About The Gin Guild:
Founded in 2012, The Gin Guild is dedicated to promoting and preserving the art of gin making. Serving as a hub for producers, distillers, and those in the wider gin industry, the Guild fosters a community focused on quality, innovation, and education in the spirits industry.