The Gin Guild welcomes 23 new members at its Autumn Installation at Mansion House

International cohort of gin professionals installed at prestigious City of London ceremony, reflecting the Guild’s growing global community.

London, 14 October 2026 – The Gin Guild welcomed 23 new members at its Autumn Installation on Friday 9th October 2026, held at the historic Mansion House in the City of London. The ceremony brought together 145 Gin Guild attendees to celebrate achievement, recognise professional excellence and strengthen connections across the international gin industry.

Presided over by Charles Maxwell, Grand Rectifier of The Gin Guild, the ceremony welcomed a diverse cohort of distillers, brand leaders, production specialists and other professionals from across the sector. The event was overseen by Pal Gleed, Director General of The Gin Guild, and the Gin Guild were delighted to welcome the Master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers 2025-26 Dan Szor, who himself progressed to the most senior role in the company through the ranks with Cotswolds Distillery via The Gin Guild.

The new members represent organisations ranging from some of the world’s most recognised gin producers to independent distilleries, emerging brands and specialist businesses. Their appointments reflect the breadth of talent and experience that underpins the global gin industry.

Senior appointments and international growth

Among the new installations were two prominent industry figures taking on senior responsibilities within their respective organisations: Lesley Gracie, Hendrick’s Master Distiller at William Grant & Sons, and Alessandro Garneri, Master of Botanicals at Bacardi Global Brands.

Their appointments recognise their positions as the most senior representatives of their respective Gin Guild Founder companies, Bacardi Global Brands and William Grant & Sons, within the Guild’s membership.

The Autumn Installation also marked an important milestone in the Guild’s international development, welcoming its first corporate members from New Zealand and Mexico. The wider cohort includes professionals from Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, the USA and Vietnam, demonstrating the increasingly international reach of The Gin Guild’s membership.

A community united by a passion for gin

The new members bring a wide range of professional experience, spanning distillation, botanical expertise, production, supply chain, brand development, advocacy, communications and hospitality.

They include representatives of established international businesses such as Diageo, Brown-Forman and Sipsmith, alongside independent producers and specialist businesses including Bluff Distillery, Castle Freke Distillery, Distilleria Zona B, Solferino, The Coastal Distilling Co, Silent Pool Gin, Mermaid Gin and Poivres d’Indochine.

Together, they strengthen a professional community dedicated to celebrating the craft of gin, sharing expert knowledge and supporting the continued development of the category.

Pal Gleed, Director General of The Gin Guild, said:

“Once again, the Autumn Installation was a huge success, and I’d like to thank all our members for their continued support. It was a pleasure to welcome our new members to the Guild and to see so many colleagues from across the industry come together at Mansion House.

“We’re particularly delighted to welcome our first corporate members from New Zealand and Mexico, alongside an international cohort representing eight countries.

The breadth of experience among our new members is a real strength, and their involvement will help us continue to build a connected, knowledgeable and forward-looking global gin community.”

Explore New JOINERS ON THE NIGHT:

Supporting the future of gin

The Gin Guild’s work is guided by five strategic pillars: Community, Recognition, Education & Knowledge, Advocacy and Custodianship.

Through its membership, events, educational initiatives and industry engagement, the Guild brings together professionals who share a commitment to the craft, heritage and responsible future of gin. Its installations recognise individual achievement while providing opportunities to strengthen relationships and encourage the exchange of knowledge across the industry.

The successful Autumn Installation further reinforces the Guild’s position as a meeting point for gin professionals around the world, connecting established industry leaders with independent distillers and the next generation of talent.

Full list of Installations:

Founder Rectifiers:

Alessandro Garneri, Master of Botanicals – Bacardi Global Brands
Lesley Gracie, Hendrick’s Master Distiller – William Grant & Sons

Founder NOMINATED Rectifiers:

Richard Cuthbert, Global Brand Director – Bombay Sapphire – Bacardi Global Brands
Lucia Vilajoana, Gin Production Manager at Bombay Sapphire – Bacardi Global Brands
Nicole Zukowski, Chief Supply Chain Officer – Bacardi Global Brands
Joseph Hall, Tanqueray Global Brand Ambassador – Diageo
Dean McAllan, Hendrick’s Team member – William Grant & Sons

WARDEN RECTIFIERS

Chris Fraser, Founder & General Manager – Bluff Distillery
Stephen Evans-Freke, Founder and Executive Chairman – Castle Freke Distillery
Alessandro Zaghi, Founder & Master Distiller – Distilleria Zona B
Christian Taraborrelli, Founder – Solferino Native SA de CV
Laurance Traverso, CEO & Head Distiller – The Coastal Distilling Co
Manuel Garcia, Director de Operaciones – Unesdi Dist. S.A.

WARDEN NOMINATED RECTIFIERS

Daniele Umoette, Brand Ambassador – Brown-Forman
Elisabetta Conter, Graphic Designer and Communications – Distilleria Zona B
Anthony Burr, Head Distiller – Mermaid Gin
Harry Keene, Distiller – Silent Pool Gin
Jason Hall, Distiller & Contract Operations Manager – Silent Pool Gin
Victoria Wallace, Global Brand Manager – Silent Pool Gin
Adam Smart, Distiller – Sipsmith

RECTIFIERS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT

Elayne Duff, Global Director of Advocacy – Heaven Hill Brands
Paul Cleves, Director – Poivres d’Indochine
Karl Finegan, Founder – The Ivory Peacock Bar

About The Gin Guild

The Gin Guild is an international membership organisation dedicated to the gin industry and its professional community. It brings together individuals and businesses involved in the production, promotion and development of gin, recognising achievement and encouraging the sharing of expert knowledge.

Through its five strategic pillars – Community, Recognition, Education & Knowledge, Advocacy and Custodianship – The Gin Guild supports the people, traditions and practices that contribute to the continued development of the gin category.

ENDS

Media enquiries:

Pal Gleed
Director General, The Gin Guild
Email: pal.gleed@theginguild.com
Website: www.theginguild.com