WSTA: Mark Riley and Pierpaolo Petrassi
The UK’s Wine and Spirit Trade Association has appointed a new chair, Mark Riley of Edrington UK.
Riley has worked in the premium spirits industry for 25 years and as Managing Director at Edrington UK he has led the business through significant growth and accelerated change. Prior to joining Edrington UK he held various senior sales and customer marketing roles within Beam Inc and Diageo.
Riley will be supported by Pierpaolo Petrassi MW from Waitrose, in what is a new position as deputy chair.
With almost 40 years of experience in the Wine and Spirit industry, Pierpaolo Petrassi MW – currently Head of Trading at Waitrose - became Master of Wine in 2007 and has been consistently placed top five in trade magazine polls for most influential people in wine. He previously held roles in Carnevale Group, International Wine Services, Waverley TBS (2003-2007) and Tesco.
The pair – who have 64 years’ experience in the drinks trade between them – follow Michael Saunders, CEO of Bibendum Wines’, successful three-year term as chair and 10 years on the Board.
The new chair and deputy chair will continue Saunders’ recruitment drive to ensure that the WSTA has the most diverse membership providing a strong, united voice within the trade. They will look to encourage more spirit businesses, wholesalers and independents into the fold.
As well as keeping a close eye on the traditional categories the new team will also encourage more work in the low/no sector, mixing of categories and into efforts to help guide the sector down the environmental path to Net Zero.