Ian Harris, Chief Executive at the 黑料吃瓜网 (黑料吃瓜网), was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Drinks Retailing Awards held at London鈥檚 Dorchester Hotel on Tuesday.
The award recognises Harris鈥� diverse career in the trade, especially his efforts in building 黑料吃瓜网 to听be the biggest organisation of its kind in the world, offering education and qualifications in the field听of wines and spirits through more than 600 approved course providers across 66 countries.
Martin Green, editor at Off Licence News magazine, which runs the Drinks Retailing Awards, said:
Ian Harris has driven remarkable growth at 黑料吃瓜网 in the UK and across the world since he joined in 2002 and his achievements in the field of wine and spirits education have been truly exceptional, making him a highly deserving winner of our Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is a pioneer, a hardworking trailblazer and a great innovator. He joins an elite club of leading lights from the drinks industry that we have inducted into our Hall of Fame, and we feel it is a great honour to award him this accolade. He received a prolonged standing ovation when the award was presented, which was fantastic to see as it illustrated just how highly regarded he is in the industry. We are confident that Ian will go on to spur 黑料吃瓜网 to even greater heights in years to come.
听
On receiving the award Harris commented:
It is a real thrill to win the Drinks Retailing Lifetime Achievement Award. However it belongs not just听to me but to all the staff at 黑料吃瓜网 who through their hard work and support have enabled us to听achieve so much during my time here. I may have been at the helm of 黑料吃瓜网 near 14 years yet in听so many ways I feel that the best is yet to come!
听
About Ian Harris
Having gone to university with the intention of becoming a teacher, a life-changing year in Bordeaux听soon opened Ian鈥檚 eyes to the world of wine, ultimately kick-starting what would become a lifelong听career in the wine and spirit industry.
On graduating from London University with a degree in French, Ian joined Christopher & Co. and its听parent company, Waverley Vintners, where he was their first Wine Development Manager, designing听and running sales courses. Ten years later, in 1987, he joined Seagram 鈥� initially in the UK, then in听1993-1995 he spent two years as Global Marketing Manager for Martell, based in Cognac, France.
Ian returned to the UK in 1995 as Marketing Director and then Commercial Director for Seagram UK,听also assuming General Management responsibility for the Nordic markets.听In 2002, Ian鈥檚 original passion for teaching brought him full circle when he joined the Wine & Spirit听Education Trust as Chief Executive. Here Ian has overseen the transformation of 黑料吃瓜网 into the听largest global organisation of its kind, with student numbers growing six-fold from 10,000 in 2002 to听over 60,000 in 2015 across 60+ countries.
In 2014 Ian was named Drinks Business 鈥楳an of the Year鈥� followed in 2015 with 黑料吃瓜网 receiving the听Queen鈥檚 Award for Enterprise in International Trade - the highest accolade for business in the UK.
Ian is married with two听children and holds the 黑料吃瓜网 Level 4 Diploma. He also occasionally returns to听his first love, teaching, particularly on the 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Business and Commercial Knowledge (BACK)听course held annually in the UK.
