Wine Industry Experience

Kris is a wine professional with more than 25 years’ experience in the industry split between his native New Zealand, the UK and Europe and also in Asia. He is a WSET Diploma (level 4) holder and has worked in most areas of the wine business from running his own importing and distribution businesses to managing restaurants, teaching wine education classes, creating his own wine brands and market specific blends.

WSET Diploma (level 4)

Prior to arriving in Asia Kris spent 10 years in the UK wine trade based in Oxford and in London where he completed his WSET Diploma. Kris also holds the NZ HCITB Certificate in Wine. He worked for one of the UK's leading wine importers - Stevens Garnier Ltd. for several years before starting his own wine importing and distribution business with a fellow New Zealand ex-pat. The highly competitive UK wine market enabled Kris to gain a well-rounded perspective of the global wine trade, from producers to consumers. During this time Kris had a wide ranging portfolio of wines from top producers the world over including most of the major French regions, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, Spain and Portugal. Kris' customers in the UK included Michelin starred restaurants as well as many other prestigious restaurants, wine retailers and clubs. He also dealt with large restaurant, retail and supermarket chains.

While running his own UK business, Kris also developed his own brand of varietal wines from the Languedoc region in the South of France. Kris was involved in most parts of the brand development from labels and names to the final blending of each wine. Kris is currently based in Taiwan where he offers services in the East Asian region to wine producers (representation in market), importers and retailers looking for technical assistance or training, hotels and restaurants, schools and private buyers. Previously Kris has held company director roles with Wine Connection (Taiwan) Ltd. focusing on tutored wine tasting dinners, importing and sourcing new wines, and also with companies based in Singapore and Malaysia where his role involved project managing government contract bids related to online education with wine consulting and education also key.

During his time in the wine trade in New Zealand, Kris worked for Glengarry Hancocks Ltd in Wellington, (previously Super Liquor and Tasman Liquor), primarily in the wholesale distribution sector, but also in retail. During this time, his contacts in the restaurant trade also lead to a role as assistant manager at one of Wellington's most successful and respected restaurants - the Boucott St. Bistro - as well as working at several other restaurants.