The Judges - 2007

THE DRINKS BUSINESS AWARDS are judged by an independent panel of top industry executives. Each award category was judged by a group of at least five judges and chaired by the drinks business publisher and editorial director, Charlotte Hey.

Every entry was sent to the db team before the mid-March deadline. The submissions were divided by category and sent to the relevant judges, who assessed them and then each compiled a personal shortlist. The groups of judges then met in London in April for a series of judging days.

Each judging day, at least five judges gathered to gently discuss, debate – and in some cases fiercely contest – the relative merits of each entry, based on a pre-determined set of criteria. They ultimately selected a winner (and, where appropriate, runners up) in each category. In no instance was a judge selected to take part in a category where any conflict of interest could arise.

• Adrian Atkinson, Wine development director, Pernod Ricard
• Alex Anson, Trading director, Thresher Group
• Lord Karan Bilimoria, CEO and founder, Cobra Beer
• Su Birch, CEO, Wines of South Africa
• Christopher Carson, Chairman, Wine & Spirit Trade Association
• Michael Cox, Director, Wines of Chile UK
• Clare Griffiths, Vice president, brands, Constellation Europe
• Charlotte Hey, Publisher and editorial director, the drinks business
• Tim How, Chief executive, Majestic Wine Warehouses
• Jane Hunter, Marketing director for Western Europe, EJ Gallo
• Dan Jago, Category director, BWS, Tesco
• Marian Kopp, President, Racke International
• Helen McGinn, PR & marketing manager, McGuigan Simeon Wines
• Patrick McGrath MW, Managing director, Hatch Mansfield
• James Murray, Event director, London International Wine & Spirit Fair
• David Meyers, Managing director, Moët Hennessy UK
• Ian Ritchie, Creative director, JKR
• Michael Saunders, Managing director, Bibendum Wine Ltd
• Paul Symington, Joint managing director, Symington Family Estates
• Sally Warmington, Brand director, Veuve Clicquot