dbHK’s Natalie Wang wins HKIWSC Young Communicator of the Year

Natalie Wang, managing editor of the drinks business Hong Kong, has won the Young Communicator of the Year Award at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Competition (HKIWSC) for her coverage of the drinks industry throughout the year in Asia.

The judges applauded her outstanding contribution to communication of wine & spirits news, information and stories during the year, and her passionate support of the drinks industry in Asia. 

Since joining the drinks business November last year, after spending two years working for wine critic James Suckling, Wang has covered a diverse range of subjects including fake wines, China’s emerging wine regions, and the country’s fast-growing e-commerce market, in addition to interviewing leading industry personalities from Chinese winemakers to top merchants.

Her coverage also extends beyond China to the rest of the burgeoning Asian market, examining the complexities and nuances of markets in Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar and Japan.

“She’s really elevated the coverage we are receiving in Hong Kong,” commented Debra Meiburg MW, director of the HKIWSC, when introducing Wang at the award ceremony. 

Born and raised in Chongqing in southwestern China, Wang earned her Master of Journalism degree at the University of Hong Kong, and her journalistic experience covers finance, China politics, jewellery and gemstone prior to wine and spirits.

A member of the London-based IWSC Group, the competition is led by renowned experts in the global drinks industry, Debra Meiburg MW, Wine Consultant for Cathay Pacific Airways and Cathay Dragon; Simon Tam, Head of Wine Asia, Christie’s; and Allen Gibbons, Group CEO, IWSC Group and Keeper of the Quaich.

This year, the judges comprise Asia’s top industry experts including five Masters of Wine from Japan, Singapore, India and Hong Kong, leading F&B professionals, wine educators, importers, critics and journalists.