Fiona has several different roles in the wine business. She is actively involved in Thienpont Wine, an international wine merchant and négociant based in Belgium and with Domaines Jacques Thienpont which includes the three family Bordeaux estates, Le Pin in Pomerol, L'IF in Saint Emilion and L'Hêtre in Castillon. In addition to this, she is an award winning author and wine writer, leads conferences, tastings, seminars and discussion groups and mentors young people in the wine business. For years she was actively involved in the Masters of Wine having co-organised the hugely successful MW Endowment Auction, been a member of Council and a Trustee of the Endowment Fund, organised the programme contents of three symposia - Bordeaux, Florence and Logrono - and played an active role in Education. She shares her life with her husband Jacques Thienpont and their two sons and they divide their time between Belgium and the Right Bank of Bordeaux.

Current employer: Thienpont Wine / Domaines Jacques Thienpont

Primary area(s) of work: Wine production, Trade, Communication

Industry sector(s): Agency/Importer, Author, Business owner, Distribution, International trade, Journalism, PR, Viticulture, Wine authentication, Wine business strategy, Wine buying, Winemaking, Winery operations

Wine styles: Still red

Wine region expertise: Bordeaux, Burgundy, France, Rhone

Market expertise: Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, North America, Portugal, Spain

Specialisms: Acquisition of vineyards, Cultivation of the vine, Environmental impacts, Harvesting of grapes, Life cycle of the vine, Organic viticulture, Regenerative, Sustainability, Fermentation, Maturation and blending, Processing of grapes, Winery design and construction, Blending, Elevage / maturation, Sensory evaluation , Branding, Distribution, Financial and commercial structures, Importation, Investment strategies, Marketing wine, Events, Podcasts, PR, Routes to market, Supplier/customer relationships