Institute of Masters of Wine announces Silicon Valley Bank as a Supporter
The Institute of Master of Wine is pleased to welcome Silicon Valley Bank to its international supporter community.
For over 35 years, Silicon Valley Bank has provided a wide range of banking and financing services to businesses of all sizes in innovation centres around the world. In 1994 SVB’s Wine Division was founded to offer those services and strategic advice to premium vineyards and wineries.
With one of the largest banking teams in the United States dedicated to the wine industry, SVB’s Wine Division has four offices in fine wine regions in the US, serving premium wine clients, primarily on the West Coast.
The IMW has 28 Supporters from around the world, who work jointly with the IMW to promote its mission of excellence, interaction and learning across all sectors of the global wine community. SVB will work closely with the IMW and its students in furthering their understanding of the business of wine, a large component in the Master of Wine exam syllabus. The bank also plans to work with a number of individual Masters of Wine, to enhance the offer the bank makes to its wine industry producers and other clients.
The announcement comes just after a Masters of Wine trip to California, where 47 MWs tasted over 600 wines and met 300 of California’s most esteemed vintners over 10 days. Adrian Garforth MW, Chairman of the IMW met with William Stevens, Head of the Wine Division (both pictured), at Silicon Valley Bank to celebrate and welcome SVB into its supporter community. Adrian said, “We are delighted to welcome Silicon Valley Bank as a Supporter of the IMW. They are the first financial company to join our international supporter community and are doing so at a buoyant time in the IMW’s history. We respect their commitment to the wine industry and their wine research immensely, and look forward to working with them closely over the next few years.”
William Stevens, Head of the Wine Division at Silicon Valley Bank said, “The IMW champions knowledge and excellence in the global wine community, which is why we have chosen to partner with this prestigious organisation. Here at Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division, we appreciate the challenges of this great industry, and the rewards it brings. Our association with IMW aligns with our goals to go well beyond banking and act as strategic advisors and brand ambassadors to wine proprietors using our global network.”
ENDS
For more information contact:
Sarah Kirkpatrick
Marketing and Communications Manager
Institute of Masters of Wine
+44 (0)207 383 9131
skirkpatrick@mastersofwine.org
Notes to Editors:
About the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW)
The Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) is a membership organisation with an exceptional international reputation. For almost 70 years, its members – the Masters of Wine (MWs) – have been at the forefront of leadership and expertise in the world of wine. The IMW’s mission is to promote excellence, interaction and learning across all sectors of the global wine community. MWs prove their comprehensive understanding of wine by passing the MW examination, recognised worldwide for its rigour and exacting standards. In addition to passing the examination, members must sign the code of conduct before they are entitled to use the initials MW. This requires them to act with honesty and integrity, and use every opportunity to share their knowledge of wine with others. Today, there are 380 Masters of Wine working in 30 countries. The membership encompasses winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, shippers, consultants, academics, educators and more. There are 360 students in the 2018-2019 MW study programme, from 45 countries.
About Silicon Valley Bank
For more than 35 years, Silicon Valley Bank has helped innovators, enterprises and their investors move bold ideas forward, fast. Today, we provide a wide range of banking and financing services to businesses of all sizes in innovation centres around the world. SVB Financial Group, the parent company of Silicon Valley Bank, has had a presence in the UK since 2004. The bank is committed to supporting disruptive technology and life science businesses within the UK’s vibrant innovation sector, including Made.com, Hostmaker, The Hut Group and Trustpilot.
Silicon Valley Bank is registered in England and Wales at Alphabeta, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1BR, UK under No. FC029579. Silicon Valley Bank is authorised and regulated by the California Department of Business Oversight and the United States Federal Reserve Bank; authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority with number 577295; and subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from us on request.