Simon read Biochemistry at Bristol University before joining Majestic Wine on their graduate trainee management scheme. He managed various stores including one of Majestic's flagship central London stores. During his time at Majestic, he became a certified tutor for the WSET, delivering in-house courses to Majestic Wine's employees. He then moved to the independent sector and worked for the Sampler Wine Merchant where his role included buying Italian wines. After the Sampler, he moved to Domaine Direct to look after retail sales for the whole of the UK, where he had the opportunity to indulge in his love for the wines of Burgundy. In 2018 he started working for the WSET and was tasked with developing the Diploma in Wines within the Awards department. Currently he is the WSET Level 4 Diploma Lead, managing the team that create the exams, organise marking and the verification process.

Primary area(s) of work: Communication

Industry sector(s): Project management, Educator

Wine region expertise: France, Bordeaux, Burgundy

Market expertise: Europe

Specialisms: Independent retail, Wine judging