CHAIR

Shay Waterworth

Shay has headed the Pre-mixed drinks sector of the ISC for the past five years and watched it grow significantly during that period. He joined Drinks International in 2017 shortly after returning from China where he studied Mandarin as part of a scholarship with the British Council. Since then he has used degree in journalism and experience on national newspapers to provide insight in the drinks industry, building a reputation as a respected member of the trade press. 

His writing was acknowledged in 2019 when he won the Alan Lodge Young International Drinks Writer of the Year. Becky Paskin, drinks writer and presenter, said:

“Shay has a natural affinity for storytelling. His confident yet humble tone and journalistic nose for thoroughly exploring a subject add an authoritative weight to his writing, while his ability to create intrigue and suspense elicits a hungry curiosity.”

JUDGES FROM 2026

LEFT TO RIGHT: Clinton Cawood, Freelance Drinks Writer; Myriam Hendrickx, De Kuyper; Shay Waterworth, Drinks International; Gabriele Sasnauskaite, Cygnet Gin; Fabrice Limon , Scotch + Limon;