Samuel Stephens Email & Phone Number

Australia

Singapore

Heading up the Brand Ambassador and Education team for the Penfolds International Region (SEA, Japan, Korea, UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa).

Singapore

As the SEAMEA Brand Ambassador for penfolds I am responsible for driving the distribution, presense and appreciation of our iconic wines and brand in our existing and emerging markets with our stakeholders, distributors, customers, media and consumers.

Singapore

Twickenham, United Kingdom

As the EMEA Brand Ambassador for penfolds I am responsible for driving the distribution, presense and appreciation of our iconic wines and brand in our existing and emerging markets.

My current role is based in South West England and covers several different areas including sales, marketing, supplier liaison and training. As a Wine Development Specialist I am responsible for the account management of the premium, wine specific accounts in the South West. I am tasked with driving new wine business and creating organic growth from existing accounts as well as supporting our 20 field account managers. I do this through representing our portfolio of over 1000 wines and Champagnes to customers and prospects and negotiating sales agreements. I have also gained experience in negotiating composite drinks packages attached to our wine offering. In my first full fiscal year I exceeded my sales and margin budget by over 30%. I work with both the central marketing team and the area sales force to create wine plans and strategy to maximise the sales and profitability of wine in the region. This involves implementing central marketing strategies on a regional level. I also work very closely with suppliers, brand owners and agencies to increase sales and distribution of specific wines and negotiate bespoke support for customers. I am also responsible for delivering wine training, including WSET courses, to both customers and the Matthew Clark Sales Force in the South West.

This role involved all aspects of the running of Avery's historic Bristol cellars, as well as meeting sales and profit margin targets. The turnover of the Cellars was £1.3 million per year. In addition to the sales side of the role, I was also charged with all elements of ordering, stock and cash control, promotion and marketing of the cellars, managing the trade and corporate accounts. I managed a team of five full time employees and was responsible for the recruitment and training within this team, as well as the hiring of extra temporary staff for busy periods. I was also the in-house WSET tutor for Avery's and successfully put nine candidates through the intermediate course and six through the advanced. Another aspect of the job was organising and conducting over 120 themed wine tasting and corporate events annually for groups of between 15 and 120 people, both at the cellars and at external locations.

I joined the Thresher Group as part of their Branch Manager Development Program. In my time with the group I managed two London stores and one in Bath, with turnovers ranging from £400k to £1 million. The role included meeting sales targets, customer service, full financial responsibility for the branch, recruitment and training of staff, stock and cash control, merchandising and promotion implementation, acquiring and maintaining business accounts, conducting internal and external wine tastings and events. At both the Fulham and Bath branches I was brought in to implement a complete re-branding to the new “Wine Rack Blue” model with the aim to increase the wine mix and profitability of both stores. I increased the profitability of Fulham by 26% year on year and Bath by 22%. I was also a qualified WSET tutor and trained new starters in the Branch Manager Development Program.

After completing the Branch Manager Training Program with Oddbins; Both the Farringdon and Notting Hill shops I supported the Branch Manager in all of the functions listed below, as well as establishing and maintaining a fine wine customer database and organising tastings and events. The branches had sales of between 2 and 3 million pounds per year.

London, United Kingdom

Daily setting-up and running of the main bar in the St James Branch. Customer service, stock and till control, organising food service, event and function management.

Customer service, cash and stock control, account management, promotion and display set up, organising tastings and events.

Monitored the quality of contract grape growers' vineyards and collected grape samples for the Viticulturalist. Supervised fermentation areas, oversaw blending, maturation and movement of finished wines.

Wset Diploma, Wine

During my WSET Diploma studies I was awarded two scolarships for my exam results. The Bill Baker Prize by the West of England Wine.

Bachelor Of Management, Marketing & Communications

Education record

Mw Student - Stage 2

Education record