Influential Women Archives

Liz Palmer – Wine Journalist receives the 2025 ITER VITIS + The Council of Europe Award for Communication

“I am thrilled and deeply honoured to receive the 2025 ITER VITIS Award for Communication, recognizing my global advocacy in promoting wine culture, education, and responsible tourism.”

The award was presented a few days ago at the ITER VITIS Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece. This inspiring event brought together international experts and institutions to explore how wine tourism can drive a greener, more inclusive, and innovative future across Europe.

My heartfelt “Thank You” to ITER VITIS – Cultural Routes of the Vine and Wine, the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes Programme, and to all those working to preserve and celebrate the cultural, historical, and sustainable heritage of wine.

This recognition reinforces my lifelong commitment to advancing the dialogue between wine, culture, and sustainability – connecting people and places through the shared language of the vine.

Stay tuned for a full press release!

Liz Palmer
Thessaloniki, Greece

A Historic Milestone for DOCa Rioja: Raquel Pérez Cuevas Becomes First Female President

In a landmark moment coinciding with its centennial, the DOCa Rioja Regulatory Council has appointed Raquel Pérez Cuevas as its first female president. Her election, supported by 99% of the council, signals a transformative step in Spain’s most prestigious wine appellation.

Pérez Cuevas brings decades of leadership as CEO of Bodegas Ontañón and former vice-president of Grupo Rioja. Her presidency comes at a time of significant challenges, including market contraction, generational decline in viticulture, and tensions between large and small producers.

She has pledged to foster inclusivity and dialogue across all sectors of Rioja’s wine community, emphasizing unity over uniformity. With a background in agricultural engineering, oenology, and business management, her vision aims to steer Rioja through economic, generational, and institutional renewal.

“This is a new era for Rioja, one rooted in listening, collaboration, and respect for our shared legacy,” Pérez Cuevas affirmed.

Diageo appoints Debra Crew as its first female CEO

British multinational premium drinks giant Diageo has just appointed Debra Crew as CEO, one of few women to lead a FTSE 100 company.

Diageo announced that Sir Ivan Menezes would step down on June 30th after 10 years as chief executive and is promoting its current chief operating officer Debra Crew to chief executive officer effective 1 July 2023.

The company employs 28,000 people globally and sells over 200 brands in more than 180 markets. It is also the largest company, by net sales value, in scotch and Canadian whisky, vodka, gin, rum, liquors and tequila.

Only eight of the UK’s top 100 listed companies have a female chief executive, which include: Dame Alison Rose at NatWest, Amanda Blanc at Aviva, Dame Emma Walmsley at GSK, Jette Nygaard-Andersen at Entain, Liv Garfield at Severn Trent, Jennie Daly at Taylor Wimpey, Margherita Della Valle at Vodafone – who is interim chief executive – and Milena Mondini de Focatiis at Admiral.

Before being appointed chief operating officer in October 2022, Crew ran Diageo’s business in North America, its largest market. She joined the company in 2019 and previously headed the tobacco firm Reynolds American until it was acquired by BAT. Before that, she spent five years at PepsiCo and worked at Kraft Foods, Nestlé and Mars.

Charles Heidsieck appoints Elise Losfelt as Cellar Master

Champagne house Charles Heidsieck has named Elise Losfelt as its new cellar master, taking over from Cyril Brun. The announcement was made today, on International Women’s Day as the collective wine community celebrates women in the industry.

An agricultural engineer from AgroParisTech with a master’s in Wine and Vine along with a national diploma in Oenology, 36-year-old Losfelt has worked in Champagne for the last ten years in various roles at Moët & Chandon. She began her journey in a wine communication role, and subsequently, as head of winemaking for Moët & Chandon, she worked with cellar masters from Moët & Chandon, Mercier, Ruinart and Dom Pérignon. Losfelt developed her winemaking experience initially by participating in harvests in Majorca (Domaine Mortitx), Saint-Julien (Château Beychevelle) and Australia (Domaine Dominique Portet).

Reflecting on her appointment, Losfelt said: “I have enormous respect for the creativity and rigour of my predecessors and I hope to make a coherent contribution to the continuity of the house style. It is with humility and enthusiasm that I join with these passionate men and women to work together in forging the fate of this iconic House.”

Her predecessor, Cyril Brun, joined Charles Heidsieck in 2015 and recently masterminded the new Champagne Charlie, an iconic House cuvée that enjoyed a renaissance in 2022.

Stephen Leroux, CEO of the House of Charles Heidsieck added: “Throughout his career here Cyril has been much liked by our teams and distributors as well as by our clients and journalist friends throughout the world. He has written a chapter in the long Charles Heidsieck history book, and we thank him for his contribution to the house, his commitment, and his contagious cheerfulness. We wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

Wine + Spirts “Royal Warrants” become void after Queen’s death

There is a collection of well-known spirits and Champagne brands that will have their royal warrant status reviewed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Brands and suppliers including Gordon’s gin, Champagne brands: Mumm and Moët, and wine merchants Corney & Barrow and Berry & Bros & Rudd all carry the Queen’s coat of arms as regular suppliers to the royal household.

Warrant Rules

A Royal Warrant of Appointment is strictly a document that permits a company to use the Royal Arms in connection with its business in an appointed trading capacity.

Brands and suppliers receiving a royal warrant are allowed to display the relevant coat of arms and the nature of the goods or services to which the warrant applies.

After a monarch’s death the warrants become void, but the holders can continue to use the crest for two years “provided there is no significant change within the company concerned”, according to the Royal Warrant Holders Association.

The Royal Household will review warrant grants upon a change of monarch, it also states.

Until her death, the Queen and (Prince of Wales) were the only two members of the royal family able to grant royal warrants.

Drinks firms and brands with royal warrants from the late Queen II include, but not limited to: Angostura, Martini, Berry Bros & Rudd, Bollinger, Mumm, Krug, Lanson, Roederer, Moët, Veuve Clicquot, Dubonnet, Harveys sherry, Dewar’s, Johnnie Walker, Justerini & Brooks, Lea & Sandeman, Matthew Gloag, Pol Roger, Symington Family Estates, Tanqueray, Gordon’s, Taylor’s port, Royal Lochnagar whisky, Pimm’s, Hine, Valvona & Crolla, Walker & Woodhouse and Windsor & Eton Brewery.

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