On Wednesday 10 July the Court elected Katherine Smart, Global Technical Director and Chief Scientist at Diageo as Master of the Brewers’ Company for 2024-25. Also elected at the meeting were the Upper Warden: Fergus McMullen, Production & Sales Director of McMullen & Sons, the Middle Warden: Stephen Gould, Managing Director of Everards Brewery, and the Renter Warden: Torquil Sligo-Young, Non-Executive Director of Young’s.
Katherine Smart graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1987 where she read Biological Sciences. She has a PhD in Brewing Science from the Council of National Academic Awards (1991), a DSc in Brewing and Distilling from the University of Nottingham (2016) and an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Nottingham (2017). She also holds a Diploma in Distilling from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (2016) and has completed courses in Sustainability from the Universities of Cambridge (2015) and Oxford (2023).
She has held academic positions at the Universities of Oxford Brookes, Nottingham, and currently at Cambridge.
In the business world, she held corporate vice president positions at SABMiller and AB InBev where she was Global Chief Brewer. She is currently Global Technical Director and Chief Scientist at Diageo.
She founded the National Brewing Library at Oxford Brookes University (2001), the Brewing Science and Bioenergy Centre at the University of Nottingham (2005) and a family distillery with her husband (2017).
She was the second woman to hold the role of President of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (2016-2018) and is the current President Elect of the American Society of Brewing Chemists. She is a Rectifier of the Gin Guild, a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers and has held board positions with the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, the American Society of Brewing Chemists and the Scottish Whisky Research Institute. She is a member of the EBC Brewing Science Group.
Katherine is the first woman to be appointed Master of the Worshipful Company of Brewers.
The new Master and Wardens were welcomed heartily by the Court and by members of the Livery at the Luncheon after the meeting. The opportunity was also taken to thank James Staughton for his service as Master over the last year.
About
The Worshipful Company of Brewers, or Brewers’ Company as it is more generally known, is one of the ancient Livery Companies of the City of London. Once responsible for governing the beer trade in London, the Company today remains closely connected to the brewing industry through its members, who between them brew over 90% of the beer sold in the UK.
The Brewers’ Company is active in promoting the brewing industry by providing a meeting place and facilities for member companies and a forum for social contact for those within the industry and associated organisations, as well as promoting education and training in the brewing sector. In common with many Livery Companies, the Brewers’ Company has inherited responsibility for several charitable Foundations and Trusts over the years. Its charities, which collectively distribute around £2 million annually, support four schools, as well as awarding grants principally focusing on young people and the needy.
Media Contact: Kate Longhurst, liverymanager@brewershall.co.uk
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