The Champagne Academy appoints Kevin Skeet as chairman
The Champagne Academy elected Kevin Skeet as the new chairman during the Annual General Meeting last night (7 February) at the Law Society, London.
Skeet, group operations director for Legacy Hotels and Resorts, takes over from Philip Amps, of Amps Fine Wines, following his one-year tenure.
Skeet said: "I'm delighted that the quality and quantity of applications we have received to become candidates this year is at an all-time high. In partnership with this year's Presidential House, Champagne Pommery, I look forward to building on the great work done by my predecessor, Philip Amps, to raise the bar even higher and to ensure the future stars of the wine and hospitality industries all aspire to put themselves forward as candidates."
Champagne Pommery will act as Presidential House for the next 12 months. The role rotates every year.
The 16 participating houses are: Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Heidsieck Monopole, Krug, Lanson, Laurent Perrier, Moët & Chandon, GH Mumm & Co, Perrier-Jouët, Piper Heidsieck, Pommery, Pol Roger, Louis Roederer, Ruinart and Taittinger.
The Champagne Academy was founded in 1956. It aims to educate the best members of the wine and hospitality trades in the UK and Ireland on the subject of Champagne.
Each year 16 candidates are selected to attend an in-depth course which takes place over the course of a week. The course provides unprecedented access to the people, places and wines of Champagne.