Chris Ellis founded Bijou Wine in 2013 after twenty-five years in the wine industry. Previously he has worked as Export Director for a large French wine producer and was a founder shareholder of Western Wines. He has also consulted to a number of vineyards, wine producers, distributors and retailers. Chris was at the forefront of the retail wine revolution and has been heavily involved in both production and sales and marketing. He created, sourced and developed brands such as Kumala and Isla Negra and was the first person to bring in brands such as Cono Sur to the European Market.
Edward Vellacott
Commercial Manager
English by birth, Edward was brought up in the South of France from the age of nine. After completing his French Baccalaureate he returned to the UK to study Management and Spanish at the University of Leeds, the highlight of which was spending a year working in the export division of a Spanish winery in Madrid. Edward’s trustworthy personality allied with his interpersonal and communication skills continuously help him build strong cross-cultural relationships. He passed WSET Level 3 with Merit and will shortly complete the Diploma course.
Molly Friskin
Marketing Executive
Molly is our Marketing Executive and the newest addition to our team. She spent a decade working in hospitality specialising in high-quality cocktails which instilled in her a keen interest in luxury drinks. After completing a History degree, Molly worked in content creation and marketing for fashion and premium spirits. Passionate about the history of wine and its relationship to culture, she will complete the WSET Level 3 course this year.
Hélène Temmerman
International Sales and Marketing Manager
Hélène was born and raised in Belgium where she graduated as a bio engineer specializing in Agronomy. To pursue her passion for wine she has worked in countries such as Italy, France, and Croatia to research sustainability practices in the wine sector and to gain practical experience. Her additional Master’s in International Food and Beverage management at the business school of ESCP in Turin and Paris and her previous experience as business manager gave her in-depth knowledge of the commercial aspects of the wine market. Hélène has recently completed WSET diploma.
Pauline Nardo
International Sales and Marketing Manager
Pauline Nardo grew up in Bordeaux and so has been since her first work experience always in the wine world.
After graduating from Kedge Business School in Bordeaux with a Master’s in Management, she decided to specialise in the wine industry and wanted to gain experience internationally. She started her career in Australia as Export Manager.
Since that she has decided to combine her passion for wine and travel to broaden her skills and knowledge about this industry.
After completing the WSET 3 she gained a whole understanding of the business by accumulating different roles within the wine industry in a different parts of the world.
Her last travels and experiences in Latin America as a volunteer for NGOs have influenced her approach to the wine industry with sustainability as a priority.
Sasha Howard
Portfolio Consultant
Sasha is our Portfolio Consultant, she is a Mandarin speaker living in London but has lived in China on and off since 2008. After graduating from university with a degree in Chinese language and culture she embarked on a career which fed her interest in the growing relationship between the UK and China.
Her passions are writing travel articles for Chinese publications and discovering new culinary hot spots in London.
Amber Baker
Finance and Administration Assistant
With over 20 years administration experience, predominately in Health & Safety and Quality, Amber has a very keen eye for detail and a methodical approach to her work.
She has always had an interest in accountancy and is now very much looking forward to expanding her knowledge and career within the Crush Wines finance department.