Occupation: Partner at Jackman McGovern LLP & Trade Director, California Wines UK, Ireland, UAE and India

Tell us about your current role?

Joint partner in a Market Access and Marketing Agency whose Clients include the California Wine Institute, Napa Valley Vintners, Sonoma Country Vintners and Lodi Wines. My job is brilliant, I love California wine and all of the people I work with that are linked to California and its wonderful wines. I have grown so close to all of my wonderful colleagues at the California Wine Institute globally, so it makes that role so wonderful.

How did you first get into the drinks industry?

When I was very young, I was undecided about my future in finance after graduating with a law and business degree. My dad amazing late dad Trevor McGovern bought me a
wine appreciation course at the thriving Wine Development Board. I soon got hooked on moving through the WSET levels, within no time I quit my finance job and took a job at
the Wine Development Board and while working there gained my WSET Diploma at the same time. A few years later, I went out on my own and set up my own consulting business.

What is your favourite part about working in the drinks industry?

I would say the travel and meeting amazing people. I look after market access and in-market activity for California Wines in the UK, Ireland, India and the UAE with my business
partner Damien. So we travel to some great places and of course California – where I am actually answering these questions from!

We’re meeting up for a drink after work, what are you having?

In the summer I would have a Cool Coastal California Chardonnay and in the winter a glass of Syrah from California.

You can only have one drink for the rest of your life. What’s in your glass?

I am just going to say Red wine, I am not picking favourites – just like children!!! I can’t!

It’s Saturday night, what restaurant are you going to?

Wild Goose Grill in Ranelagh.

What is the most memorable moment of your career?

The two most memorable ones are

1. Meeting my utterly brilliant business partner Damien Jackman, it has been a rollercoaster but I wouldn’t want to be on that ride with anyone else.

2. Meeting and becoming best friends with the late Tomas Clancy, I think of him all the time and I miss him dearly. He saw something in me that I guess I didn’t, he was so wonderful.
I cherish our friendship, he was taken from his family and the world way too soon.

One thing you’d like to see more of in the drinks industry?

Greater collaboration.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a career in the drinks industry?

It all starts with education, closely followed by meeting like-minded people in the industry, which is why WSW has been so instrumental in Ireland. I would also say, keep going each day, it doesn’t matter what kind of day it is, another day will always follow, so just start again. If you keep working hard… it can only lead you to something great. Look after yourself and work hard and the rest will follow and always share a problem.

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You can connect with Justine on LinkedIn here and follow her wine adventures on Instagram here.