Brian E. Werner is the Founder and Managing Director of East West Management & Marketing Pte. Ltd., the largest independent family-owned master distributor of premium and ultra-premium Tequila, Mezcal, and agave spirits in Singapore and Southeast Asia. A pioneer in bringing authentic Mexican agave culture to the region, Brian spent 20 years living and working in Mexico, building deep relationships with the distilleries and families behind the spirits he represents. He also holds the Asia master license for the International Tequila Academy, expanding world-class Tequila and Mezcal education and certification across Southeast Asia. Brian’s long-standing partnerships—rooted in trust, friendship, and cultural respect—form the foundation of East West’s mission to champion independent, heritage-driven agave producers throughout Asia.

Kit has been with WSET since 2019 and is currently the Business Development Manager for the Asia-Pacific region, based in Hong Kong. In this role, he oversees WSET's business activities and is responsible for expanding and driving the growth of WSET qualifications in Wine, Spirits, Sake, and Beer across 15 territories in Asia. He manages WSET activities with his team across over 80 Approved Program Providers (APPs).

His aim is to identify business opportunities, provide direction and advice to the Approved Programme Providers by thoroughly understanding market trends and future demand, enhance awareness of WSET qualifications, and strengthen the WSET brand by actively participating in trade shows and collaborating with industry professionals and organisations in the Asia market. Kakit focuses on educator quality, teaching, and development to foster sustainable market growth.

Kit holds several qualifications, including the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines and Spirits, the WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits, the WSET Level 2 Award in Sake, and the WSET Level 1 Award in Beer. He is also a WSET Certified Educator for Wine qualifications, a Chevalier de L'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, and holds certifications as a Rioja Wine Diploma holder, a Vintage Port Academy member, and a Cicerone Certified Beer Server.

Lam Chi Mun is a hospitality and beverage consultant with over three decades in workforce development, spirits education, and bar capability building across Asia Pacific, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. He led the Diageo Bar Academy in Asia Pacific for over a decade, delivering scalable programmes across 20+ markets and reaching 100,000+ bar professionals annually.

A Certified WSET Level 3 Spirits Educator, Keeper of the Quaich, and holder of the IBD General Certificate in Distilling, Lam previously served as Vice Principal at SHATEC’s Institute of Wines & Spirits and as Secretary of the International Bartenders Association (IBA). He is also a founding partner of Dry Wave Cocktail Studio in Bangkok, which debuted at #5 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 as Highest New Entry.

Born in Chiba in 1982, Natsuki began her career at the HR consulting firm Link and Motivation in Tokyo. After two and a half years, she entered her maternal family’s field of sake, training at Hasegawa Saketen. In 2009, she moved to the UK and worked as a sake sommelier at London’s acclaimed modern Japanese restaurants ZUMA and ROKA.

Since 2013, she has been based in London, providing sake education and PR consultancy across Europe. She played a key role in launching the sake qualifications at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and now serves as a WSET Sake Specialist, involved in educator training and the development of three levels of courses. To date, the WSET sake programs have welcomed over 23,000 candidates across more than 20 countries worldwide.

As a sake consultant, she curates sake programs and events for Michelin-starred Endo at Rotunda, Sushi Kanesaka London, and Kioku by Endo & Kioku Bar at Raffles Hotel. Her expertise has been featured on BBC Radio 4 and in the Financial Times, Monocle, Telegraph and Drinks Business..

Since 2011, she has also served as Panel Chairman for the sake division at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), the world’s largest sake competition.

Government-Related Roles

2021–2024: Lecturer & Advisor, JFOODO Japanese Alcohol PR Campaign
2023–2025: Overseas Expert, Japan Alcoholic Beverage Export Promotion Consortium
Advisor on Japanese Alcohol Exports, National Tax Agency of Japan
Awards & Honors

2011: IWC “Sake Communicator Award”
2015: Appointed “Sake Samurai” by the Junior Council of Sake Brewers of Japan
2019: Named in the Future 50 by WSET & IWSC
2024: Woman of the Year – Innovator by Code Hospitality