Archives: Speakers

General Manager and Director of Pilgrim International Limited started his career in the late 1980s at Dresser Rand, specialising in production matters. after a decade he transitioned to technical sales where he gained experience in leading teams both within the UK and Globally both directly to key customers and through specialised technical distributors. In 2017, Damian joined Pilgrim as Director and General Manager bringing his knowledge of sales and production mixed with his pragmatic and logical management style.  ​

Martin started his career at Pilgrim as an apprentice back in 1987, having worked through most departments he has experience of all hydraulically controlled fastening techniques and products designed and manufactured by Pilgrim.

As Sales Manager for the Americas his skill set has been utilised many times in assisting customers directly either through technical explanations or hands on on-site training and supervision.

​He is very customer focused and doesn’t stop until the customer has all they need to finish the job to a high standard.​

Dominic commenced work at Pilgrim International Limited in 2014, working in several areas of the business from Production Apprentice to Sales Area Manager, allowing him to gain a strong / intimate knowledge of Pilgrims products and how they function.

​Having gained the hands-on experience coupled with his formal engineering education ensures that he is positioned to support and guide customers in complex designs and projects.

​His love of travel links in with his role as Sales Area Manager covered the UK, Asia, Latin America, Greece / Cyprus, and South Africa​

The golden thread in Tom’s life is food and drink, it’s his passion and has been his career for two decades. From producing, sourcing, selling, creating, and consuming he has devoted his career to it and in 2012 launched an artisan distillery. Growing up on a farm, with a gregarious mother who taught home economics created the hard working, bonne vivant producer at the heart of Warner’s Distillery. “There was no other option, farming is an entrepreneurial industry, so starting a business was in the blood and hosting people for home-made food and drink is my passion, the distillery allows me to share that passion with the world.”

Warner’s Distillery  now create award winning liquid across 4 categories (gin, 0% and rum) increasing their self-sufficiency and working with nature as they grow. They were the first craft distillery to launch a range of 100% natural non-alcoholic spirits and the team continues to push the boundaries of the spirits industry, forging new variants and entirely new categories, creating award-winning favourites and world firsts like their Rhubarb Gin, where one third of every bottle is real rhubarb juice. Their new brand Trash and Treasure focusses on utelising food waste from other UK manufactueres to make a sustainable spirits range.

Hailing from South Africa, Hendre’ joined the ranks of Distillers in 2014, after spending 15 years in the Liquor and Hospitality Industry at various levels. Over a period of 7 years, Hendre’ trained over 6 000 individuals from more than 35 countries in the science and art of distillation. He designed, constructed, and commissioned more than 100 Craft Distilleries in over 14 countries – so far afield as Australia, Europe, the Middle East and of course, Africa.

In 2022, Hendre’ joined the ranks of JIM & TONIC as Head Distiller and Production Manager, and he has since overseen the companies’ product portfolio expansion and diversification, the launch of their RTD range, construction of 2 new distilleries, and a complete overhaul of the company’s sustainability strategy.