Robert Joseph is one of the most widely-experienced and successful members of the international wine industry. He discovered wine - and wine service - in his parent's hotel and restaurant in the south of England.

From there, he moved to Burgundy, where he learned about terroir and winemaking, before returning to the UK where he launched Wine International magazine and the International Wine Challenge, which grew to become the world's biggest wine competition, with events in London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Mumbai, Moscow and Hanoi. Joseph was also drinks correspondent for the London Sunday Telegraph, and the multi-award-winning author of over 20 books, including The Complete Encyclopedia of Wine, the Art of the Wine Label and Bordeaux and its Wines. Approaching the Millennium, he was described by Decanter magazine as one of the 50 people who would influence wine drinking in the 21st century.

Reflecting this, in 2005, Joseph gave up consumer wine writing and launched two wine brands, the sustainable/organic Greener Planet and innovative le Grand Noir, a 'New World wine from France' that now sells over 2.5m bottles per year in over 40 countries. As a consultant, his clients have included Wines of Australia, Accolade, Wines of Georgia, Origin Wines and Torres. He has been visiting lecturer at business schools in Burgundy, Sonoma, Trento and Hong Kong and has delivered keynote presentations across the world.