Nicky Burston in Conversation with Michelle Brampton: Education, Opportunity and the Future of the Drinks Industry

WSET has recently undergone a significant transformation – can you walk us through what’s changed and why? 

The brand refresh reflects who we are today and where we're heading. Research told us that the previous brand was trusted, which is important to maintain, but that it felt wine-focused, overly academic and formal. It wasn't always seen as empowering or inclusive, and that's important to us too.

So we've honoured our heritage while updating for the future. The name is simplified to WSET. The logo is modern and digital-friendly, but retains the oval shape that people recognise and reverts back to our heritage blue. Our new strapline, Global Drinks Education, does exactly what it says – it reflects our global reach and the breadth of our offering across wine, spirits, sake and beer. And our pin badges have been redesigned in sustainable materials with new colours – bronze, silver, gold and black – to clearly distinguish levels and categories. 

Why is now the right moment for these changes, and what do they signal about where WSET is headed?

The drinks world is changing. Digital culture, new technologies and a more globally connected audience are reshaping how people learn, build careers and engage with the industry. We have been changing and we needed a brand that could keep represent that, one that feels relevant, accessible and forward-looking while building on our heritage. It positions WSET to support the industry and empower the next generation of drinks professionals and enthusiasts worldwide.

What are the most visible changes for students and course providers?

For students and course providers, the changes are designed to feel modern and aspirational while maintaining the trust and expertise WSET is known for. They'll notice a simplified logo that works across all categories and digital channels, and a strapline that makes our global, multi-category identity much clearer. The refreshed pin badges are made from sustainable materials and are clearly distinguishable by category and level.

But the changes go beyond the visual. We're investing in greater use of technology, including digital resources, online exams and remote invigilation, so students can engage with WSET in ways that suit them wherever they are in the world. Our tone and language are evolving too, we want everyone, whether a trade professional or an enthusiast, to feel they belong. As the new look rolls out across materials, teaching resources and certificates, the aim is for the whole experience to feel consistently inspiring, wherever people encounter us. 

What have been the biggest challenges since you came on board and how have you overcome those?

Balancing commercial, educational and social impact goals across different cultures and time zones is genuinely complex. It also continues to be a challenging time for our industry and economies in general. What helps is having a clear strategy, strong governance and a culture where people are genuinely driven by our purpose and mission. When those things are in place, you can navigate a lot.

On a personal level, the CEO role is an honour and a challenge. Sitting between the leadership team and the Board could be a lonely spot but building the right team around me, and seeing people grow into their potential, has made an enormous difference. That's probably what I'm most proud of: creating an environment where people feel seen, supported and able to do their best work.

How do you foster culture at WSET?

Culture is about what everyone does every day.  At WSET we focus on curiosity, striving for better and leading with empathy – with colleagues, course providers and students alike. Practically, that's meant establishing employee networks, listening to employees and setting up working groups that drive real action based on what people tell us. It's also meant being deliberate about inclusion, so that people feel they belong and can bring their whole selves to work. When that happens people can do their best work, collaborate more easily and innovate.

How does your leadership support WSET’s new purpose? (to empower people and support the drinks industry from producer to consumer)

For me, empowerment isn't just something we talk about with regard to our courses, it has to start inside the organisation. My own career was shaped by people who could see strengths in me that I couldn't always see in myself or didn’t believe in. That experience made me who I am, and it's something I try to bring to WSET every day: creating space for people to grow, encouraging them to back themselves, and making sure talent gets recognised.

The same approach drives our wider work, whether that's working closely with our partners or our social impact work. Our purpose is to empower people and support the drinks industry from producer to consumer, and that means removing barriers, not just providing qualifications. Leadership, to me, is about making that real – not just as a statement of intent, but in the everyday decisions we make about how we work and who we work with.

You're a well-known champion of The Drinks Trust – what is it about the organisation that resonates with you, and how does the partnership with WSET bring that to life?

What resonates most is the shared belief that the drinks industry is stronger when it looks after its people. In five years, The Drinks Trust has supported over 30,000 people with financial assistance, emotional support and educational opportunities – that’s an extraordinary reach, and it speaks to a real need in our industry.

Our partnership makes that support more tangible. Through the DEVELOP programme, alongside The Worshipful Company of Distillers, we've been able to fund WSET qualifications for people who wouldn't otherwise have been able to access them. Two thirds of those students have gone on to see meaningful, positive career impacts, and in 2025/26, DEVELOP funded the highest ever number of UK WSET bursaries in a single year. That's exactly what our purpose is about: removing barriers, not just providing qualifications.

The Drinks Trust exists to support people working in the industry through hardship. Do you see education as part of that safety net – a way of future-proofing people's careers? 

Absolutely. A qualification doesn't just open doors, it changes how people see themselves and how others see them. When someone is going through a difficult period, having a recognised credential, or working towards one, can be genuinely stabilising. The data backs this up: a third of WSET students supported through DEVELOP have received a promotion or started a new role within six months of completing their course, and two thirds have made positive career connections. That's a real, measurable difference in people's lives.

That's why widening access matters so much. If cost is a barrier, we're failing the people who could benefit most. Schemes like our bursary programme exist because financial hardship shouldn't stand in the way of ambition.

You’ve been vocal about businesses not cutting training budgets during tough economic times. What would you say directly to a business owner who sees education as a luxury right now?

I'd say: look at the cost of not investing. Staff turnover, disengagement, lost expertise – these are expensive. When people feel their employer is investing in them, they stay, they grow and they bring more to the business. Training isn't a reward for good times; it's what helps you get through the difficult ones.

The drinks industry is facing real pressures right now, and I understand that every line of spending gets scrutinised. But I strongly believe that for the industry to thrive it needs to innovate, and to innovate it needs diverse thought and skilled people. It’s a time to build competitive advantage. The businesses I see coming through challenges well are the ones that held onto their people and kept investing in them. Education builds resilience, for individuals and for the industry as a whole.

What would a truly inclusive drinks industry look like to you, and how far away are we from it?

It would be one where your entry point, whether that's geography, background or financial means, doesn't determine how far you can go. From producer to consumer, every part of the drinks industry should feel accessible and representative of the people it serves. That means diverse voices at every level, from the vineyard to the boardroom, and genuine pathways for people who've historically faced barriers to get in and to progress.

Are we there yet? No. But I do think the industry is asking better questions than it used to, and that matters. Progress comes from the everyday decisions businesses make about who they hire, who they invest in and who they welcome into the conversation. At WSET, removing barriers, not just providing qualifications, is at the heart of what we do, and we see real change when education and opportunity come together.

Can you share some examples of WSET’s initiatives promoting sustainability and social impact?

Through our Social Impact Initiatives programme over the last two years, we've supported over 1,000 people across 14 countries through 36 initiatives, delivered in collaboration with 33 organisations. Partnerships include the Women in Beer Mentorship Programme, The Roots Fund in the US, BLACC in South Africa and The Future Sommeliers of Brazil programme. Each of these combines skills development, mentorship and industry access with a genuine focus on inclusivity.

One project that particularly stays with me is our partnership with Sogrape and the Gerard Basset Foundation to deliver our first scholarships for hospitality professionals in Luanda, Angola. Over three days, 14 scholars took part in training tailored to the Angolan wine sector, combining preparation led by the Sogrape Wine Academy with our WSET Level 1 Award in Wines. The ripple effect of something like that, on individuals and their communities, is really powerful and it's a reminder of why this work matters.

What's next for the WSET and Drinks Trust partnership – are there ambitions to grow the bursary scheme or expand into new areas together? 

We're proud of what the partnership has already made possible, but there’s more we want to do. Every year we hear from people who would benefit, and we want to be in a position to support more of them. Beyond bursaries, there's real potential to deepen how we work together to connect education with welfare support. DEVELOP supported over 270 jobseekers in 2025 alone, and we want to make sure more people facing hardship have a clearer pathway into the industry through learning. We’re also collaborating with The Drinks Trust and the WSTA on Drinks United, an initiative focused on shaping a united UK drinks industry where everyone feels safe, included and supported.

If there was one thing you think each of us – whether we’re educators, students or just passionate about drinks – could do to help make the industry more inclusive and diverse, what would it be? 

Stay curious and stay open. It sounds simple, but it makes a real difference. That might mean inviting new voices into the conversation, supporting someone who's just starting out, or quietly challenging your own assumptions about who belongs in the drinks industry.

And listen. There is so much to learn from other people's experiences, and inclusion isn't built on big statements alone, it's often the small, thoughtful actions that make someone feel genuinely welcome. Those moments matter more than people realise.