WineGB is delighted to announce the appointment of Talya Roberson, the former Managing Director of Roberson Wine, as its new Industry Relations Lead. At the same time, WineGB will extend its support with the creation of an industry marketing strategy, which will be developed by the newly established WineGB Sales and Marketing Working Group. 

With 10 years of wine industry experience, Talya possesses both a thorough understanding of the GB wine sector and a commercial background in relationship management and marketing.  

She joined UK wine merchant Roberson Wine in 2014 as Marketing Manager before becoming Managing Director in 2017. While at Roberson she was instrumental in developing new commercial partnerships and profit across all sales channels. In May 2022, she left the business to launch Marasby, the first English wine marketplace helping customers buy direct from the producer at cellar door prices. Since then, she has successfully signed up over 40 producers to her platform after securing initial funding.  

Talya honed her communications and sales skills with over a decade as a BBC journalist, including launching the BBC’s first regional news website. After this, she spent seven years in education turning around enrolment through an effective student recruitment campaign.  

The Industry Relations Lead role is a new part-time position focusing on building WineGB’s resilience through sourcing additional external funding, recruiting members, and promoting campaigns to secure new markets and drive sales. 

Within the UK market Talya will be supported by our new Sales and Marketing Working Group, headed by Gary Smith, CEO of MDCV UK. With expertise across categories, sizes, and regions, the group will drive our work to ensure that English and Welsh wine is dominant in the UK market. We aim to demonstrate the depth of our category across the whole of the UK by celebrating all production methods and wine styles as the sector matures.

Talya will be responsible for using existing activities to tell our story, including WineGB’s English Wine Week, the WineGB Awards, and the WineGB Trade & Press Tasting to build understanding within the industry.

Commenting on her appointment, Talya says: “The UK is making the world’s most exciting cool climate wines. It’s an honour to be working with such great people to spread the word and grow our industry.” 

Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB, adds: “I am thrilled to welcome Talya to the team as our Industry Relations Lead. This is a new role designed to take WineGB to the next stage of its development and create opportunities for GB wines.  

“Talya has unparalleled experience in commercial partnerships and marketing combined with considerable knowledge of our industry, both through her relationship with urban winery London Cru and wine marketplace Marasby. 

“She will be supported by our new Sales and Marketing Working Group, which through collaboration and shared expertise, is accelerating our vital marketing work to champion the whole industry in our home market. The opportunity is huge, and the delivery of a framework and strategy will help all our members and new entrants as our sector continues to grow.” 

Gary Smith, CEO of MDCV UK and Head of the WineGB Sales and Marketing Working Group, comments: “We are delighted that the new management at WineGB have decided to resource this area and in particular support and work with the Sales and Marketing Working Group, which has a fundamental role in increasing awareness, visibility, and distribution of English and Welsh wine.” 

Talya begins her role at WineGB on 20 May and will retain her position as Co-Founder of Marasby. This new hire brings the WineGB Executive Team up to eight members (five full-time, three part-time).  

Notes to editors: 

Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) is the national association for the English and Welsh wine industry. It represents, leads, and supports the sustainable growth of the Great British wine sector. 

With 21.6 million bottles of wine produced last year¹, the GB wine industry is now the fastest growing agricultural sector in the UK.²  

WineGB’s Sales and Marketing Group was formed in March 2024. Chaired by Gary Smith of MDCV UK, the group benefits from regional and category expertise from: Albury Organic Vineyard, Balfour Winery, Chapel Down, Divergent Drinks, Halfpenny Green, Itasca Wines, Lyme Bay Winery, Ridgeview, Westwell, and Wiston Estate.