“Market building partnerships to quench your thirst.”
WHO WE ARE
Nimbility was founded in Hong Kong in early 2018 by three partners with 60+ years of experience building markets and brands within the global beverage industry.
Our mission is to build markets for our clients around the world, with an emphasis on Asia. Our founder-led global experience and expertise, supported by a highly dedicated and knowledgeable team, positions us to provide a unique and valuable service.
We will be your market experts and your export management team in Asia, delivering proprietary insights and analysis, strategy, and execution across the region.
We are committed to building long term, sustainable partnerships that deliver tangible market results across Asia and up and down the supply chain.
“Core values support the vision, shape the culture and reflect what the company aspires to be. They are the essence of the company’s identity.”
OUR VALUES
INTEGRITY
Integrity is the foundation upon which we build all our relationships based on respect, honesty, equality, trust, transparency and straight talking.
PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
We offer expertise, exceptional service, quality assurance and the utmost dedication in all we do.
INDIVIDUALITY
We recognize and celebrate uniqueness with no ‘one size fits all’ solutions when it comes to the clients we work with. Instead we provide an entirely bespoke service based on your specific needs and goals.
SUSTAINABILITY
Environmental, social and economical; we aim to build a profitable business that will enable us to reinvest in our employees, our stakeholders, our clients, the local community and the environment.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
We embrace all forms of creativity, ambition, innovation, achievement, risk taking, trail blazing, breaking boundaries, openness, flexibility, embracing & learning from our mistakes and continuous improvement.
FUN
We take the quality of our work very seriously, but never ourselves, and we always have fun along the way.
OUR TEAM
IAN FORD - FOUNDING PARTNER
Ian was born and raised in New York City, and attended Duke University, graduating with a BA in History and Mandarin Chinese. Ian relocated to China in 1995 to take up a career in the drinks business, with Seagram, marketing Martell Cognac, Chivas Regal Scotch, and Absolut Vodka. In 1999 Ian co-founded Summergate, a drinks importer, marketer, and distributor, with a mission to build the market in China over the coming decades. Today Summergate is a leading drinks company in China by any measure – size, reputation, quality, knowledge, and professionalism. In addition Ian founded Pudao Wines retail in 2009 in Shanghai and Beijing, an award-winning fine wine retailer and experience center.
Ian’s career has focused on successfully building a strong China market for major brands like Concha y Toro, Penfolds, Villa Maria, Lafite, and Perrier mineral water. He has presented on China at conferences in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, London, Sydney, and New York, and for over twenty years has been working closely with leading drinks brands building their markets across China.
In late 2014 Ian successfully sold the Summergate business to Woolworths of Australia, and continued to manage the business for Woolworths through 2016. He recently founded Lightkeeper Studio, a firm that partners with entrepreneurs across Asia, providing advice, guidance, funding and connections, and helps take exciting and innovative businesses to the next level.
Contact: ian@nimbilityasia.com
FRANCESCA MARTIN (CHESS) - FOUNDING PARTNER
Born and raised in the UK, with a BA in English Literature and Spanish from Leeds University Francesca has always been passionate about wine. Ever since her father took her to Paris when she was 12 and gave her her very first sip of Bordeaux. That was it. She was totally hooked!
Over the past 16 years Francesca’s career has spanned three continents and multiple disciplines – from brand management to PR, from winemaking to marketing – giving her a unique degree of fluency in building markets for wine and spirits brands.
Over the years she has worked for some of the most renowned names in the global wine industry, including Jacques & Francois Lurton in Argentina, Miguel Torres in Spain, Liberty Wines in the U.K. and ASC Fine Wines in Hong Kong. In 2013, she decided to set up BEE Drinks Global, a beverage consultancy company based in Hong Kong and working across markets in Asia. In 2017 she conceptualised Nimbility.
Francesca holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma, is a certified teacher of WSET awards and is currently studying for the prestigious Master of Wine examination. She sits on the advisory board of Cellar Media Inc. in the USA. In the past she has managed premium wine brands from all over the world including Vega Sicilia, Ornellaia, Leeuwin Estate, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Maison Trimbach, Mulderbosch, Altos Las Hormigas and Laroche. Widely travelled, she has gained first-hand experience in the majority of the world’s leading wine regions giving her unique insight that carries through in all her work.
Contact: chess@nimbilityasia.com
POLLY AYLWIN-FOSTER - FOUNDING PARTNER
Polly grew up in Newmarket, Suffolk in the UK, the headquarters of horse racing and spent the first 20 years of her life convinced she would be a famous racing commentator. However, after receiving a BA in history from Newcastle University she was lured to London to work for an Angel Investment entrepreneur and her passion for business was born.
Over the next three years in London, Polly was involved in the launch of ‘Sumo Salad’ UK, taking it from one store to 4 including negotiating a contract at the JP Morgan headquarters, the development of latestinbeauty.com (now lib.com) and Trueskin, a skin mapping service which was rolled out into high end retail.
A personal move to Hong Kong in 2011 led to a search for a new challenge. Wine had always been a passion so the opportunity to work for a local Hong Kong Importer sealed the deal. For the next three years Polly took the time to learn the trade and educate herself in all things wine and spirits including WSET 3 and 4.
In 2014 Polly joined Pont des Arts as their Commercial Director. This involved the strategic development of the brand across Asia and beyond. The brand is distributed in 23 countries and Polly was responsible for all markets with 100% growth year on year.
In 2017 Polly Co-Founded XECO Wines Ltd, a sherry brand with the aim to breathe a little modernity into the category and capitalizing on the success of the ‘Aperitivo’ moment. XECO is currently distributed in the UK, HK and the USA with lofty ambitions.
Contact: polly@nimbilityasia.com
NICHOLE MAO – PARTNER
Having her early age life spanning from the north to the south of China, Nichole was born to be an adventure seeker. Wine came to her at university while doing part time job as a subtitle translator for TV programs. It was “Oz and James’ Big Wine Adventure”, by Oz Clark and James May that planted the seed.
After graduating from university in Tianjin with a BA degree in Business and English, she decided to discover and find her space in Shanghai. In 2009, 6 months after moving to Shanghai, she started with ASC Fine Wines, and her instant love and passion for wine, decided that this would be a life long journey. Two years later, she found her path to represent Villa Maria, managing the Greater China market for them since 2011. Her 8 years with Villa Maria enabled her to develop a robust and in-depth knowledge of China’s wine market, and a deep understanding of the wine trade and Chinese wine consumers.
Nichole is a WSET diploma holder, and looks forward to the next phase of her wine journey with the Master of Wine examination. Her curiosity makes her a person with many hobbies, namely photography, including photography with drone, her newest gadget. While Thai boxing sweats her stress off, drawing helps her to breath and relax!
Contact: nichole@nimbilityasia.com
MANUEL ARCE – SPIRITS DIRECTOR
Born and raised in Santiago of Chile, surrounded by family members working either in the vineyards or in restaurants, Manuel was predestined to become an epicurean. Nurtured with a taste for trying new things, Manuel spent his life blurring the lines and building bridges between fields, studying Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, going through a Sommelier training, creating the first Patagonian Lama Ham, all this after a detour working in finance at Larrain Vial and in energy at Exxon Mobile (ok that one was unexpected, even for our in house Jack-of-all-trades!).
Moving to Shanghai in 2007, his insatiable curiosity struck again, and after learning Mandarin, studying China, and diving into Chinese ways of business, Manuel went back to the Wine & Spirits business fully prepared for what was to come. His newly born passion for spirits and cocktails was focused into launching new brands in China, from brands like Beluga Vodka, Monkey 47 Gin, Cocchi Vermouth, The London No. 1, Thomas Henry Mixers, Fernet-Branca (awarded “Best Bartender Brand” at the first Drink Magazine Bar Awards in Shanghai), Antica Formula, Teeling Irish Whiskey (whose Chinese wine cask finishing whisky was nominated “Innovation of the year” by Whisky Magazine), Angostura bitters and Fever-Tree mixers, to name but a few.
When not building spirits brands across APAC, Manuel spends his time traveling the world with his camera to capture what the eye is missing, piloting his drone to always reach the best angle, and if you ask nicely, he will gladly let you join him in his search for the best local dishes and the most outstanding cocktails wherever they may be!
Contact: manuel@nimbilityasia.com
Pratham Wahi - EXPORT DIRECTOR
With an MBA from HEC Paris and eight years of experience in significant cross-function positions in both corporate and entrepreneurial models across the drinks industry, Pratham brings a wealth of experience to Nimbility’s commercial team.
His successful management of large and complex markets across Asia-Pacific for Milestone Beverages, including the set up and management of distribution networks in eight different countries, spanning eighteen import partners, including King Power, Dairy Farm, Hite Jinro and Carrefour, brings additional in-depth market knowledge to the team and will inform Nimbility’s expansion into key markets and with key players throughout the region.
Pratham’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to start Drinksdeli back at the height of the COVID-19 crisis in April 2020, with a vision to reach the at home consumption occasion of wines and spirits, which traditionally has been a very small market in Hong Kong. A year later, sales have passed his expectations with a 50% customer return rate. His vision is for it to become a leading e-commerce and experience partner for key brands in Hong Kong within the next 24 months!
Dong Khoi Nguyen Duy (DK) – Head of Vietnam
After discovering wine in Provence in 1995 as a sales executive for a wholesaler in Frejus (south of France), DK has developed his passion over the last 20 years in Vietnam touching all aspects of the wine business from import & distribution to trainings, education & wine seminars for winery owners looking for a successful entry in the Vietnamese and Indochina market.
DK has facilitated successful and sustainable market entry for brands such as E&J Gallo, Robert Mondavi, JP Chenet, Zonin, Nederburg, Viña San Pedro, Famille Hugel, Paul Jaboulet Aine, Tyrrel’s, Catena Zapata, Bollinger, Vega Sicilia, Casa Silva, Michel Lynch, JP Moueix Wines, Mirabeau, Born Rosé, and supported the development of non-wine products including leading spirit brands such as William Grant and Son’s, Bombay Sapphire, Grey Goose, Jagermeister, Jack Daniel’s and Monin Syrup.
Contact: dk@nimbilityasia.com
Sarah Soo-Kyung - head of south korea
Based out of Seoul, Sarah joined Nimbility in early 2023 as our Head of Korea to create and lead new business opportunities and develop relationships with key partners in this highly dynamic market for wines and spirits.
With her French-Korean-American background, a degree in International Relations and over six years industry experience, Sarah brings a unique perspective and deep level of specialist market knowledge to the Nimbility team.
It was by participating in diplomatic events that she realized that wine is truly a diplomatic tool, and she was struck by the inspiration to apply the same concept in Korea. Hosting hundreds of wine lectures and tastings over the past five years has allowed her to unite her customers, bringing them together to share the same passion. Prior to joining Nimbility Sarah founded wine curation start up ‘SoodeVie’ in 2017 working with importers and producers to highlight wine and spirits brands from around the world including France, US, Australia, Slovenia, Austria and Germany.
Having lived in France, the US and Korea, and fluent in French, Korean and English with conversational Mandarin, Sarah has the unique ability to communicate clearly and be the “cultural” interpreter in a complex and dynamic market like Korea.
Sarah can be contacted at: sarah@nimbilityasia.com
Apolline Martin - MARKETING MANAGER
Born and raised in Paris, Apolline became devoted to wine from an early age, raiding her parents’ last drops under their amused supervision. After a number of very sober years preparing to enter ESSEC Business School, her childhood excitement turned into a more serious passion, and she became President of the school’s Wine Club Elyxir in France and founder of the sister club in Singapore, taking on the crusade to introduce new wines and wine regions to beginners and aficionados alike.
Graduating in 2016 Apolline quickly joined the Wine and Spirits industry starting her career in Hong Kong. With marketing and brand building experiences at Pont des Arts and Moët Hennessy Diageo, Apolline worked with wine and spirits brands of all styles, origins and scopes, collaborating with teams from all around the world. All had in common the ambition to land and grow in Asian markets, and Apolline dedicated her time to help them reach their goal. Parallel to this, she passed WSET Level 2 furthering her genuine love for anything related to wine and spirits.
Taking her job very seriously even outside the office, Apolline is often seen tasting wine, most preferably Cabernet Franc, and in her honest opinion, nothing beats starting the weekend than with a laidback foot massage topped with a bottle of wine to share with a few friends. Santé!
Contact: apolline@nimbilityasia.com
alessandra martinazzo - junior marketing manager
Alessandra, born and raised in Italy, relocated to China over a decade ago following the completion of a Bachelor's degree in Chinese and Cultural Mediation and a Master's degree in Marketing and Communication. These qualifications, combined with her inherent exposure to her homeland's rich wine culture, ultimately led her to pursue a career in the wine and spirits sector. Throughout her professional journey, Alessandra has gained extensive experience working in the sales departments of renowned beverage importers across various cities in China. She particularly thrived in the vibrant city of Shenzhen before transitioning to Hong Kong. In her role, she oversaw the on-trade channel, growing sales by maintaining and developing on-trade clients while identifying new business opportunities. This has provided her with a deep understanding of the local market dynamics, gaining unique insights into consumer preferences and trends to navigate the complexities of the Asian market. Her expertise extends beyond sales management, throughout her career, she has contributed to elevating brand awareness and establishing market presence through innovative strategies, campaigns and event planning. Her persuasive communication skills and deep product knowledge have allowed her to effectively engage customers. With her skills, industry knowledge, and international background, Alessandra brings a unique blend of sales and marketing expertise to the table
Contact: Alessandra@nimbilityasia.com
canDACE chEn - executive assistant to ceo
Candace was born and grew up in Shanghai, and attended Donghua University, graduating with hotel management. Her experience spans over 10 years working for international companies in China, mainly as an assistant to the executive management. During that time, Candace was regarded as a top team player and was instrumental in allowing the core leadership teams to excel and perform to their challenging business plans and directives. Candace joined the Nimbility to provide the vital role of Executive Assistant to our CEO. When she is not holding things together in the Shanghai office as per her day job, she enjoys cooking, traveling, playing badminton and practicing yoga.
Contact: candace@nimbilityasia.com
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