Meet the Team

Oliver Chilton

Business Manager & Whisky Maker

Oliver has been involved in most parts of Speciality Drinks over the years, having started out in the original Whisky Exchange shop by London Bridge before being moved to head office to assist with running the Whisky Show in its early days. His palate helped secure him a role selecting casks for independent bottling – leading the way to the creation of Elixir Distillers. He’s also from Yorkshire, which explains a lot.
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Andrew Thomson

Operations Manager

Originally from Campbeltown, Andrew left home to study chemical engineering in Glasgow and later headed to London where he started working at the Whisky Exchange shop in Covent Garden. Since 2017 he has been with Elixir Distillers, overseeing all bottling projects from start to finish. Andrew spends much of his spare time playing the bagpipes and has previously claimed the title of World Pipeband Champion.
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Katy Kennedy

Export Sales Manager

Born in Darlington but raised in Yorkshire, Katy found a love for Scotland’s spirit during her time as a student in Edinburgh, where she worked at the Whisky Experience. She moved on to a career in teaching but returned to the whisky world after several years as a language teacher in Barcelona and the UK. Fluent in French and Spanish, she is in charge of all export sales at Elixir Distillers – otherwise spending her time outdoors, preferably on a mountain.
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Julie Hamilton

Brand Ambassador

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better multitasker than our resident Glaswegian. Over the years, Julie has dedicated her time to being Chair of Glasgow Whisky Club, Director of Glasgow’s Whisky Festival and a Scotch Malt Whisky Society ambassador. As of 2019, she is Elixir Distiller’s full-time Brand Ambassador, hosting events and tastings across the country – but of course, she still runs the whisky festival in her hometown.
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Elsa Holmberg

Brand Development Executive

Finnish citizen, born in Stockholm, Elsa worked as a cocktail bartender in Nottingham while studying for her Master’s thesis on temperance in 19th Century America. After juggling various ambassador roles in the USA, UK and Scandinavia, she eventually settled in London to work for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. These days she takes care of Elixir’s brand marketing, and otherwise spends her time gardening and visiting farmer's markets.
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Cécile Lepron

Sales Executive

A Parisian native, Cécile’s hospitality studies have taken her across the world from France to Spain and China. After graduating, she initially worked for various hotels and a wine chateau in Sauternes before moving to La Maison du Whisky to be their Arran ambassador. Never content with staying put, Cécile soon packed her bags again and headed off to be our London-based brand ambassador and sales executive.
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Stephen Winch

Logistics Administrator

Knowledgeable, organised and punctual, it's no surprise that Stephen has excelled worked with some of the most prominent spirit retailers in New York City and London. As Logistics Administrator at Elixir Distillers, he's in charge of liaising with export customers and making sure that all cask management is handled correctly. Not just a whisky fan, Stephen is also passionate about real ale, wine and cooking.
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Chris Maybin

Business Development Director

Initially focused on the world of wine, Chris was introduced to whisky after moving to Paris to learn French. Since then he has worked with La Maison du Whisky – developing over 100 spirit brands for the French market – as well as Compass Box. Chris eventually moved to Speciality Drinks in 2016, where one of his key responsibilities is working with the team at Elixir Distillers to develop and grow our brands around the world.

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