Trustees
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Our trustees offer their skills and experience to support our foundation and help us meet our purpose.
Jessica Aggarwal
Events Director
Table Talk Business Club
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Jessica is Co-Founder of Table Talk Business Club and Table Talk Foundation.
Jessica started her working life coordinating events for banks but when the opportunity to take on an events role for a food and grocery publishing company arose, Jessica realised she could combine her skills with her interest in the origins of our food and drink.
By setting up Table Talk Foundation, Jessica hopes we can encourage our future generations to explore and improve their eating habits whilst supporting our local restaurants and suppliers.
Jessica lives in Hove and likes to spend her time between the gym and Sussex’s best restaurants whilst drinking plenty of wine.
Adhum Carter Wolde-Lule
CEO
Multiple Companies
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A versatile entrepreneur with board-level experience.
He currently runs a UK based venture fund focusing on acquiring pharmaceutical companies.
Adhum also serves on the advisory board of several companies, including Imperial Corporate Capital PLC.
In the hospitality sector, he acquired the restaurant group Hotbox a year ago and formerly owned the popular Bidi Bondi on the Palm, Dubai.
Jason Edge
Marketing Director
Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP
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Jason sits on the Board of Mayo Wynne Baxter where he has been a director for 10 years. He has 30 years’ experience in sales and marketing.
Outside of corporate life, he is passionate about food and drink, particularly Sussex produce, venues, and restaurants. With his partner Jo, he is the co-founder of Brighton GIN Club, the Haywards Heath Producers Market and the world’s largest celebration of Sussex gin producers – The Festival of Sussex Gins.
He has often been found on a judging panel too, such as; Sussex Food & Drink Awards, LEAP, Young Start Up Talent, Brighton & Hove Hoteliers Awards, Sussex Business Awards, and the Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Awards to name a few.
When not running around after his many children, he can often be found in one of the county’s many great pubs and restaurants or cooking in the kitchen or at the BBQ.
Chris Ketley
Partner
Knill James LLP
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Chris specialises in proactive, multi-disciplinary business consultancy and has over 30 years’ experience advising SMEs and OMBs. He has been a Partner with Knill James since 1988.
Chris is also a business coach and mentor, with particular expertise in strategic development and non-exec services, and is passionate about delivering these services to clients who are equally as passionate about their businesses and future plans. He is an expert in the provision of agile business improvement advice, as a result of his extensive experience within audit, assurance, ATOL and FCA reporting, management accounting and proactive taxation advice (including International). He is a ‘one stop shop’ for OMB’s delivering holistic advisory services across the full spectrum of business and related family requirements.
Chris is a member of the global Mindshop Business Strategy, Development & Facilitation network of advisers.
Chris is a keen amateur cook and loves exploring global cuisines and wine! He is well-known for his BBQ skills and loves cooking over fire, especially his Argentinian parrilla!
Noel Preston
Managing Partner
Preston Insurance Brokers
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Noel has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years and is the Managing Partner of Preston Insurance Brokers based in Brighton. Noel formed the business in December 2012 and since then Preston Insurance Brokers have built a strong reputation throughout Sussex and the surrounding areas, with expansion into London at the beginning of 2020.
Through his career Noel has arranged and serviced the insurance requirements for a wide range of businesses from start-ups to multi-nationals requiring global programmes and everything in between.
With experience covering all types of industries, including the catering, events, hospitality and visitor attraction sector, the business has also been the Official Insurance Partner for the British Airways i360 since it opened in 2016.
In addition to his passion for food & drink, Noel enjoys spending his spare time with his wife and two boys as well as being a regular visitor at Sussex CCC, Fulham FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC.
Tamara Roberts
CEO
Ridgeview Wine Estate
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Tamara is the CEO of Ridgeview Wine Estate, the international award-winning & family-run English sparkling wine producer based in Sussex. Ridgeview is proud to be a pioneering force in the English wine industry. Founded in 1995, they were one of the first wineries to be devoted to the production of English sparkling wine. In 2018 they became the first English winery to gain the global accolade of ‘International Winemaker of the Year’ in the International Wine & Spirit Competition.
Tamara is also a director of Wine GB the national trade body and the Wine & Spirits trade association. In 2020 she became the first English wine professional to become President of the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition. As a qualified chartered accountant, Tamara is responsible for the financial management of Ridgeview as well as setting & implementing the strategy across all other areas from grape to glass.
Tom Surgey
Business Development Director
Table Talk Business Club
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Tom is a wine expert and drinks presenter working on television (ITV Love Your Weekend), live events (incl. Three Wine Men with Oz Clarke, Olly Smith and Tim Atkin) and as a writer. His first book ‘How To Drink Wine’ is published by Seven Dials (August 2024). He is proud to be a Co-Founder of Table Talk Foundation and Table Talk Business Club.
Alongside his media work, Tom is an active and highly regarded wine trade professional and consultant to premium drinks brands. The first decade of his career was spent in restaurants, including the original The Ivy and Ivy Club in London. He was previously Sales Director of Ridgeview Wine Estate.
Tom has a wealth of experience in hospitality and is a bright, vocal champion of the trade. He was a founding steering-committee member of The Drinks Trust’s ‘Drinks Community’ platform; supporting the career development of those in the drinks industry.
Dan Wade
Relationship Director
Table Talk Business Club
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Daniel Wade is Co-Founder of Table Talk Business Club and Table Talk Foundation. He also runs a successful health insurance franchise on behalf of the WPA Healthcare Practice.
Dan started his career in the hospitality sector having worked as a chef for a number of years in a Lewes based brasserie and completing work experience under Gordon Ramsay, Angela Hartnett and Jean Christophe-Novelli.
Having stepped back from cooking, Dan started his franchise in 2009 and has since grown this to the largest franchise in the WPA network. Through this, he has met a number of local business owners who share his passion for good food and drink but quickly realised there wasn’t any formal platforms to bring this all together- this is how Table Talk Business Club was formed.
Dan is a keen sportsman having played rugby since the age of 5 for Lewes RFC. He also enjoys golf, cricket and football. Dan is married with 2 kids and lives in Ringmer, East Sussex where he grows lots of his own fruit and vegetables.
Tom Webster
Commercial Director
Sentry Funding
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Experienced in finance, sports management, and technology, has excelled in roles as Seaford Town FC’s Chairman and Sentry Funding’s Commercial Director.
A passionate advocate for Web3 and NFTs, Tom consistently demonstrates his innovative leadership in the field.