Meet The Buyers: Sean Sweeney, director, Highbury Vintners

I’ve been in the wine trade for 20 years. I first started as a wine rep for a small Italian importer in London, before moving to Diageo to accept a position as a sale rep. However, in 2003 the opportunity arose to take over my father’s business; at that time there weren’t many independents specialising in wine from smaller producers. It was mostly the traditional off-licences selling the big brands and with the rise of the supermarkets selling alcohol it was time for a new approach. I knew there was a growing demand for more niche products from smaller producers and I wanted to tap into this market. My father wanted to retire so it was the perfect opportunity for me to put my plan into action.