Paul Symington - The Symington Family Port Shippers, Portugal
2004 President, International Wine and Spirit Competition
"It is a considerable honour for my family to have been elected President of the IWSC, this reflects on the work my family have done over four generations and since the 19th century as Port producers in the Douro valley in northern Portugal. It is also a matter of some pride that my appointment follows in a long line of very distinguished members of the wine trade from around the world. The IWSC sets very high standards for wines and spirits in a totally impartial and professional way, drawing on the expertise of recognised experts. There is a proliferation of awards and competitions around the world, it is important that the IWSC remains one of the leading industry standards."
The International Wine and Spirit Competition wished to reflect the importance of Port in the industry and we are delighted that Paul Symington, one of the best known international figures and a fourth generation member of the Symington Port Family, has agreed to become our President for 2004.
Paul Symington is Joint Managing Director of The Symington Family Port Companies.
The following independent Port Companies are 100% owned and managed by the family: Graham's, Warre's, Dow's, Smith Woodhouse, Quarles Harris and Quinta do Vesuvio.
The family are joint owners of the famous Quinta do Roriz. The family also have a joint venture with Bruno Prats which makes a highly successful Douro DOC wine called Chryseia.
The Symington family are also majority shareholders of the Madeira Wine Company, the leading producer of premium quality Madeiras. This company owns brands such as Blandy, Cossart Gordon and Leacock.
In the UK, the Symington family own John E Fells, a leading wine importing company and in the USA they have their own distribution company called 'Premium Port Wines' based in San Francisco.
The Symington Family are members of the 'Primum Familiae Vini' an association which groups some of the worlds most prestigious wine families.
Paul Symington is the eldest son of Michael and Elizabeth Symington, he was born in 1953 in Oporto, becoming one of the fourth generations of Symingtons to be born and raised in Oporto to the Port trade. He was educated at the Oporto British School followed by the Oratory School in Berkshire, England. After school he studied French at the Université de Neuchâtel in Switzerland before going on to do a BA in Business Studies at the Central London Polytechnic.
After a year's banking experience in Paris, Paul joined the British retailer Boots, before returning to Oporto to the family Port business in 1979. A year later he was made a director and in 1988 he was appointed to the family company's four-man executive board. He is now Joint Managing Director. He was vice president of the Port Wine Shippers Association from 1990 to 1995 and a counsellor on the Port Wine Institute's General Council.
Paul Symington lives in Portugal with his wife, Jane, and four children. He is a founder member of the Port Wine "Confraria" and is a member of the Factory House in Oporto, the Oporto Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club, the Commercial Association of Oporto and Boodles (in London).
Paul Symington was 'Treasurer' (i.e. President) of the Factory House in 1990 when the 'Factory' celebrated its Bicentenary and therefore organised the celebrations that included the visit of Princess Alexandra of Kent.