WHO'S WHO IN THE Association

DIRECTORS

I am a co-founder of the European Speciality Tea Association and have served as a Board Director and President since 2016.  I am truly proud of ESTA’s growth and rapid development into an influential part of the international tea scene, whilst retaining its appeal to broad-based lovers of high-quality teas. 

As a founder-director I submit myself for re-election, believing this provides some essential continuity for the governance of ESTA and that, with my 43 years’ practical working experience in the tea industry, I am well placed to guide and encourage our future growth.

Alexis Kaae is a visionary entrepreneur, judge, tutor and connoisseur of all things tea. Alexis embodies the essence of tea culture, blending tradition with innovation to create experiences that delight the senses and nourish the soul. With dedication to the art of tea-making and the relentless pursuit of excellence, her objective is to inspire and elevate the tea industry to new heights.

Founder and Owner of Simply Tea: Alexis' journey into the heart of tea began with the establishment of Simply Tea in 2006, a venture dedicated to importing the finest pure teas sourced from high-elevation sustainable gardens across the globe. Through Simply Tea, Alexis invites enthusiasts to embark on a sensory journey, exploring the diverse flavours and aromas of speciality tea.

Owner of Molbo Tea Garden and Tea Retreat: The legacy of Alexis' commitment to tea continues with Molbo Tea Garden and Tea Retreat. Nestled amidst the lush greenery of Mols National Park in Denmark, this sanctuary serves as a haven for tea enthusiasts seeking solace and enlightenment through the art of tea-making.

Tutor of Tea: Alexis' passion for tea extends beyond the confines of her tea garden. As a respected tutor, she imparts extensive knowledge and expertise to eager learners, enlightening them on the rich history, cultivation techniques, and intricate nuances of tea.

Tea Judge, Importer, Speaker, and Educator: Alexis' multifaceted role in the tea industry is further exemplified by her involvement as a tea judge, importer, speaker, and educator. Her discerning palate as a super taster, coupled with her unparalleled expertise, makes her a sought-after authority in the realm of tea.

David Veal is currently Executive Director of European Speciality Tea Association, having taken this position in May 2019, and enjoying every minute of promoting speciality tea. He has been privileged to lead a fantastic team over the past five years, and the achievements of this team have been great. ESTA is now established, respected and recognised in the tea industry as a credible player, we are just in the process of creating their next three year strategic plan, have launched a world class tea certification programme and we have collaborated with several different organisations with similar values in our mission to create and inspire excellence in the speciality tea community.

I am an avid enthusiast of the tea industry and a seasoned tea professional with a deep-rooted passion for its growth and prosperity. I am honoured to be a pioneer of the European Speciality Tea Association, giving my time to shape its vision and build its foundations for the last 6 years. I would like to extend my candidacy for a board seat.

With over a decade of experience in tea, including founding a tea company, Quinteassential and consulting the global hospitality sector in building unique wellness tea experiences, I bring a multifaceted perspective primed to drive impactful change.

In an era marked by shifting consumer preferences and sustainability imperatives, the tea industry stands at a pivotal juncture. As a board member, I pledge to champion initiatives that foster innovation, elevate quality standards, and promote ethical sourcing practices. My track record of forging strategic partnerships and navigating complex regulatory landscapes will be instrumental in advancing the Association's mission on both national and international stages.

Moreover, my commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity aligns seamlessly with the Association's values, ensuring that all stakeholders have a voice in shaping the industry's future trajectory. I am eager to collaborate with fellow board members, leveraging our collective expertise to address challenges and seize opportunities with unwavering resolve.

With 20 years in the tea industry, including 15 years offering tea training to baristas, Oscar is a co-founder of SUKI TEA. He’s gained certificates from international tea boards and has also served on the European Speciality Tea Association board for the last 3 years.  Extensive travels to tea origins enrich Oscar’s deep cultivation and knowledge of tea types, terroir, and sourcing. As a seasoned tea blender and taster, he helps craft exceptional blends, and his marketing and design qualifications and experience assist in pushing these products successfully out to market.

Ajit Madan is the Co-Founder of Camellia’s Tea House, a leading luxury hospitality and wellness tea company based in the U.K. Founded in 2008, Camellia’s Tea House is now a global business with clients spanning the Far East, Middle East, Europe and America. Prior to Camellia’s Tea House, Ajit worked for 14 years in investment banking and was previously Head of European Leveraged Capital Markets at Societe Generale where he advised multi-national companies and private equity funds on raising finance.

More than 40 years’ experience in a Horeca related business environment, starting in top restaurants, subsequently as manager in a large Horeca chain, sales hot beverage vending machines and finally for the last 18 years in the professional water filtration business as Sales Director at BRITA. Improving cup quality of coffee and tea is one of the main objectives.

I live in Belgium with a Dutch nationality so drink my tea without milk.

Years ago I followed a short but inspirational Tea training opening my eyes. Indeed, quality tea, fresh and filtered water, the right extraction time, the right dosage, the right temperature and passion and voila. Is it rocket science? A matter of change and as long as only the wisest and most stupidest of mankind never change I would suggest all to start.

Joyce Maina is a globally respected tea expert with over 30 years of industry experience, including growing, processing, grading, tasting, buying, selling, blending, sustainability and tea brand execution. Joyce previously worked with the likes of Unilever, Tetley, Twinings and Taylors.

At Cambridge Consultancy, which she founded in 2019, Joyce provides advisory services, working with many tea businesses all over the world, consultancy companies as well as international development agencies on projects including doing good, market access, quality assessment and many more subjects. She also provides tea education and training, something she believes in profoundly, and speaks at various tea events around the world.

As International Consultant for International Trade Centre, Joyce supports various world tea projects empowering SMEs, and she has created the unique Cambridge 5S speciality tea grading system now used around the world.

Nishchal Banskota is a 2nd generation tea producer and the founder of Nepal Tea Collective which directly brings certified organic teas from Nepal to the American market. His vision is to create a tech-enabled transparent tea trade that bridges the gap between the primary producers and consumers. He serves on the Board of Directors of the European Specialty Tea Association (ESTA). His innovative work has been featured in major publications the New York Times and Forbes. He is a young leader for the European Union Development Days, a Global Good Fund fellow and an active advocate for the UN Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Gundega Silniece, currently head of Latvia Tea Association, running tea wholesale, 3 tearooms and Tea and coffee studio in Riga. Last 10 years practicing as tea sommelier, arranging trainings and masterclasses for restaurants, cafes and tealovers, mostly focusing on tea pairing and mixology. National organizer of the Tea Masters Cup in Latvia from 2017. From the year 2021 started working as a local judge in the Tea Masters Cup competition. Currently developing a booking platform and mobile app for tea tourism and tea related education called TeaTeaMe.

Passionate that tea education and tea tourism can solve many of the problems of the tea industry. By educating the final consumer and making them more aware of their tea consumption habits, it is possible to create a positive change in the evaluation of the contribution of tea growers and producers and in the appropriate remuneration. Passionate for supporting the role of tea culture in the hospitality sector and popularizing tea tourism and tea related education, both - online and offline.

I started my tea career in 2004 with an apprenticeship at one of the tea companies situated in the Old Warehouse District in Hamburg, Germany. The love of tea came during my extensive training during this apprenticeship.

After that I spent several years in New York, expanding my tea trade experience for the US based daughter company.

I continued my journey with Mount Everest Tea Company in July 2018. Since then, I am in charge of International sales for various markets, i.e. UK, Denmark, Finland, Japan & the US.

I have been volunteering for ESTA at trade shows the last year, experienced the drive this association has and have therefore decided to present myself as a candidate for the board of directors.

Promoting speciality tea is not only my job but also my passion. I think it is important to show people the wide variety of teas and different options and explain qualities to make sure everybody is able to experience good teas.

I am an independent tea specialist with over 36 years of experience in the tea industry. Between 1985 and 2003, I worked as a production engineer, production manager and quality control manager at the black and green tea factories of Caykur, Turkey's largest tea institution. I worked as a researcher and Head of Technology Department at Caykur Ataturk Tea Research Institute between 2003-2021.

Since 2003, I have worked as a project manager, senior expert, consultant and researcher in 7 projects related to tea, 3 of which were financed by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and 1 of which was financed by the European Union (EU).

I prepared my master thesis on "Green Tea Producing in Turkey and Some Characteristics of Green Tea Kinds Produced in Different Plucking Periods of Turkey" in 1992 and my doctorate thesis on "Decaffeinated and Low-caffeine Black Tea Processing by Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction Technique" in 2019. I have published articles on tea in national and international scientific journals and congress books. I have 2 national patents on “Turkish Green Tea Processing “ and “Methods of Decaffeinated Green and Black Tea Processing”.

From 2005 to 2021 I served on FAO Intergovernmental Group (IGG) on Tea and ISO / TC 34 / SC 8 –Tea. I had been also the Chairperson of MTC 42D-Tea in Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) between 2005 and 2021.

I currently lead the Tea and Health Subcommittee under ESTA's R&D Committee, and my review articles compiled from the most up-to-date scientific studies on the health benefits of tea are published on the ESTA website.

My biggest dream is to establish a tea village in line with the zero waste strategy, where tea agriculture is sustainable, different speciality tea types are produced with environmentally friendly methods, and the waste generated at every stage of production is evaluated and recycled into the ecosystem.

Mackenzie Bailey is the founder of Steeped Content. Steeped Content provides digital marketing services to tea and coffee companies for growth.

Mackenzie holds an MSc in Marketing Strategy & Innovation from Cass Business School, a BCom with an Entrepreneurship specialization from the University of Victoria, and is a certified tea sommelier. She has spoken at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas (2023).

Mackenzie's uniquely global perspective on tea and coffee is informed by living in six countries (Malaysia, Russia, Canada, England, Ghana, and Tanzania) and visiting 45 countries. Her international experience led Steeped Content to offer pro-bono services to tea producers across the globe.

Mackenzie's expertise in marketing allows her to enjoy contributing to business growth, which is why she finds fulfilment in helping tea brands grow with effective digital marketing. Her expertise helps Steeped Content clients achieve strong results.