DWWA judge profile: Emily Brighton MW

Emily Brighton MW is a judge at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Emily Brighton MW is Head of Technical & Sustainability at North South Wines, the first UK wine importer and distributor to achieve B Corp accreditation (2023) — a milestone that formed the basis of her Master of Wine research paper. In 2024, she became the youngest female Master of Wine in the world.

Her role spans close collaboration with producers across global wine regions, overseeing quality, blending, and new product development, while ensuring alignment with the demands of the UK market. She also leads educational tastings and applies her technical expertise to support the company’s broader commercial strategy.

In addition to her work with the DWWA, Brighton is an active presence on the international judging circuit, contributing to competitions such as the IWC and Drinks Business Global Masters, and recently chairing a panel at the Balkan Wine Trophy.

Emily joined DWWA for the first time as a judge in 2024.

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Born and raised in India, Shivani is the awards manager at Decanter, managing the 300-strong cohort of worldwide judges for the world's largest wine competition, the Decanter World Wine Awards, ensuring a seamless judging process and driving the competitive integrity of the awards. After earning a master’s in wine management from the Burgundy School of Business, she moved to London in 2016 and completed her WSET diploma. While Burgundy holds a special place in her heart, Champagne is her go-to bottle. Alongside her full-time role, she has been dipping her toes into wine writing, relishing the opportunity to bring wine stories to the surface. She serves on the Drinks United Advisory Council board.