John Frazier - Chairman
The eponymous founder of Frazier's Wine Merchants, John originally qualified as a Chartered Surveyor with Grimleys, in Birmingham. Later he joined his father in Morris's Wine stores, becoming a director before founding Frazier's after the sale of Morris's to Vaux Brewers. John's hobbies include shooting, fishing and golf. His favourite wines are found in France, particularly Bordeaux, and especially a little Château called d'Yquem.
William Frazier - Managing Director
William joined Frazier’s shortly after school, and after gaining valuable experience in all areas of the business is now responsible for the website and business development. William's hobbies include poker and clay shooting. His favourite drinks usually found in his glass are likely to be Riesling from all over the world, white Burgundy, red Bordeaux, vintage Champagne and a cold fresh cider after a hard day's tasting.
Steven Jay - Operations Director
Steve joined Morris's in 1987, after working in the public house industry. He joined John Frazier when Morris's were sold to Vaux brewery and has since helped build Frazier’s to where they are today.
He is passionate about the wine trade and likes nothing more than going to trade tastings to find new and unusual wines to add to the Frazier's portfolio. He is responsible for the day-to-day running of the company, and likes to test his creativity by designing various styles of wine lists for our trade customers and regularly holds tastings and talks on various wines from around the globe. He enjoys a nice glass of Rioja or on a summers day a nice light Provence Rosé, alternatively Estrella Inedit is his chosen tipple when out on the town, so if you’re in Warwick and see him about send a pint over! When given the chance he loves nothing more than going out for a good curry and with so many great Indian restaurants in his proximity he regularly has the opportunity to indulge in this passion.
His interests include Clay Pigeon shooting, Cricket, Rugby, Golf and Football - although he has little time to indulge in his passions as his young son keeps him occupied! For his sins he is a Birmingham City supporter…… therefore he is used to the challenges life throws at him!
Greg Shaw - Sales Director and Director of Wine
Greg joined from the SH Jones side of the business which he ran from 2013, bringing strong roots in wine buying—especially with expertise in Loire and Alsace regions. His passion lies in connecting customers with our family-owned producers. This enthusiasm has seen him move progressively from buying through marketing and into sales, though he remains actively involved across the entire supply chain.
Greg’s main focus is enjoying excellent food and wine at reasonable prices. He gravitates towards wines that are unusual or obscure. Currently, Austrian wines—including emerging orange wines—are among his favourites, though he certainly never turns down a classic fine red Burgundy.
Janet Stanley – Financial Controller
Janet joined the Frazier Jones team in May 2019, bringing a diverse, internationally shaped background in finance honed across Europe and the US. Her career path has been anything but conventional—beginning in pubs and restaurants as a chef and bartender, before taking her across France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and major US cities including Seattle, Boston, and San Francisco.
Throughout her career, Janet has led and supported teams with a steady hand, sharp strategic focus, and a dry sense of humour that keeps things grounded. She firmly believes in the power of hard work, best paired with a good glass of something interesting. Her passion for wine was born on her travels, with bold Italian reds topping the list.
Having traded airport lounges for barns and planes for tractors, she maintains her love of spreadsheets by splitting her time between Frazer Jones and serving as a farm secretary for an organic dairy in the Cotswold’s, as well as managing admin for a small pedigree Limousin herd (yes, the cows are that fancy).
When not at work, you’ll likely find her being outwitted by her gundogs, enjoying clay pigeon shooting, or cooking up feasts with local and homegrown ingredients—often finished with a perfectly crafted espresso martini.
Chris Gilbey – Sales
Chris joined us from Stevens Garnier in 2014 and is based near Salisbury and the New Forest, covering the M4 corridor and Southern Counties—primarily Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and beyond. With a sharp eye for emerging wine trends and a genuine passion for helping clients discover the perfect bottle for any occasion, he brings both expertise and enthusiasm to every interaction. A proud member of the prestigious Champagne Academy, Chris has made Champagne his specialist subject. Outside of work, he enjoys a wide range of music, live performances, and following sport, at village, county and national levels—especially rugby and cricket—and is also a keen table tennis player. He’s always up for good conversation and the finer things in life, usually enjoyed with a perfectly chilled glass in hand.
Edward Whitehill - Sales
Edward joined Frazier’s after leaving university and has now been with the company for nearly 20 years. His thirst for knowledge has not stopped, and he has recently completed his Level 3 WSET examination. He is responsible for new business, day-to-day sales and account management while managing our online enquiries and website. When not with his family, he likes sea fishing, golf and the occasional Triathlon. His favourite wines are quality Chablis and aged Riojas.
Joy Clayton‑Smith - Sales
Joy joined S H Jones in July 2019, following nearly a decade with Hallgarten Wines. Prior to that, she worked at Alliance Wine and Matthew Clark, and began her wine career at W A Gilbeys/IDV. With the vast majority of her career spent in the wine & spirits industry, Joy thrives on its ever‑changing variety — especially the close collaboration with the on‑trade, hospitality, and events sectors.
Her role allows her to select wines, conduct training sessions, host tastings and events, and promote the business’s ethos: helping people savor excellent wines and enjoy memorable experiences.
Outside of work, Joy is passionate about dogs, particularly showing and competing at top levels — including Crufts. She focuses on her Gundog, a French Pointer (Braque d’Avergne), embracing all the tasks it entails. Joy also enjoys tennis, yoga, and Pilates. When time allows, she loves reading.
Wine-wise, she has a soft spot for Menetou‑Salon, Quincy, and Puligny‑Montrachet — though she’s always open to discovering new treasures from around the world.
Toby Chiles – Sales
After leaving University, Toby Chiles has been in and around the industry for over 35 years, working in retail, pubs and wholesale. It was whilst in France in the 1990’s that Toby went to pick grapes in the Beaujolais region and fell in love with wine.
He started specializing in wine and spirits wholesale in 2007 during which time he finished his level 4 Diploma with the Wine and Spirits Education trust. He is well known in Oxford University circles and has been hosting many tastings with the colleges and other establishments in Oxfordshire.
Away from wine, Toby enjoys sightseeing and discovering the culture in European cities and learning about their history. He also loves cinema and discovering the lesser-known films that often garner awards. He is fluent in French, having worked there for 6 years, and has a decent grasp of some other European languages too, something which comes in handy sometimes when meeting different people in the wine business.
“No two days are the same in Sales, and I love sharing my wine passion with different people, and people who are new to wine, on a weekly basis. It gives me a sense of pride to help someone create their wine offering for their customers and to teach staff about wine.”
Nigel Merrick - Customer Services
Nigel joined Frazier’s in October 2012, having previously worked in Financial Services, HR, Resourcing and Learning. Motivated by an interest in developing more knowledge about the world of wine he started initially as Manager of their Lapworth Store and is now based in Customer Services at the company’s office looking after both trade and retail customers and updating the website. Nigel has completed his WSET Level 1 qualification and will be looking to complete further qualifications in the near future. Very passionate about football and now being past his prime, enjoys cycling, walking and generally keeping fit. Being a passionate Liverpool fan, The Reds are naturally his favourite tipple, particularly good French reds as well as Malbec and Rioja.
Sally Farwell - Customer Services
With over 24 years in the wine industry, Sally brings deep expertise and a warm, approachable style to every client interaction. Known for her exceptional customer relations skills, she’s passionate about making wine enjoyable and accessible for everyone. Sally is committed to creating a welcoming, seamless experience that keeps clients coming back. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the countryside on horseback—and if time allows, tending to her garden.
Francis Elms - Online Oenology Content Specialist
Francis joined Frazier's in 2019 after many years of working successfully in the wine trade as a shop manager for independent and national stores nationwide. Also, after selling fine Bordeaux to the Hong Kong market, Francis has grown accustomed to drinking wines with a particular "wow" factor. With a Level 4 WSET Diploma and much travel to the world's wine-producing regions, recommending something special, which won't break the bank, is a passion. Always looking for something new and exciting to drink, Francis particularly enjoys a glass of mature Riesling while listening to his favourite rock bands (turned up to 11, of course!).
Sean Driscoll - Sales
Sean joined Frazier’s team in 2022 after a career in the hospitality industry and has over ten years of experience in the wine trade working for an Independent Wine Merchant and before that as a waiter and bartender and as a leisure manager for a holiday company in the Peak District. The skills and knowledge gained working in hospitality and the service industry transferred quickly to allow him to cater for the needs of the On Trade customers he now looks after.
Over the past decade, he has gained knowledge of wines and the wine industry and has a real passion for making wine and wine service more approachable to everyone.
He sees the needs of both the customer and the restaurant & bar staff, making it easy to choose wines to suit a menu and allowing the front-of-house team the confidence to talk about and serve wine.
He has a great passion for sports, including Rugby, Golf and Football. He can be found on the golf course when time allows, but most of his free time is enjoyed in the Peak District with his wife and two young daughters. Whether walking & exploring or sampling the local pubs and restaurants, the region has to offer.
He has an appreciation for trying many different styles of wines. Still, he has a particular love of the Languedoc, having spent much time in the south of France, and the food & wines of Rioja, having experienced both whilst visiting the region a few years ago.
Adam Sutheran – Retail and Marketing Manager
Adam joined Frazier’s in April 2023. He discovered his passion for wine and spirits working in the hospitality industry. He completed the WSET levels 1 – 3 whilst studying marketing at university and wrote his dissertation on how to encourage the consumption of English & Welsh wine.
He claims not to have a favourite wine as he always likes trying something new and different, but does admit his modest collection favours Pinot Noir.
Outside work, Adam is a keen darts player, fencer (the Champagne of sports), an enthusiastic amateur artisan baker and craft beer aficionado. He is a great lover of music, mainly metal, and loves attending live shows. Adam is infamous for his very good G&Ts!
Kieron Galliard - Credit Controller and Customer Services
Kieron joined the wine trade in 2005, having realised it was more exciting than accountancy. He quickly completed his WSET qualifications, wining scholarships which allowed him to spend three weeks driving around Californian vineyards and enjoy a study trip to the Château de Chanteloup, the former home of the Martell Cognac family. He has spent many happy hours visiting wineries throughout Europe and Australasia, and loves the diversity of wine and the endless new discoveries. Whilst he doesn’t have a favourite wine, Austrian reds, Loire Cabernet Franc and dry Rieslings from anywhere are regular choices.
Outside of wine he teaches piano, enjoys playing and listening to most genres of music, long walks, and creating fun things out of Lego, including a working coin-pusher machine and an Orguin. (Obviously a penguin crossed with a church organ!).