Meet our team

Katy Andersen joined Lay & Wheeler in January 2016 and became Managing Director in the summer of the same year. Previously, she ran the service development team at onefinestay, a UK-based hospitality startup, for four years, after a year at the wine sale site Lot18 in New York City. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB from Princeton University, where she majored in French and Italian. Between university and graduate school, she was a Fulbright Scholar in Italy studying artisan cheese. She also holds a WSET Diploma, having graduated with merit.

Toby worked at Adnams Brewery from 2005 until 2015, in several different roles including hotels, tied real estate and retail. More recently, he managed the flagship Southwold store before joining Lay & Wheeler in December 2015. He completed the WSET Diploma in 2014 and has since spent time in Champagne and Burgundy, both regions whose wines he enjoys. He also has a particular interest in the Douro Valley, Rioja and the Loire Valley. As the parent of two young daughters, this responsibility keeps him quite busy outside of our lovely walls.

When Will joined our team in July 2011, he was familiar with the Majestic family having spent eleven years within the group. He began his career in wine at the Brighton store before moving up as manager between the Guildford, East Grinstead, Reigate, Chichester stores. Will completed the WSET Level 3 in 2001 and has nearly completed the WSET Diploma. With deep knowledge of our entire wine portfolio, Will is a frequent guest of honour at client wine tastings, known as something of a jack of all trades. However, he particularly enjoys Italian wines, especially Tuscany. Outside the office, Will is an avid cyclist.

Ludovic has been part of the Majestic group since the autumn of 2004, where he worked in the Greenwich, Clapham, Mayfair, Chislehurst and St John's Wood stores and then managed the Catford, Chislehurst, Fulham and Shepherd's Bush stores. He completed the WSET Diploma before joining Lay & Wheeler in 2010. Born in Lyon, Ludo has travelled extensively in wine country, to Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhone Valley, Champagne, Tuscany and across Germany. His favourite wine region is Northern Rhone for the wine, and Tuscany for the landscape. Ludo is an avid tennis player and cyclist, and a keen baker, regularly providing our team with fresh sourdough.

In 2004, Karen joined Lay & Wheeler to manage fine wine trading. She had been working as the General Manager of a small Welsh vineyard, with responsibility for everything from production to the commercial side, which included selling their wine to the House of Commons. Karen completed the WSET Level 3 in 2013. She specialises in Bordeaux and Burgundy, and when she’s not helping to sell wine on behalf of our customers, she’s likely enjoying a good bottle of Bordeaux with her family, or perhaps on a trip to her favorite wine region, the Côte de Beaune.

After nineteen years at Pieroth Wines, a family wine business with a history in wine stretching back over three centuries, Iestyn joined Lay & Wheeler in October 2016. Prior to a career in wine, Iestyn had experience in hospitality, including responsibility for the wine list at a small, privately held hotel. This exposure piqued his interest, and he has worked in wine ever since. Today, he manages the Fine Wine Discovery Club and looks after these members.

Issy joined Lay & Wheeler in the autumn of 2016 after experience in hospitality, having worked at the Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe and at the Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club.  Her role at Lay & Wheeler spans all activities that ensure our customers and their wines are cared for, and that we go above and beyond to deliver the best possible service. Issy is learning more about fine wine, and has discovered a preference for New World reds like the wines of Penfolds. When not at work, she’s likely to be walking her labradoodle on the beach nearby, or enjoying a good meal with her friends. 

Sophie joined the Customer Care team in August 2017 after many years of experience at a large wealth management company so she is no stranger to providing exceptional levels of customer service to clients. Sophie’s thrilled to pursue her passion of wine here. She is currently finishing the WSET Level 3 programme, with plans to start the Diploma soon. When not at work, she can be found out in the country walking her Spaniels or cooking for friends, usually with a glass of Barbaresco in hand.

Rick began working at Lay & Wheeler over Christmas, when Lay & Wheeler had a shop in Colchester in 1995. He returned to work there during university holidays while at the University of East Anglia, and worked the harvest at Rauzan-Segla in Bordeaux, too. Upon graduation, Rick joined the team full time, initially responsible for managing tastings, before assuming responsibility for technical support. Today, Rick manages our website and the technology behind it. With a self-professed sweet tooth, Rick’s favorite wine is Tokaji Essenzia. A devoted father, Rick spends his time outside the office watching his two daughters play tennis.

John graduated with honours from the University of Nottingham with a BSc in Chemistry in 2015. During that time and after university, he worked at the Sun Inn in Dedham and Church Street Tavern in Colchester, establishments known for their excellent wine lists. He finished the WSET level 2 with distinction in October 2016 and is now preparing for the Level 3 exam. John joined Lay & Wheeler in January 2017 to assist in the operational side of the business, including stock movement and management.

Frankie grew up between England and France in the Deux-Sèvres, equidistant between Bordeaux and the Loire. Following in the footsteps of her mother, a WSET Diploma graduate who worked for a wine merchant, Frankie completed the WSET Level 3 in July 2015 and joined Lay & Wheeler shortly thereafter. Initially, she assisted with the wine broking business, selling and shipping wine on behalf of customers as they make changes to their cellars. In January 2017, she was promoted to the buying team, to a role which includes organising our wine tastings and events. Frankie also speaks conversational French.