Joseph Kenny – Founder

Joseph Kenny has an impressive background in the industry with over 45 years experience in both foreign and local wines, spirits, beer, Mixology and non-alcoholic beverages.

As CEO of Beverage Academy International, Joseph is determined to utilize his expertise, knowledge, skill and proven track record of training excellence in beverage education and consultation services to take advantage of the increasing demand for proper and complete training in the Food and Beverage segment of the Hospitality & Tourism Industry as well as wines, spirits & Cocktail Enthusiast.

Joseph’s personal goal and mission of BAI is to be able to provide an accredited institution that will provide him a platform to give back to the Food & Beverage Industry in Sri Lanka by educating people who are training to serve in the growing Tourism sector as well as give basic knowledge to the food enthusiast who enjoys good wines, spirits and cocktails.

Joseph has held one of the most coveted positions in the country as CEO of the Wines & Spirits Division until 2012 for the Wines and Spirits Division for Free Lanka Trading Co. Ltd.

He is also a Registered Forum Member in 2012 as consultant to the Coleman Research Group Inc.USA, in the Sri Lankan Market for Wines, Beer, and Spirits. He is a council member of Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) for Wines, Beer & Sprits in Sri Lanka.

Joseph’s academic accomplishments in Beverages consist of the following:

• Joseph successfully completed in 2013, WSET® Educator training programme to teach level 1 & 2 WSET® Award programmes.
• 2013 did the WSET Diploma in wines and spirits and passed unit 1 (Global Business) Credit, Unit 2(Wine Production) Distinction & Unit 4 (Spirits of the World).
• 2012 passed with Merit WSET® (UK) Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits.
• 2001 Certificate Course and orientation on American Wines from the University of California, Davis (UCD) in California, USA.

Joseph also serves as the Co-Founder and Head Trainer of the only annual National Bartender and Sommelier Training and Competition for the past 24 years in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association (CHSGA) & Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM).

Furthermore, Joseph is a voluntary visiting Lecturer for courses on Wine Studies and Mixology at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management for Food & Beverage Students.

Due to his passion for enhancing the standards and sharing his knowledge of the wines and spirits industry, Joseph has traveled extensively and visited all the main wines regions of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, USA, Australia, New Zealand and other wine-producing Countries.

From 2010-2012 Joseph won the exclusive contract to supply all alcoholic beverages onboard Sri Lankan Airlines (National Carrier), which involved mainly training the inflight service, staff in Wines and Spirits Service.

In 2011 Joseph led a team of Sri Lankan Airlines Trainers on a tour to all regions of France on an exclusive Wine Education program.

In 2007, the Government of Western Australia invited Joseph for a Wine Marketing Program covering all the Wine regions in Western Australia.

In 2006, Joseph followed a course at Singapore Polytechnic on International Wine Imports.

In 2001, Joseph was invited by the US dept. of Agriculture where he followed a Marketing course conducted by University of Davis in California, visiting the vineyards and wineries in both West coast as well as East Coast.

Joseph is also the founding Member of the exclusive Confrerie De La Chaine Des Rotisseurs established in 1998 and presently holds the position of Chancelier of the Confrerie De La Chaine Des Rotisseurs in Sri Lanka.

Joseph is also held the following honorary memberships:

• 1999 Honorary Member of the Conseil of Medoc
• 1993 Honorary Member of Le Conseil Interporfessionnel du Vin De Bordeaux
• 1993 Chivalries of the Cognac region.

In Sports he currently is the Vice President of the National Olympic Committee and President of the Yachting Association of Sri Lanka and enjoys playing golf.