Shining Star: Tom Dally, Orion UK

This month’s Shining Star is across the pond in London. Tom Dally is a media investment manager for Orion UK. Here, Tom shares how he became a legit sommelier and what is motivating him to brush up on his Spanish-speaking skills.

So, tell us: Where are you from?
I’m originally from London, but we moved down to Surrey when I was relatively young — so that’s where I spent most of my school years. The hope was to always move back to London, and when I joined Orion in 2019 that’s exactly what I did. It didn’t feel at all like I was moving to a big new city as I remember it so well!

What company did you last work for?
I worked in sales and marketing for a Surrey-based wine agency for three years. We sourced wines from around the world and created the branding and labeling, before selling to mainly wholesalers and supermarkets. It was such a fantastic experience, and with it being a relatively small company, I was able to get involved in so much from an early stage, which helped me a lot having come straight from university. The biggest perks were getting to visit wineries and going to loads of wine tastings.

What university did you graduate from?
I went to Oxford Brookes University. Leaving school, I had very little idea of what I wanted to do for a career; I chose to study business and management, as it seemed like a course I’d really enjoy — and I hoped it would give me a good base knowledge of general business workings and practices, which could then set me up well for the future.

I then did up to Level 3 of the WSETs, which are the professional wine and spirit exams, when working for the wine agency. Even though I don’t work in the industry anymore, I feel that knowing about wine feels like a useful skill I’ll be using for the rest of my life! The first thing you learn is the golden rule: If you say something with confidence about wine, most people tend to just agree with you.

What are your hobbies?
I love playing and watching sports — and no matter what it is or who is competing, I’m here for it. There have been times I’ve sat watching the most random of matches until about two or three in the morning. Who knew curling could be so interesting?! Tennis has always been my main sport. Coaching tennis was my first job — but, I’ll never say no to a game of cricket or football either! Also, I’m a massive Arsenal F.C. fan (coming from North London, I didn’t have any say in the matter.) So, it’s been a tough few years on that front recently. One of these days, we’ll be back on top.

What’s your favorite movie?
Very nerdy but I love Harry Potter. I grew up reading the books, waiting in lines outside bookstores for the next one to come out, dressing as a wizard every year for Halloween, and watching the films religiously. Now when I watch them (not as much these days, you’ll be pleased to hear), it just feels quite nice and nostalgic.

Finally, if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
So many places to be honest. I would absolutely love to go to a few countries in South America — it seems so unique to anywhere else in the world, and I know I would love it. However, I feel like I need to relearn a bit of Spanish from my school days before I go, rather than being the classic Englishman abroad speaking louder and slower in English.