Our Team

Jack Madrid is a co-founder and Managing Director at Cascadia Fine Wines. He is a featured writer on Vivino, a certified French and Italian Wine Scholar, and is currently pursuing the WSET Diploma. Jack is an active member of the Commanderie de Bordeaux in Vancouver. His career spans over twenty years of general management experience in Southeast Asia across different sectors: digital media, e-commerce, broadcast media, banking and venture capital, with stints at Citicorp, Ayala Corporation, MTV and Yahoo.

Jannik E. von Freiesleben is the owner & managing director of First Growth Asia Pte. Ltd. Over the last 18 years, Jannik and First Growth Asia Pte Ltd have succeeded in establishing premium positioning and quality distribution across Asia for numerous top wine estates, including some of the most prestigious labels in the fine wine business such as Catena Zapata, Paul Jaboulet Aine, Domaine Laroche, Henri Bourgeois, Symington Family Estates, Rupert & Rothschild and the Grandi Vini d’Italia Group etc., just to name a few. Of Danish origin, Jannik has extensive experience in the international wine trade, working with famous estates in numerous European wine regions. Before arriving in Hong Kong in 1990, he worked with several traditional fine wine importers in Europe as well as several top wineries including Hugel in Alsace and Chateau Latour in Pauillac, Bordeaux. Following positions in Hong Kong with Hiram Walker and Allied Domecq (1990 – 92) and Jebsen & Co. (1992 – 94), Jannik married a Singaporean Banker in 1994 and settled in his wife's country. To cater to the rapid expansion of the Asian wine markets, he established First Growth Asia in 1995 in Singapore as a pioneering representative office in Asia for premium family wineries, providing a complete range of marketing services to the specialized wine trade in the region. In business as well as in private, Jannik places a strong emphasis on integrity and believes in building an open and transparent partnership with his clients based on trust and proven results. This philosophy, together with a deep understanding of Asian cultures and knowledge of the Asian Wine & spirit trade, has paved the way for First Growth Asia’s success in Asia. Jannik is married to Katherine, and they have two children, Kristine and Jacob. Besides his passion for wine, Jannik is a competitive squash player & an avid swimmer. His other passions are art, music, and gastronomy.

Joseph is Chairman of Philippine Equity Partners, a leading Philippine stock brokerage in partnership with Bank of America. He was formerly Managing Director of Merrill Lynch Philippines and was on the Board of Governors of the Philippine Stock Exchange. He is the Managing Partner of Premium Wine Exchange, a major importer of fine wine whose portfolio includes Harlan, Colgin, Heitz, Diamond Creek, Kistler, Comte de Vogue, Faiveley, Clos de Tart, Salon, Jacquesson, Bruno Paillard, Selosse, Dagueneau, Giacosa, Conterno, Biondi-Santi, Soldera, Chapoutier and Ornellaia and many others. Joseph is also a member of the International Wine & Food Society where he sat on the board for seven years, and the Commanderie de Bordeaux. A co-founder and Director at Cascadia Fine Wines, Joseph lends his insights into the Asian palate, and his expertise in working directly with F&B managers, wine directors and buyers of some of Manila’s top five-star resorts, hotels, and restaurants.

Ian Tan is a co-founder and Director of Cascadia Fine Wines. Ian believes select BC wines can be placed amongst the world’s best, and he strives to assist such wineries with their global recognition and export preparations. Ian was trained as a research scientist in Canada, Japan and Scotland; he received his doctorate in 1996. He currently owns and operates a fine art gallery in Vancouver specializing in contemporary Canadian art.

A native of British Columbia, Alex Stevens holds a bachelors degree in biology and education. He has completed the WSET Advanced certification and is in the process of pursuing a French Wine Scholar designation. Passionate about all aspects of fine wine and business, Alex is Cascadia’s Marketing Director in Canada.