353: 'How I landed my dream job as Beverage Lead at Virgin Atlantic'

Shiada Drysdale is a high-flyer, and not just because she works for Virgin Atlantic. As the company's Beverage Lead for Inflight Services, she selects the drinks that appear on all of Virgin's flights. There is so much thought and research that goes into the selection of drinks you get on a flight, and it is Shiada's job to make sure what's on offer is the perfect fit. That manifests itself in a number of different ways, from making sure the beverages chosen are the most popular with passengers, to ensuring the way they are packaged maximises use of space onboard. Throw into that the complexities of how our sense of taste changes at altitude, and working out the logistics of making sure there is the right amount of the right drinks on flights crossing the globe, Shiada's job is not one for the faint-heart. This episode of the Career Conversations podcast series was recorded in front of a live audience as part of our Inspiring Careers in Food event. Listen to the full episode to find out how Shiada worked her way up to her current role, why she says she is always learning on the job, and hear about some of the female leaders who have inspired her throughout her career. Shiada Drysdale, Inflight Services, Beverage Lead, Virgin Atlantic Shiada has worked for Virgin Atlantic since 2007 holding a variety of key management roles with a customer focus.  Shiada currently manages and leads the global beverage proposition for Virgin Atlantic based within Inflight Services.  She curates and selects the beverage listings across all cabins, manages the supplier relationships and brand partnerships from concept to execution.  She enjoys the variety and the fast-paced aviation environment, and being part of the current evolution the beverage industry is entering in order to support the airlines sustainability ambitions.