Darcie Thompson-Fields

Get to know the CWO Hosts

Darcie Thompson-Fields hosts CWO At Home and CWO Dinner events with an effortless, radiant charm. As Client Services Director of Chief Wine Officer, she is uniquely placed to build relationships, creating a smooth and complete experience for everyone involved. We sat down to ask about the ins and out of hosting, facilitation, and her hopes for the new year.

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How did you come to add hosting to your list of duties? Was that something you always wanted to do?

“I’m always looking at ways I can develop professionally and boost my confidence. Hosting seemed like a natural next step in my role at Chief Wine Officer. Previously I had worked on hosting our podcast, and so it’s something I feel comfortable with. Plus, the venues we host at have great appeal to someone like me who loves good food and wine—and as any of my colleagues will tell you, I’m a theatre kid who’ll take any opportunity to be on stage!”

What qualities do you think make for a great event host?

“The greatest quality a host can have is a nuanced approach to the event agenda. We need to be able to respond in real time to small adjustments whilst making sure no disruption inconveniences our guests. When dealing with kitchen timings we must be able to balance that with the most important order of the day; the business content. Additionally, if conversations are flowing, you want to let those evolve without going over time.“

Unlike many other hosts, you have an end-to-end view of almost every event in the CWO calendar. How does that inform your hosting?

“In my primary role as Client Services Director, I oversee our campaign delivery team to ensure we are achieving excellence for our clients, from briefing to delivery. It’s really rewarding to see the end results of the team’s efforts. This also allows me to get more involved in facilitating discussions, understand how to spur on conversation, and anticipate the right moment to move between the business and wine tasting sections of the evening.“

What’s your favourite part of hosting CWO events?

“Getting to see our guests enjoy themselves and experience our exceptional venues!”

You’re a firm believer in the commemorative event selfie. In that spirit, who would you want to include (past, present, or fictional) in your dream selfie?

“Ada Lovelace, Jane Austen, and Joni Mitchell.”

Lastly, what are you most looking forward to in 2025?

“We’re working with a lot of new clients in 2025 and it’s always a delight to witness how thrilled they are to experience their first CWO event! I’m also excited to see how the discussion themes evolve. Last year was all about generative AI, but I’m intrigued to see how this progresses and what business leaders will be prioritising from a technology investment perspective.”