Jean Trinh of Alquímico in Cartagena, Colombia, has been named the most influential bar industry figure, according to Drinks International’s Bar World 100.
It’s the first time a bar figure based outside of the UK has topped the list, having previously been won by Iain McPherson (2025), Monica Berg (2020-2024) and Ryan Chetiyawardana (2019).
The Frenchman rose from fourth to first in the annual list, which is the result of a poll of more than 120 industry commentators selected from 72 bar scenes around the world.
Trinh’s Alquímico is a veritable cathedral to fiesta, featuring on the World’s 50 Best Bars list – while also funding community projects, including farmers and a school for hospitality.
Iain McPherson (pictured below, left), the owner of bars Panda & Sons in Edinburgh, and last year’s most influential takes second this year.
His work around sub-zero cocktail-making techniques is complemented by his latest innovation this year – Densing. McPherson is creative in and out of his bar, co-launching The Edinburgh Bar Show and the Panda Highland Games.
In third this year is Tayēr + Elementary’s Monica Berg (pictured below, centre). The five-time number one in this list between 2020-2024 has long been considered a leader in cutting-edge, far-sighted bartending, putting sustainability – of humans and resources – at the forefront of her approach.
In fourth this year is another London-based leader, Anna Sebastian (pictured right). The luxury hospitality consultant and founder of Celebrate Her balances life at the elite end of hospitality with a social conscience and rises six places this year.
Danil Nevsky, no stranger to the upper echelons of this list, completes the top five. The self-styled Indie Bartender’s daily analysis of the industry on social media positions him as the de facto spokesperson for bartending.
Also in the top ten is Lorenzo Antinori, whose Bar Leone in Hong Kong now has a second site in Shanghai. Simone Caporale, with whom Antinori shares the bar Montana, is in seventh, while sustainability future-gazer, Vijay Mudaliar of Native bar in Singapore, is eighth.
The top ten is made up of Shingo Gokan, founder of the ever-multiplying SG Group, and Alex Kratena, co-owner of Tayēr + Elementary.
Others from the UK that feature in the list are Tristan Stephenson (20), Ago Perrone (27), Ryan Chetiyawardana (30), Sandrae Lawrence (35), Kaitlin Wilkes (37), Claire Warner (50), Erik Lorincz (74) and Salvatore Calabrese (79).
The list of 100 sees 19 changes from last year, with 12 new entries and 7 re-entries (those who have appeared in editions from 2019-2024).
Split down by primary role, 71 of the 100 are bartenders and bar owners, 11 are consultants and educators, 10 are media and eight represent brands.
New York can be considered the most influential city in the bar world, contributing the most names to the list (11), while London is second with 9 contributions and Barcelona in third with 5.
Hamish Smith, editor of Bar World 100, said: “If you’re new to Bar World 100 – our list of the industry’s most influential figures – you’re likely not new to the names that feature on its pages.
“These are the people who our panel of global voters consider to have the most impact on the bar industry, those that drive growth, shape behaviour and trends around the world. Not over their careers – this is a freeze frame of opinion of who is most relevant to the world of bars now.”
“The big news is that in this edition – for the second year running – we have a new number one most influential. Frenchman Jean Trinh, based in Colombia, follows in the footsteps of three UK-based winners: Iain McPherson, Monica Berg and Ryan Chetiyawardana.
“There can’t be a person who has come in contact with the Alquímico owner who hasn’t been taken with his positive energy; the way he has shown that bartenders really can change the world.”