Home DAWA chair 2017 DAWA chair 2017 DAWA vice-chair: Gerard Basset MS MW Vice-Chair Gerard Basset MS MW was Decanter’s Man of the Year 2013. DAWA vice-chair: Shinya Tasaki Shinya Tasaki is the President of the Japanese Sommelier Association and the A.S.I. Best Sommelier of the World 1995.