In this role, I drive strategic leadership to propel business growth, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. My focus is on stakeholder engagement to align the company’s operations with its long-term vision, while elevating brand leadership in competitive markets. Key responsibilities:- Wine Production & Commercialisation- Hospitality & Tourism- 3PL Provider- Human Resources- P&L Management- Growth StrategiesThe Artisans of Barossa are: John Duval Wines, Spinifex Wines, Sons of Eden, Lienert Vineyards, Schwarz Wine Co., Hobbs of Barossa Ranges, and Chaffey Bros. Wine Co.Awards and Recognitions:"The Best Wine Tasting Experiences Around Australia" – Qantas Travel Insider, July 2024One Chef's Hat, Essen by Artisans of Barossa. "A place where each bite tells a story of passion, heritage, and innovation." – Australian Good Food Guide"The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024" – Travel + Leisure, 2023Finalist, Best Winery Restaurant, South Australia – Restaurant & Catering Awards of Excellence, 2023 & 2024“… give thanks for this wine-lovers wonderland that brings together eight regional producers of differing persuasions.” – Simon Wilkinson, Adelaide Advertiser, July 2023“The cellar door brings together boutique winemakers who are connected by their shared commitment to protect and promote the art of small-batch Barossa winemaking. A must-visit destination for wine lovers and foodies.” – Halliday Wine Companion, April 2023“A pitched roof, deluge of natural light and views out across a procession of vines and the Mount Lofty Ranges play home to Essen, the benchmark dining space at Artisans of Barossa, which has undoubtedly grown into one of the best wineries and cellar doors in town since floating onto the scene in 2021.” – Australian Traveller, March 2023“Star Cellar Door” – Gourmet Traveller WINE, 2022

Wine business consultants. Sometimes other things, but 99% wine.Education, recruitment, and growth strategies with a focus on innovation.Team of two.Highlights:- Assist with Kea Connect, a service to help connect NZ export businesses with the Kea community offshore (2024)- Consulted on a new wine retail project in the heart of Melbourne CBD (2023) - Consulted on a new wine portfolio for a multi-beverage manufacturer and importer in Bali, Indonesia (2022)- Advised wineries in WA, SA & VIC on digital transformation, building a successful commercial stack and integration of various SaaS platforms for DTC-powered growth. (2020 - 2022) - Advised & mentored professionals on post-pandemic salary negotiations and role restructuring (2021)- Tasked by a family-owned Italian winery to find a new RTM solution in Australia and New Zealand (2020)- Advised on recruitment strategies for a fast-growing New Zealand winery looking to increase exports and execute a new DTC strategy (2019)- Advised a contract bottling company in the New Zealand wine industry on growth strategies (2019)- Tasked by a family-owned McLaren Vale-based winery to find a new RTM solution in New Zealand (2019)- Tasked by a family-owned Piedmonte-based winery to find a new RTM solution in Australia and New Zealand (2018)- Advised a family owned, craft cider company on route to market strategy (2011)

As a non-executive board member, I served as the subject matter expert on wine. My role involved enhancing the quality and number of members and contributing to the long-term strategic vision for the collective.New Members Due to My Tenure:- Hardys Tintara (McLaren Vale)- House of Arras (Tasmania)- Printhie (Orange)- Dominique Portet (Yarra Valley)- Ten Minutes by Tractor (Mornington Peninsula)- Devil’s Corner (Tasmania)Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia (UWEA) is a hand-selected collection of Australia’s premium wineries offering exceptional winery experiences centered around world-class wines, warm and knowledgeable hospitality, and culinary excellence. UWEA is part of Tourism Australia's Signature Experiences program, which includes wineries, luxury lodges, golf courses, guided walks, Aboriginal guided experiences, fishing adventures, wildlife encounters, and cultural attractions.Key Contributions:- Leveraged my wine expertise to advise on quality standards and membership criteria- Assisted in strategic planning to enhance the collective's offerings and market presence- Worked collaboratively with a board of highly experienced individuals passionate about Australia's food and wine industryAbout the Program:UWEA is underpinned by extensive global research and is integral to Tourism Australia’s strategic focus on attracting higher-yielding travelers. It is one of the key pillars supporting the competitive positioning under the "There’s Nothing Like Australia" campaign. The program aligns with select industry collectives that have compelling marketing propositions and share a common goal and vision.

The Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association Inc (MPVA) is the official industry association representing Mornington Peninsula Wineries.

During my tenure at Montalto, I led senior sales and marketing initiatives, significantly contributing to the company’s growth and strategic development. My key accomplishments include:Highlights:- Achieved rapid growth in all direct-to-consumer channels, resulting in significant sales revenue increases through enhanced digital strategies, eCommerce channels, subscription sales, and B2B channels.- Managed a team of 3 direct reports, ensuring alignment and effectiveness in achieving business goals.- Spearheaded the development and implementation of growth and commercial strategies, focusing on driving Montalto’s eCommerce growth.- Defined strategic marketing direction, overhauling and implementing processes and infrastructures to provide a robust framework of support, consistency, and flexibility.- Built a five-year growth plan, aimed at increasing bottle sales from 216,000 to 360,000 across all channels and markets.- Identified inefficiencies within the business, leading to rapid cost savings and operational improvements.These achievements underscore my ability to drive significant growth and operational improvements, positioning Montalto for sustained success.Awards and Recognitions:- ‘Star Cellar Door’ Award (2020) - Gourmet Traveller Wine- ‘Best Additional Cellar Door Experience’ for the ‘Estate to Plate’ experience (2021) - Gourmet Traveller Wine- ‘Best Cellar Door with Food’ (2022) - Gourmet Traveller Wine- Winner of the James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge (2021)- Five Red Star James Halliday rated: “Montalto has hit new heights with its wines.” – James Halliday- Mike Bennie, The Wine Front: “Montalto have scorched through the Mornington Peninsula pack in recent years.”- Awarded 16 Good Food Chef’s Hats since opening in 2002Other Contributions:- Led initiatives contributing to Montalto’s recognition, including the esteemed Montalto Sculpture Prize, one of the most valuable private sculpture prizes in Australia.

I led a commercial team of five, overseeing bottling, warehousing, logistics, sales, and distribution across 20+ countries. Additionally, I directed a PR, communications, and digital strategy team, focusing on social media, direct-to-consumer sales, subscription wine clubs, and e-commerce excellence.Highlights:- Devised and implemented the commercial strategy for Mt Difficulty and Roaring Meg, achieving record sales and making it the top Central Otago label globally in volume and value.- Simplified the product range, removed overlapping products, and launched eleven new wines over three vintages, increasing profitability and refreshing the brand’s image.- Enhanced brand awareness through a strategic sponsorship of the NZ Olympic team.About Mt Difficulty:Established in 1992, Mt Difficulty Wines boasts some of Central Otago’s oldest and most revered vineyards in Bannockburn. Known for high-quality Pinot Noir, the winery emphasizes ethical viticulture and minimal intervention. Described as iconic, it plays a significant role in the Central Otago wine region. In January 2018, Foley Wines Limited acquired Mt Difficulty for $55 million, marking the highest-valued winery sale in New Zealand’s history.

Wine buying, Brand Owner management, 4PL services and in-market activation across all B2B2C & B2C channels in the UAE & Oman. Buying and/or tendering for airport and border retail, airline and cruise tenders, domestic on-premise and off-premise, as well as diplomatic.A three-person team managing 1,800 SKUs from 300+ partner wineries from over 25 countries. Including Laurent-Perrier, Lanson BCC, DBR Lafite, Gaja, E. Guigal, Catena, Jackson Family Wines, Vincent Girardin, Tenuta Terre Nerre, Brown Family, Accolade and Constellation.Highlights:- exceeded revenue and margin expectations each financial year- increased market share for wine from 35% to over 50%- launched Dubai Wine Week, the first total market wine activation in the Middle EastAfrican + Eastern has been bringing the world’s most renowned beverage alcohol brands to the Middle East for over 37 years. Established in 1962 by Unilever Arabia as a small trading company, African + Eastern is the largest importer and distributor of beverage alcohol brands in the Middle East and Arabian Gulf region. The company employs more than 300 professional and passionate staff throughout the UAE, Oman, the wider Gulf Region and India to manage a truly world-class beverage portfolio.

A short-term contract role to raise the profile and increase sales of PET wine packaging in the New Zealand market. The goal was to leverage my extensive industry contacts to work with wineries, retailers, venue operators, airlines, distributors, and gatekeepers on developing future opportunities for 187ml and 750ml PET wine projects.Highlights:- Established and maintained the relationship with Wineworks as the primary bottler using VIP’s product.- VIP Packaging became the exclusive PET supplier to Wineworks in Hawkes Bay and Marlborough.- Successfully converted wineries from glass to PET (750ml & 187ml) and from competitors’ PET (187ml).VIP Packaging’s new (at the time) range of PET wine bottles addressed one of the biggest challenges associated with plastic packaging for wine—shelf life. The PET wine bottles actually kept wine fresher for longer due to the superior oxygen scavenging ability of DiamondClear™ technology, enabling longer storage of both empty and filled PET bottles. This extended shelf life meant the packaging didn’t compromise the quality or presentation of the wine, critical in an industry where taste is paramount and most vintages only come around once a year.Achievements:- Achieved all the aims of the role, increasing the number of wineries using VIP Packaging from two to five, with more undergoing trials for future conversion.- Confidential sales data indicates expected dramatic increases as VIP Packaging continues to invest in the wine industry and leverages its extensive packaging experience to create a market leader.This was a great project to work on with a fantastic team.^ Compared to competitor active scavenging technologies† Subject to customer shelf-life evaluation

A short-term contract role that was responsible for overall project management and coordination of Pernod Ricard New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup 2011 sponsorship programme; with a focus on Brancott Estate, official sponsor and wine of Rugby World Cup 2011.

Responsible for working closely with Pernod Ricard USA & Pernod Ricard Americas - Travel Retail to achieve key brand objectives in North, Central & South America. Brand responsibilities included Pernod Ricard Pacific’s portfolio ~ led by Jacob's Creek, Wyndham Estate, Lindauer, Brancott Estate and Stoneleigh wine brands.

Responsible for development and implementation of trade marketing calendar. Implementation through in field sales force, National Accounts and outbound customer services.

Management of a territory of 150 premium On Premise establishments in the Auckland CBD area. Execution of company premiumisation strategy into the field.