CONTENTS INTRODUCTION MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT AND LAND MARKETS AND EXPORTS LEADERSHIP 6. Wine Australia 60. Catherine Kidman 102. Chris Thomas 22. Armando Maria Corsi Sun, dirt, water – growing grapes The lucky country - finding our why 8. Pragmatic Thinking Stronger together in a changing climate 108. Matt Bahen 10. Wine Future Leaders 2019 28. Jessica Chrcek 66. Hayley Purbrick The China riddle Collaborative efforts advance us all Investing in the environment 114. Tom Donegan 34. Kavita Faiella The American dream In pursuit of balance GROWING AND MAKING 40. Keira O’Brien Growing together 74. Andy Clarke SPONSOR - THOMAS ELDER Discovery mindsets for viticulture CONSULTING 46. Marco Gjergja Chain of values 80. Nadja Wallington 122. Pete Breugem Real winemaking Adopting change in viticulture 52. Mark Fogarty Seeking professionalisation perfection MARKETING AND BRAND 88. Carrah Lymer The social space 94. Dylan McMahon The importance of connection Future Leaders was launched over a decade ago. This concept of participants putting their leadership aspiration. Harnessing the collective wisdom and The Future Leaders program has been funded and The idea was to provide a framework within which thoughts on paper (even before the program had been expertise of the alumni provided the perfect platform coordinated since its inception by Wine Australia a new generation of grape and wine sector leaders completed) originated in 2017 when Wine Australia for exploring new ideas and collaborative thinking. with the support of Australian Grape and Wine. In could learn new skills, refine existing ones, develop established a new relationship with our provider 2019 we welcomed a corporate sponsor to the networks and different ways of thinking, and form partner, Pragmatic Thinking. Pragmatic Thinking’s Along with developing a committed coaching program – Thomas Elder Consulting, a division a nucleus of knowledge and enthusiasm to take the contemporary perspectives and sound evidence- relationship between an alumni and their Future of Elders Rural Services Australia Ltd. We thank sector forward, in good times and bad. We now have based approach to leadership development, coupled Leader we also asked them to work on a ‘big idea them for supporting a key education and leadership over 100 graduates from the first seven intakes of with excellent feedback from the 2017 cohort, paved project’, which resulted in a practical outcome. Two program and fostering opportunities for closer the program, and today you will find many of them the way for our continued collaboration and even teams were formed to discuss and debate an issue relationships across agronomy and the grape and making a major contribution to the future direction stronger design for the 2019 program. or challenge facing the sector. They were tasked wine community. of the sector. with identifying and explaining the problem and We also listened to feedback from alumni and for the thinking critically about an idea to address the We hope you’ll find them all a good read. If the ideas in this - Thought Leadership Volume 2 first time integrated a Coaching Mastery program problem - exploring the risks, budgets, stakeholders, - are anything to go by, the future of the sector is in within Future Leaders. The opportunity to train implementation plan and finally showcasing their idea. good hands. The pieces in this volume were written by interested alumni to be masters in coaching and It has been a very rewarding process for all concerned. the 15 outstanding individuals from across Australia’s facilitating their engagement with the current cohort grape and wine sector who participated in Future of Future Leaders seemed like a perfectly reasonable Leaders 2019. Each selected their own topics, based on what they see as pressing issues for the sector. Andreas Clark Chief Executive Officer Wine Australia Tony Battaglene Chief Executive Australian Grape and Wine 6 7 Something special happens when a group of talented, It’s also an insight into the future of the Australian is courage – whether that be the courage to innovate, professionally and they kept showing up willing to passionate and curious people come together, wine industry from the people who will lead it. to create, to care more. The same threads that bind embrace the challenges and opportunities with open committed to developing their leadership in service of The brief we provided was to find your voice, back this group together are evident throughout these minds and open hearts. an industry. When those same people forge a unique yourself and share your insights. That’s a big ask articles. This is a group of leaders who care deeply bond over 5 months of intense learning, growth and for people who until now may not have considered about the work they do and the future of the industry With these leaders guiding the future of the Australian development, well that’s when magic happens. themselves thought leaders. From the very first in which they work. Wine Industry, it’s in very good hands. session we ran however, we knew this was a group Like an exceptional wine, the contents of this that was willing to dig deep, tap into potential and From the perspective of Pragmatic Thinking, it book are the culmination of a number of carefully work hard to challenge themselves to be exceptional. has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with curated variables, crafted with care into something this group of leaders. Each turned up on the first quite extraordinary. There have been challenges The insights shared here address issues as diverse as day with a commitment to the program, to their faced, obstacles hurdled, insights realised and a the group of people in this program. While the content personal development and to each other. What’s resounding desire to turn potential into productivity. covers as much ground as our participants do with even more impressive is that despite running Mikey Ellis What you’re holding in your hands right now is regards to expertise, there are a couple of common businesses and families, between busy travel and Program Coordinator Pragmatic Thinking an insight into this transformational, and at times, threads that bind it together. One is connection – our work schedules, their commitment did not waver. deeply personal journey. connection to place, to land and to the people that They were challenged deeply, both personally and work with it is essential for our future survival, both as an industry and as a community. The other thread Rebecca Jeffrey Program Coordinator Pragmatic Thinking 8 9 WINE FUTURE LEADERS 2019 Armando Maria Jessica Kavita Keira Corsi Chrcek Faiella O’Brien Associate Professor Armando Maria Corsi is the Jess Chrcek runs the successful vineyard and cellar After working with a number of Australia’s most Keira O’Brien is a winemaker based in Hobart and Associate Dean: Research Education at the University door, Moothi Estate, in Mudgee, New South Wales, celebrated chefs, including Stefano Manfredi and Neil has the enviable task of working with more than 30 of South Australia Business School and a Senior with her husband, Jason, and has been involved Perry, Kavita Faiella set her sights on Asia, travelling clients and growers to produce premium wines that Marketing Scientist at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. in the wine industry since 2004. They took over first to the Maldives, where she was appointed Head reflect Tasmania’s diverse soils and cool climate, the reins of the family business in 2008 and have Sommelier of the luxurious Conrad property. She an ideal role that allows her to marry her passion His key area of research is the analysis of consumer flourished alongside the Mudgee tourism industry, was subsequently appointed as Regional Cellar for winemaking and her skills as an educator, behaviour, particularly towards wine and other in what is now a vibrant and lively ‘cosmopolitan- Master for Amanresorts, for which she developed the writer, business manager and customer-relationship premium foods and beverages. Author of more than country’ township. wine programs for some of the world’s most revered specialist. 70 refereed papers, book chapters and trade articles properties, in Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, on food and wine marketing, Armando is also the Jess is fiercely passionate about the region, its wines India, Japan and Sri Lanka. A champion of people and place, Keira is dedicated course coordinator of UniSA’s Wine Marketing and and the abundant local produce and currently holds to helping her clients to grow their wine businesses Premium Food & Wine Marketing courses. the office of Chairperson for Mudgee Region Tourism In 2010 she became the Wine Director of the Press and to increasing the profile of Tasmanian wine in and is President of Mudgee Wine Association. Her Room Group, where she was responsible for 12 of domestic and international markets. He enjoys working side by side with industry operators super-friendly fur children, Barney and Frankie, take Hong Kong’s best-known restaurants. Kavita’s work to help them grow their brands, both domestically and great pleasure in welcoming visitors to the cellar door saw her named as one of the 10 most influential internationally. on a daily basis. wine personalities in India by CNN and 20 most influential people in the Hong Kong food and beverage scene by Time Out. After 10 years abroad, Kavita is now happy to once again call Sydney home, where she works as the brand ambassador for Shaw+Smith and Tolpuddle Vineyard in both the New South Wales and Asian markets. 12 13 Marco Mark Catherine Hayley Gjergja Fogarty Kidman Purbrick Marco Gjergja is the Managing Director of his family- Mark Fogarty is a Partner of Pendulum Capital, a Dr Catherine Kidman has been a part of the Hayley Purbrick is proud to be the fifth generation of owned wine business in Mornington Peninsula.