Wine industry leadership departures raise concerns over loss of experience

The recently announced departures of two senior figures from major Australian wine organisations have raised concerns about the loss of experienced leadership and industry knowledge at a time of prolonged pressure on the sector. Murray Valley Winegrowers chair Chris Dent said the announcements that Australian Grape & Wine CEO Lee McLean will leave at the end of September and Australian Wine Research Institute managing director Dr Mark Krstic will step down at the end of the year reflected the prolonged challenges facing the industry. “These resignations don't happen in isolation - they're a symptom of the pressure this industry has been under for years. There are many very good people across the sector who have dedicated years to it, and we're increasingly seeing experienced, capable people leave as a consequence of the prolonged downturn. That's a real concern for the future,” Dent said. Asked about concerns over the loss of experienced leadership, Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the government recognises the difficulties confronting the Australian grape and wine sector.