Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 Future Leaders – Australia’s grape and wine sector leadership development program.
People with the skills and leadership drive to help shape the future success of the sector are invited to apply for the program, with applications being accepted until Friday 15 March. The program has been reshaped to better harness the collective wisdom across Australia’s grape and wine community and Wine Australia Senior R&D Program Manager Jo Hargreaves, who is co-ordinating the 2019 program, said that Future Leaders would guide participants on a personal leadership journey.
“Through our partnership with Pragmatic Thinking Future Leaders 2019 participants will explore cutting edge leadership skills, hear from world class speakers and receive state of the art input on topics such as innovation, thought leadership, culture and sector impact,” Hargreaves said.
“We will also be calling on previous alumni and long-serving individuals in our sector to be mentors throughout the 2019 program; to provide their wisdom, build greater networks and support an exciting future for our community.”
Future Leaders, which is funded by Wine Australia and supported by Australian Vignerons and the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, has been running since 2006 and has helped a large number of leaders take their businesses and the sector to the next level in that time.
2017 Alumnus Sarah Collingwood, CEO of Four Winds Vineyard, said Future Leaders had a significant impact both professionally and personally.
“We discussed issues such as what personal impediments we each put in the way of making progress, how to develop and maintain great culture in our businesses and how to have tough conversations,” Collingwood said. “Most importantly from the Future Leaders course I have made life-long friends who work in all aspects of the sector.
“I received some great advice from a friend who had said that I should keep applying for Future Leaders as it is competitive, and most people don’t get in the first time around.”
Hargreaves added that members of Australia’s grape and wine community should give their peers a tap on the shoulder and remind them about Future Leaders.
“If you know someone who’s ready to step up and ‘be next’ – encourage them to apply,” she said.
Up to 15 places are being offered in the 2019 Future Leaders intake, with more information available on the Wine Future Leaders website. Applications are open now and close on Friday, 15 March.