By Andy Young
The Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (DSICA) has undergone some significant personnel changes in recent months after Executive Director Gordon Broderick retired and Chair Michael McShane stood down.
Those moves have brought changes to the DSICA Board, as well as seeing Alec Wagstaff brought in as the CEO, to take over from Broderick.
The changes have seen David Smith, the Managing Director of Diageo Australia, take up the position of DSICA Chair, and Smith told TheShout that this is a role he is looking forward to.
“I’m excited to have taken on the role of Chair of DSICA and to be working with Alec and the board to promote the spirits category and advocate for a fairer regulatory environment for our industry," Smith said.
“The new board is a great mix of people with local and global experience, plus members who have a long history with DSICA and a few new faces – including Marc Satterthwaite and myself – who I hope can offer a different perspective given our experience working with industry associations in other markets.
“I look forward to working with Alec and the board to further our regulatory agenda and wave the flag for the Australian spirits industry.”
Wagstaff is also excited by his new role and the opportunities ahead. "I look forward to working with my members and the broader industry to address the significant challenges and opportunities we face," he told TheShout. "DSICA has a great reputation for bringing facts to the table to correct many misconceptions about how are products are enjoyed and I am excited by the opportunity to build on that."
The new DSICA board is:
- Chairman – David Smith – Managing Director – Diageo Australia Limited
- Deputy Chair – Denis Brown – Managing Director – Bacardi Martini Australia Pty Ltd
- Treasurer – Colin Rochester – Managing Director – William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd
- Ordinary Member- Kylie McPherson – Legal and Corporate Relations Director – Diageo Australia Limited
And the DSICA members are:
- Bacardi Martini Australia Pty Ltd
- Brown Forman Australia
- Bundaberg Distilling
- Diageo Australia Limited
- Beam Suntory
- Moet Hennessy Australia Pty Ltd
- Remy Cointreau
- William Grants & Son Australia Pty Ltd