Fergus Taylor has moved on from his position as Executive Director of Alcohol Beverages Australia (ABA), to pursue other endeavours.
During his three years as Executive Director, Taylor was instrumental in the establishment of the pan industry organisation, which was created to highlight the positive social cultural and economic contribution of alcohol beverages in Australia.
Earlier this year, Taylor told the National Liquor News Annual Industry Leaders Forum that ABA’s overriding success is “its capacity to provide a vehicle and platform to encourage and promulgate industry-wide cohesion”.
He said, “ABA’s diverse membership organisations have continued to put aside competitive differences to demonstrate we can achieve so much more when we work and speak as one on the issues that relate to our businesses.”
With Australia’s drinking behaviours continuing to trend positively, he told NLN that the two most important messages for the industry are to, “keep working together and talk to your local member about our industry”.
On his departure, Taylor told TheShout: “The beer wine and spirits sector has great stories to tell and powerful evidence to support its social licence to operate and thrive.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with members to build ABA and help the industry find its voice, I look forward to keeping in touch with the many friends I’ve made along the way and I wish the industry every success in uniting to face the challenges ahead.”
ABA Chair Bryan Fry thanked Taylor for his leadership over the past three years and wished him all the best.
“After three years of leading the development of Alcohol Beverages Australia, Fergus has decided to move to a new challenge, and all the membership thank him for his efforts and dedication and wish him the best in his new endeavours,” he said.
In a statement to ABA members, Fry said: “Fergus successfully managed the complexity of establishing a multi-faceted, pan industry association and has overseen the development and maintenance of industry consensus on an evolving suite of issues-based policy positions.
“He has also been instrumental in establishing an awareness of ABA amongst key state and federal legislators, the mainstream media and the broader public.
“Representing the organisation and the industry regularly in a variety of public forums and across national media platforms, Fergus is recognised as a trusted and capable industry voice and representative.”
While no replacement for Taylor has yet been named, Fry said that corporate recruitment specialist Salt & Shein has been enlisted to find a new Executive Director and that the search is progressing well.