By Amelia Ball
The New Year has kicked off with some key leadership changes for several companies across the industry.
Independent Distillers has a new managing director and CEO in Peter Murphy, who brings a wide range of experience from consumer goods companies.
Murphy formerly headed up Australian Pacific Paper Products, the second largest manufacturer of disposable nappies in Australia, as well as Levi Strauss, and he has previously held leadership roles at both Dairy Farmers and Frito-Lay.
Independent Distillers former executive chairman Doug McKay has stepped down but remains on the board as a non-executive director.
Moet Hennessy has also welcomed a new Managing Director, with predecessor Rob Remnant now based in Melbourne as the regional vice president of Estates and Wines Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.
English-born James Paton has taken over from Remnant and is new to Australia, having spent the past 18 years working in Asia — most recently as managing director of Moet Hennessy Korea.
Prior to that, Paton held a number of management positions with Jardine Matheson in Japan, Greater China and South East Asia.
Meanwhile, National Independent Liquor Wholesalers Association (NILWA) is preparing to announce its new managing director this week following the departure of David Roach at the end of last year.