By James Atkinson
Former Lion Nathan executive Paul Evans will be the next chief executive of the Winemakers' Federation of Australia (WFA), succeeding Stephen Strachan on June 1.
Evans was director of government, regulation & community affairs for Lion Nathan National Foods for seven years, with broad responsibilities across regulatory, consumer and sustainability issues.
He previously spent eight years in senior roles with the Federal Government, including as principal adviser to the Minister for Defence.
WFA president Tony D'Aloisio said Evans was a "terrific appointment" for the organisation as it works to shape the industry for new challenges ahead.
"Paul's experience is broad and includes many of the issues that are central to the wine industry today, including policy development, responsible marketing, alcohol tax, product stewardship and preventative health," D'Aloisio said.
Evans said he was looking forward to working with WFA's membership and advancing the industry's interests.
"The Australian wine industry faces some significant issues but it remains an international success story and an overwhelmingly positive contributor to our social and economic fabric," he said. "I believe it has both the capacity and the shared commitment to meet these challenges."
D'Aloisio also thanked Stephen Strachan, who elected to step down as chief executive to pursue a new career. He paid tribute to Stephen Strachan's "enormous contribution to the WFA over 17 years" and wished him well for the future.