IAN Mayo has joined Plantagenet Wines as general manager.
The former Cape Mentelle general manager has been recruited to take on Plantagenet’s next phase of development, which aims to build sales up to 200,000 cases over the next five years.
Mr Mayo spent 14 years with Cape Mentelle, during which time he was also group financial controller responsible for Cape Mentelle in Margaret River, New Zealand brand Cloudy Bay, and Mountadam in South Australia.
Mr Mayo has also been an active member of Western Australia’s wine community, having spent time as president, treasurer and committee member of the Wine Industry Association of WA, and committee member and treasurer of the Margaret River Wine Industry Association.
Richard Erskine, managing director of Plantagenet Wines’ parent company Lionel Samson, says Mr Mayo will bring extensive commercial management experience to the company.
“Ian Mayo’s skills will help us to move into the next phase by significantly expanding and developing our already growing international and domestic sales base,” he says.
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Ferngrove Vineyards Estate winemaker Kim Horton has been named young winemaker of the year at the inaugural Australian Wine Selector’s Shining Lights Awards.
The awards cover a number of facets of the wine industry and name those expected to be the ‘shining lights’ in 2005, while showcasing the industry’s most passionate performers. Mr Horton, 31, was the only winner from WA.
Mr Horton (pictured right) says the award reflects the opportunity to work with some of Australia’s best grapes from the Frankland River region, and credits customers for providing feedback.
“My greatest critics are our customers and for me the biggest reward is when a wine I have made is enjoyed by them,” he says.
Before joining Ferngrove Vineyards Mr Horton worked at Chestnut Grove in Manjimup. He will commence his third vintage with Ferngrove this year.
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The Evans and Tate Wine Group has appointed two new senior staff members.
Sean Garrod has been appointed general manager brand/trade development, and Matt Christie has been appointed general manager wine production.
Both are former Southcorp executives. Mr Garrod was previously in the role of general manager trading for Victoria and Tasmania, and Mr Christie was site and operations manager for the Great Western and Coldstream facilities.
Evans and Tate executive chairman Franklin Tate says the appointments reflect the need to complement the company’s planned development strategy for 2005 and beyond.
“Australian wine companies like Evans and Tate, which have secured an international brand position, need considerable depth to their corporate structure to maintain focus on key fundamentals, including marketing and distribution,” he says.
In other news, Evans and Tate chief financial officer Bryce Houghton has resigned from the company.
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Australian Wine Holdings has appointed current non-executive director Dalton Gooding as chairman of the company.
Mr Gooding will take over the position currently held by Mike Calneggia, who will continue as managing director of the company, in a move to separate these roles.
Australian Wine Holdings has also appointed David Gilham to the board.
