LAWRIE STANFORD
Manager - Information and Analysis
Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation

Lawrie has worked for the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation for four-and-a-bit years and is currently Manager, Information and Analysis in the organisation. He has been analysing the wine industry for longer however, through his prior employment with the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics (ABARE) in Canberra where he worked as the horticulture commodity analyst. After earning a Masters Economics Degree at Adelaide University in 1991, he took up employment with ABARE in 1992 and then joined the AWBC in July 1997.

Lawrie is in a good position to talk about wine industry supply since one of his responsibilities at the Corporation to manage the industry's Statistics Working Group which has made it a priority over the last three years to improve the accuracy of winegrape statistics and their accessibility to industry. Industry projections and planning rely heavily on data generated through this work.

Lawrie has assisted in facilitating better dissemination of information to the industry through the creation of the Wine Industry Information Service. Co-funded by the industry's sister-Corporations - the AWBC and GWRDC - the service operates out of the AWBC. Other activities of the Corporation's information services section that are expected to improve the accessibility of information to industry are the development of on-line systems for delivering data to industry and an overhaul of the Corporation's web presence (awbc.com.au).

DOMINIC NOLAN - BIOGRAPHY

Dominic Nolan graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane with a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics.

His post-university experience in the workforce has been based in policy development and implementation with five years experience in the cattle industry before joining the Australian Regional Winemakers' Forum.

After three years in a state-based cattle organisation, Mr Nolan spent 2 years in Canberra as the Director of Policy with the Cattle Council of Australia, a commodity council of the National Farmers’ Federation.

Mr Nolan has worked with the Australian Regional Winemakers' Forum for just over 12 months, devoting considerable time to key policy platforms of taxation reform and wine tourism initiatives.

The Australian Regional Winemakers' Forum is one of the two Electoral Colleges of the Winemakers' Federation of Australia, appointing 5 of the 10 member Executive Council. The Forum specifically represents the interests of small and regional winemakers across Australia.

CHRIS DAY - BIOGRAPHY

Chris spent a bit more time at school than most, he started at 5 and finished at 33. He did fit in some real work during that time despite taking so long to finish his education!

He has a tertiary background in law, economics, accounting, applied finance, international business and marketing. He worked (and studied) across these industries in Australia/NZ, the US, the UK, mainland Europe and has spent a great deal of his working life in the wine industry and as an investment banker.

His burning ambition was to come home to Adelaide and help make a difference in one of the outposts of Australia. Investment bankers don't thrive in Adelaide so he chose an internationalising industry where Adelaide was and will continue to be a leader.

Chris has worked in the wine industry for 11 of the past 12 years (a bit of schooling in between) and has been fortunate enough to work for two of Australia's and the world's wine industry leaders. He now works across the wine industry in an investment role.

Chris is 40, lives in Adelaide (when not travelling half the year) and has a lovely wife and 2 young children. He spends his spare time with his family, playing a myriad of sports, flying private airplanes and looking after some grapes of his own.

He loves his job, despite the travel.

BARBARA NIXON

Barbara came to Australia 16 years ago and moved onto a grape growing property. Never having tasted a wine before, she learned very quickly to appreciate the Australian flavours and style of wines and fell in love with wineries and their tourism potential.

Barbara started Victoria Winery Tours in 1991 and recently sold the business after operating it for nine years. Over those nine years many observations were made and Barbara will share those with us during the Outlook Conference.

Barbara is a Director along with husband Bob of Mawarra Winery located in the Macedon Ranges Region, just north of Melbourne.

MARTIN BAILY

Involved in liquor business or 25 years. Previously operated under the Vintage Cellars in SA and San Remo banners in Melbourne.

Became involved with public company Magnum, operator of Dominion Breweries in New Zealand. Sold out to them who subsequently sold to Vintage Cellars to Coles Myer. At peak operated 64 Liquor Stores, bottling hall, Bernkastel Winery and 2 pubs.

Past 9 years operated much smaller operation - Baily & Baily.

Currently President Liquor Stores Association of South Australia and National Vice President of Liquor Stores Association of Australia.