For immediate release
13 October 2004
New Leadership for Grape & Wine Industry
New Zealand Winegrowers, the national organisation for the country’s 1,200 grape growers and winemakers, announced today
the election of Mr Brian Vieceli as Chair and Mr John Webber as Deputy-Chair.
Mr Vieceli is Chief Executive Officer of Nobilo Wine Group Ltd and lives in Christchurch; he succeeds Mr Peter Hubscher,
the inaugural Chair of New Zealand Winegrowers who stepped down from the role in August. Mr Vieceli has worked in the
drinks industry in New Zealand for 42 years, and joined the Wine Institute as a board member in 2001. He has been on the
Board of New Zealand Winegrowers since its formation in February 2002.
Mr Webber, an Auckland-based grapegrower with vineyards in Marlborough, continues in the role of Deputy-Chair to which
he was first appointed in November 2003. Mr Webber has grown grapes in Marlborough for the past 17 years, prior to which
he was a supplier of packaging material to the wine industry.
Commenting on his appointment as Chair of New Zealand Winegrowers Mr Vieceli said “Being elected to the Chair of New
Zealand Winegrowers by my industry peers and colleagues is one of the highlights of my career, particularly given the
grape and wine industry is at such an exciting phase in its development. It is also an honour to succeed Peter Hubscher
who worked tirelessly over many years on behalf of the industry.”
Mr Vieceli said that in going forward the issues for the Winegrower’s Board were clear. “We must provide good governance
and direction for our executive team led by Chief Executive Officer Philip Gregan. We need also to build on the
opportunity provided by Vintage 2004 by enhancing the New Zealand proposition in the international marketplace. In turn
I believe we will achieve that best by building on the core philosophy that founded New Zealand Winegrowers: all the
diverse elements of the industry - grapegrowers and winemakers, large and small companies, all regions, Northland to
Otago - united for and working on behalf of the whole industry.”
Mr Vieceli said the work programme for New Zealand Winegrowers would develop in the year ahead, but he would be urging
further progress on matters such as enhanced promotional activity for the industry, the end to the discriminatory tax
regime recently introduced in Australia, and implementation of the Wine Act into the industry.
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