Wine Australia and Australian Grape & Wine are seeking individuals with inquisitive minds to join the sector’s professional development program, Future Leaders 2021.

Applications for this grape and wine sector’s leadership program opened today, which the industry bodies say will equip the next crop of leaders with the skills to find the solutions to take their businesses and the wine sector forwards.

Wine Australia R&D program manager and Future Leaders coordinator Jo Hargreaves said the challenges over the past 12 months have tested the resilience and ingenuity of grape and wine businesses across Australia, and added the Future Leaders program has been reshaped in response.

“We’ve experienced significant disruption and seen huge shifts in the way many of us connect and work with each other, all within the space of a year, and the way that we lead needs to change in response,” she said.

“We have honed the focus of Future Leaders 2021 on sector impact in a disruptive business landscape.

“Future Leaders 2021 will guide participants on a personal leadership journey that will inspire them to create lasting change – for themselves, their business and our sector.

“Future Leaders fosters world-class leadership qualities. It explores cutting-edge leadership skills, connects participants with distinguished speakers and facilitates mentoring with the program’s alumni community.”

Future Leaders 2021 is funded by Wine Australia, supported by Australian Grape & Wine and delivered with Pragmatic Thinking, an Australian motivation and strategy company.

The program has identified and developed leaders of the Australian grape and wine community since 2006, with more than 100 graduates of the respected program.

Philip Shaw Wines winemaker Nadja Wallington, a graduate of Future Leaders 2019, encouraged people to apply.

“Future Leaders was a fabulous opportunity to develop my personal leadership style and build a strong network of peers to collaborate with and learn from,” she said.

“It has enabled me to better understand the problems facing the wine sector and geared me with better knowledge and perspective to contribute to the conversations of the future of our sector.

“No matter what stage of your career you are at, the Future Leaders program has something to offer to your development. You will learn about yourself and how to be a better leader, you will be challenged to grow and take the next step, you will be connected with other fabulous leaders in the industry – there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. Get in!”

Applications for Future Leaders 2021 will close on March 15.

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