Reporting Harrison Davies

Former Australian Grape & Wine (AGW) CEO Tony Battaglene provided his farewell address at the AGW annual general meeting last night.

He leaves his role following over 20 years history with the organisation, including four years as the chief executive of AGW and a further 20 years with the former Winemakers Federation of Australia.

“When I began in 2016, we weren’t in a strong financial position and we were facing challenges relative to elements around industry and political capital. I’m really proud to say that we’ve turned that around,” Battaglene said in his address.

“And while we will always have our critics, our financial positions is solid. We have strong reserves and strong political credibility in Canberra.

“This position is not due to me, it’s the hard work of staff and careful budgeting. We run on the smell of an oily rag and we’re very careful to try and maintain those surfaces.

“And finally, I’d like to thank those boards past and present that had faith in me for all those years. I’d also like to thank all those volunteers working at committees. They give up their time for the industry and work really effectively.”

AGW chair John Hart said Battaglene would be missed and congratulated him on his tenure.

“His dedication to his roles at Australian Grape & Wine, and previously at the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, has been extraordinary. The reform agenda he has spearheaded and the collaborative approach he has championed has improved the Australian wine industry immeasurably,” Hart said.

“We thank Tony for his service and wish him well for his future endeavours. We look forward to celebrating his achievements as he transitions out of the organisation over the next six months.”

Battaglene is succeeded by newly appointed chief executive Lee McLean.

“It is a great honour to be appointed as CEO of Australian Grape & Wine and I look forward to working Australia’s world-leading grape growers and winemakers to help drive a positive agenda for the sector in the years to come,” said  McLean.

“As an early priority, I am keen to listen carefully to our members, understand the challenges and opportunities, and make sure our team is focusing on the issues that matter most to grape and wine businesses.”

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