Wine Australia has appointed Aaron Brasher to a newly created role, designed to develop and implement market programs for Australia and emerging markets.

Brasher, who has 20 years experience in the wine industry, will start his new position as regional director, Australia and emerging markets next month and will be based in Sydney.

Reporting to Wine Australia’s general manager, market development James Gosper, Brasher’s role will focus on addressing the loss of market share by Australian wine in the domestic market and explore new market opportunities for Australian wine.

Wine Australia CEO Andrew Cheesman said Brasher was well-respected in the wine industry and his new role, coupled with the recent appointment of Gosper, was a huge coup for the wine sector.

“Aaron is extremely well-respected within the wine sector and he has exceptional experience in marketing and business development,” Cheesman said.

“Both James and Aaron have been committed to the Australian wine sector for a long period of time and both are looking to elevate our marketing – on all levels – and achieve outcomes that return value to our wine community.”  

Over the next 12 months, Brasher will manage a range of initiatives as part of a domestic marketing program.

Wine Australia PR and communications manager Julia Angove said the program was designed to re-excite Australian consumers about their own wine.

“It’s about bringing together a whole lot of wine events in the regions to celebrate Australian wine and get the buzz back in consumers about the wine being grown in their backyard,” Angove said.

One of the major initiatives, she says, will be the A+ Australian Wine Festival, which will take place from 13-29 April throughout Australia.

Brasher said he was looking forward to giving something back to the wine industry.

“My first priority is to understand what Wine Australia is doing well in terms of domestic marketing and to identify areas for improvement to encourage Australians to embrace Australian wine,” Brasher said.

“Stakeholders across the sector – from vineyard to the shop and restaurant floors – will be engaged to ensure everyone is taken on the journey and have a voice in the domestic marketing plans.”

Brasher was most recently the business manager of fine wine and education for Fine Wine Partners. He is a wine marketing graduate of Roseworthy Agricultural College and has worked for Penfolds, O’Leary Walker and Petaluma.

In 2006, he was named as one of the top 50 Young Leads of the Australian Wine Industry by UK journalist Matthew Jukes.