Chair

Michele is an experienced non-executive director and has a strong understanding of agribusiness, public policy and regulation within food and agriculture industries, R&D portfolio structure and management, enterprise risk management and science and innovation.

Michele currently chairs Apple and Pear Australia Limited, Defence CRC Trusted Autonomous Systems, the Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre and is Chancellor of Charles Sturt University. She is also a director of CSIRO, Smart Sat CRC, Dairy Food Safety Victoria, MJ Chicken and CRC Food Agility.

She has previously held chair positions with Meat & Livestock Australia and the Wheat Industry Advisory Taskforce and was a director of Wine Australia and the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation. Other prior board roles include Tasmanian Irrigation, Innovation and Science Australia, Forest and Wood Products Australia, William Angliss Institute, Callaghan Innovation (NZ) and Food Standards Australia and New Zealand.

Michele held executive roles with Amcor Limited, Kraft Foods, Bonlac Foods Limited, ICI, Tasmanian Bioinformatics Centre of Excellence Tasmania, Johnson and Johnson and Nestle.

Michele has a Bachelor of Applied Science from University of Technology Sydney, Master of Management of Technology from Melbourne University, Master Commercial Law Deakin University and Doctorate from RMIT. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.

 Deputy Chair

Cath’s international winemaking career began after studying business/viticulture at Curtin University followed by oenology at University of Adelaide. Senior industry roles have included Group Winemaker at Mud House Wine Group (NZ) and Chief Winemaker at Plantagenet Estate.

Cath has previously served as President of Great Southern Wine Producers Association and Margaret River Wine Association, and as Vice President of Wines of Western Australia. During her time in New Zealand she also served on the Advisory Board of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. She currently Chairs the Australian sector’s Sustainable Advisory Committee.

A keen wine show judge Cath has judged extensively both in Australia and overseas. Currently Cath is the owner of Oates Ends, wines from the vineyard on the intergenerational farming property in Margaret River. Cath also runs a winemaking consultancy business..

Cath served as Acting Chair of Wine Australia April to June 2020.

Cath chairs the Research, Development and Adoption committee.

Catherine is an experienced non-Executive Director having served on approximately 50 boards. After a professional career as a commercial lawyer, Catherine moved into the business world and developed wide knowledge and experience across a broad range of sectors such as agribusiness, food and health, energy, water, science and technology.

Catherine has been involved in start-ups, small to medium enterprises, public and private sectors, Australian Stock Exchange-listed (ASX), and not-for-profit organisations on a national and international basis. Career highlights include the establishment of national joint venture rural bank, nominated as a Telstra Business Woman of the Year finalist, inclusion in an international management program at GE and winning a position in the Australian Institute of Company Director’s ASX Top 200 Chairman’s Mentoring Program.

Catherine is an experienced Audit Committee Chair and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Among other directorships Catherine is the Chair of the South Australian Environmental Protection Authority, a director of Australian Eggs, a director of Grains Australia and of the Energy CRC- RACE for 2030.

Brian began his career as a winemaker with Thomas Hardy and Sons in 1969.

In the early 70s Brian studied for a Masters from The University of California at Davis and went on to establish the Wine Science program at Charles Sturt University.

By 1976 Brian had established Petaluma and in 1978 gave it a home in the Piccadilly Valley; and in 1986 established Argyle winery in Oregon (US).

Brian served as Chairman of the Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney and Perth wine shows and twice as President of WFA. For his service to Australian wine he was awarded an Order of Australia, the Maurice O’Shea award and was the Decanter Man of the Year in 2004.

Brian was Deputy Chancellor of the University of Adelaide from 1999 to 2007 and was made a Doctor of the University for his service, having received a similar honour from Charles Sturt University.

Brian still lives at the Tiers Vineyard in Piccadilly Valley and is the winemaker for Tapanappa and Tunkalilla Vineyard in Oregon.

Frances-Anne is a non-executive director with extensive marketing and operations experience spanning global markets and multiple sectors including tourism, hospitality, business events, major events, international education, franchising and financial services.  

She is Chair of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, a national platform for digital tourism information, and Chocolateria San Churro, a successful franchise with stores throughout Australia.  She also chairs an advisory board for the G’Day Group, Australia’s largest regional accommodation provider.

Former board roles include Deputy Chair of Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia and non-executive director of the YMCA NSW.  Frances-Anne is a previous Deputy CEO of Tourism Australia, where she was able to leverage valuable assets in a competitive global marketplace to deliver record growth in the Australian visitor economy.

She brings to the board a proven ability in developing and successfully implementing growth strategies through customer focus, innovation, driving efficiencies, embedding a progressive culture and leading transformational change.  She is passionate about delivering profit through putting customers and stakeholders at the heart of strategy.

Frances-Anne holds a BA Joint Honours Degree in Marketing and Hispanic Studies from Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.  She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a past mentee of their flagship Chairs Mentoring Program.

Mary is an experienced director, agricultural scientist and third-generation viticulturist who brings a wide range of skills and experience from practical, research, extension and consultancy roles in the global wine sector over the past 25 years. She is Managing Director of Retallack Viticulture Pty Ltd which offers viticultural and agribusiness consulting services and is recognised internationally as a Certified Practicing Agriculturist. Mary has tertiary qualifications in conservation and park management, natural resource management, education, arbitration and viticulture. She also holds a PhD in viticulture and plant protection.

She is a member of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) Viticulture Commission, ENVIRO and PROTEC groups, a member of the Food Agility CRC, Strategic Investment Council, AgriFutures™ Rural Women’s Award Alumni advisory panel, and the Australian and New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker editorial panel.

Mary is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course, a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, a Future Leaders graduate, a past Non-Executive Director of the Australian Grape and Wine Authority, Australian Wine Research Institute, Wine Communicators of Australia, and Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation.

Mary’s leadership capabilities and excellence in science have been acknowledged via the Gourmet Traveller WINE Len Evans Award for Leadership, the AgriFutures™ Rural Women’s Award (national winner), as a 100 Women in Australian Agribusiness inductee, a Len Evans Tutorial Scholar, a Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame inductee and as a participant in the National Farmers’ Federation inaugural Diversity in Agriculture Leadership program. Mary is an ambassador for PIRSA’s Women Influencing Agribusiness and Regions, and Great Wine Capitals Knowledge Exchange initiatives and is a Stepping into Leadership program mentor.

Mary chairs the Remuneration Committee.

Mitchell Taylor is third-generation Managing Director and winemaker for Clare Valley family-winery, Taylors Wines. Mitchell worked in finance and stockbroking in both London and Sydney before joining Taylors Wines in 1988 and later becoming the Managing Director in 2000. 

Mitchell currently oversees all aspects of the business. As an experienced winemaker, Mitchell maintains a very hands-on role at the winery, supervising all winemaking activities to ensure the quality and consistency of all Taylors wine is maintained.

His commitment to the Australian wine industry extends to involvement in key industry associations, including his role as a founding and current director of Australia’s First Families of Wine, Chairman of the National Wine Foundation, Director of The Drinks Association and a member of the Wine Australia Marketing Advisory Group. Previous roles include former Director and Vice President of the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Alcohol Beverages Australia, and a Founding and Past Chairman of YPO Sydney.

Mitchell is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mr Taylor chairs the Marketing Committee.

Geoff has extensive experience as an Audit Committee member or Chair and is currently serving on audit committees for numerous government entities. He has extensive experience as a Director and serves on boards and audit committees of multiple private sector entities. Mr Knuckey has been a full-time company director and audit committee member since 2009 following a 32 year career with Ernst & Young specialising in Audit and Assurance Services in both the public and private sectors across a range of industries.

He has a Bachelor in Economics (ANU), is FCA qualified, a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Registered Company Auditor.