Wine Industry Report

Lion Nathan today announced the resignation of its Wine Group Managing Director, Peter Cowan, who will leave the business at the end of 2006.

Under Peter Cowan’s stewardship the Wine Group has reorganised into a cohesive federation of wineries across Australia, New Zealand and the United States with a clear operating model and strategy. Some of Peter’s achievements include establishing the Fine Wine Partners distribution partnership with Tucker Seabrook and the Bacardi-Lion joint venture, and forging international distribution alliances with Bibendum in the UK and Beam Wine Estates and Paterno in the US. Peter has also managed the rationalisation and improvement in the wine asset base and product portfolio, and balanced the fruit supply. The Group is now operating with greater efficiency, lower costs and improving returns while continuing to produce great fine wines.

Now that these changes within the Wine Group are complete and the business is entering a period where it will focus on improving the efficiency and returns from its current structure and asset base, Peter has expressed a desire to move on to new challenges.

Current Wine Group Finance Director Anthony Roberts has been appointed General Manager - Wine Group reporting to Lion Nathan CEO Rob Murray, effective 1 October 2006. Anthony joined Lion Nathan in 2001 bringing significant wine industry experience from his time with Yalumba Wines.