Meet the Finalists: Champion of Diversity & Equality 2019

Formerly called Workplace Champion of Change we changed the name this year to better reflect the true work that’s being done by our champions. They are the ones devising and implementing real, structural change to foster diversity and equality in their business, region and beyond.

The Champion of Diversity & Equality Award is open to both businesses and individuals (male and female), and recognises those who have provided outstanding support and advocacy for women in the Australian wine industry.

Congratulations to this year’s Champion of Diversity & Equality finalists! This is the only category where we have four finalists this year, as the judges felt the calibre of entrants warranted it. Go you champions!

Trish Barry, Mastermind Consulting

Trish Barry has over 20 years’ marketing and business experience in high profile organisations across the liquor, financial services, media and consulting industries including Anderson Consulting, BT Funds Management, Macquarie Bank, the White Agency, Southcorp Wines and Foster’s Australia.

In 2008, she launched Mastermind Consulting (www.mastermindconsulting.com.au), helping wineries connect directly with consumers via digital, social media and content marketing. Many of the groundbreaking digital and social media wine initiatives that took flight in Australia have had the Mastermind touch; Tweet ups, Instameets, the Rosé Revolution. Trish is a regular speaker on social media and digital marketing, helping wine and food brands communicate directly with consumers to convey their stories.

Trish has a Bachelor of Business (First Class Hons) from University of Technology, Sydney, and a Graduate Certificate of Wine Marketing from the University of South Australia. Trish is an active Member of Wine Communicators of Australia and Alumni in the Wine Industry Future Leaders Program but her greatest achievement is being mum to two amazing children aged twelve and nine. A role that changes more than the world of digital!

Pernod-Ricard Winemakers, Better Balance Ambassadors

The Pernod-Ricard Winemakers Better Balance Ambassador team is made up of Courtney Ribbons, Supply Chain Manager, Australian Operations; Darryn Hakof, Global Marketing Director; Robert Taddeo, Operations Director, Australia and Helen Strachan, Legal & Corporate Affairs Director.

Since the launch of Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ ‘Better Balance’ strategy, they are well on their way to achieving gender balance in leadership roles. This achievement has been driven through the awareness and tools advocated through the Better Balance communication. In recognition of this achievement and the Better Balance strategic initiatives, Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ ‘Better Balance’ strategy was awarded the highest acknowledgement by Pernod Ricard at the Group’s Global Premier Award night held in France in April 2018.

John Davis, Pepper Tree Wines

John is the driving force of the company and in another life was a successful oil exploration geologist. In 1982 he bought his first vineyard and by 1988 his first winery. What started out as a serious hobby gradually became his sole business focus. John used his geological knowledge to purchase select vineyard sites in four of Australia’s premium grape growing areas – the Hunter Valley & Orange in NSW and Wrattonbully & Coonawarra in South Australia.

In the past few decades he has forged a reputation as an astute viticulturist with an unerring eye for matching soil types with their most suited grape varieties.
His purchase of Pepper Tree in 2002 completed his objective of merging his own vineyards with a compatible high-quality not to mention highly-awarded boutique winery, where each vineyard’s terroir can be fully expressed. John is hands-on in all aspects of the business.

Meticulously seeking the best possible people in all facets of its business has led to a staff with a diverse mix of social orientations and genders. Over 50% of the senior and middle management of the company are women which has helped Pepper Tree create and maintain a reputation as one of Australia’s premium wineries.

Carolyn Coon & Kristy Keyte, Treasury Wine Estates ‘TWEforShe’

Carolyn Coon (pictured right)

Carolyn Coon is Global Director, Corporate Affairs for Treasury Wine Estates, and leads the communications and corporate responsibility agenda across the business. She is a collaborative and focused leader, with a 20 year career history in the drinks, technology and consumer goods sectors. Carolyn’s experience spans corporate and brand reputation management, media relations, leadership communications, issues management and brand PR. She was global co-creator of TWE’s TWEforShe initiative, designed to provide a platform for supporting women at TWE in maximising their potential. Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Arts – Communications from Charles Sturt University.

Kristy Keyte (pictured left)

As Global Marketing Director, Kristy Keyte is a proud custodian of The World’s Most Admired Wine Brand – Penfolds (Drinks International, 2019). Creative and commercial, Kristy is an insightful and strategic marketer focused on nurturing brand heritage, building equity and delivering value. A natural leader with a sharp focus on the bottom line, she has a leadership style of empowerment, engagement and development. Kristy’s career spans 18 years in the drinks industry, across brand, direct, digital, innovation and customer. She was a global co-creator of TWEforShe, an initiative dedicated to improving gender balance across the workforce and empowering women at Treasury Wine Estates. Kristy holds a Master of Marketing from the University of South Australia.