Austrian wine board bolstered by additional division and new MD
As from the start of this year Chris Yorke has taken over at the helm of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB), and has already made his mark, creating a new division to focus on the origins of the country’s different winegrowing regions.
Industry veteran Christian Zechmeister has been put in charge of the new division, as well as for the further development of key markets Austria and Germany. ‘It is our objective to recognise and exploit further potential for export, adding to the development of value and enhancing the profile of Austrian wine,” said Yorke who was formerly global marketing director of New Zealand Winegrowers.
“Moving forward, we’ll emphasise an even closer interaction with the winegrowing regions, the winegrowers and the proprietors. I am extremely happy that Christian will be able to utilise his particular strengths to great advantage in this area’.
Zechmeister was formerly managing director of Wein Burgenland. “So he knows the needs of the winegrowing regions inside and out, while in addition being ideally connected within the political workings of the Austrian wine industry,” added Yorke
In addition to the creation of this new division, the existing departments will be strengthened and Michael Zimmerman will now be responsible for the continuing strategic development of the International Markets division.