We're passionate 
about our industry

Spirits & Cocktails Australia is an incorporated association with a vision of promoting a safe and vibrant spirits sector, which supports Australia’s mature drinking culture and creates opportunities for economic growth and industry development.

We represent spirits producers involved in the manufacture, marketing and sale of spirits throughout Australia. Our industry directly supports over 5,000 jobs in 84 Federal electorates and supports a further 15,000 jobs from farm to glass, with our supply chain stretching from primary producers to the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Our members

Executive

Chair
Angus McPherson
Managing Director, Diageo Australia
Managing Director, Diageo Australia
Angus joined Diageo in April 2020. Angus leads all aspects of Diageo’s business including manufacturing, marketing, sales, innovation and corporate reputation. With the ambition to drive these teams to be a consumer and customer-centric organisation, extracting full value from Diageo’s portfolio of brands whilst providing solutions to exceed our customers' growth objectives.

Prior to this Angus worked for Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), holding various roles including President Americas and Global Sales, and Managing Director Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Middle East, Africa, United Kingdom and Europe. Angus has many years of international experience in the drinks industry, working across the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. Prior to joining TWE, Angus held senior leadership roles at Casella Family Brands and Brown Forman. He has a track record of building brand equity and driving and delivering long term sustainable volume growth.

Angus was previously Vice Chair of Australian Grape & Wine (formerly Winemaker’s Federation of Australia) and a Board member of DrinkWise. Angus holds a Master of Science from the University of Salford (UK) and a Bachelor of Economics (Marketing major) from the University of Sydney.
Vice Chair
Colin Rochester
Managing Director, William Grant & Sons Australia & New Zealand
Managing Director, William Grant & Sons Australia & New Zealand
Colin Rochester is the Managing Director of William Grant & Sons, ANZ. Colin has a long and distinguished career in the alcohol beverage sector in senior leadership roles and his success formula to date has been a simple one – Build people and Brands with equal priority and success is inevitable!

His career to date has seen him lead and transform businesses, build outstanding brand success stories and develop strong, engaging cultures which sustain long term business success. Colin is member of the Executive Board of the peak Australian spirits body, Spirits & Cocktails Australia, as well as Retail Drinks Australia. Colin is also a member of the AICD and awarded membership of “Keepers of the Quaich” for his services and contribution to the Australian Scotch Whisky industry.
Treasurer
Mark Hill
Finance Director, Beam Suntory Oceania
Finance Director, Beam Suntory Oceania
Mark is a senior finance leader with a breadth of experience in demanding, results orientated FMCG environments. He has held senior finance roles within corporate functions as well as roles in operating businesses, including General Manager Finance Big W, and roles within PepsiCo Australia & New Zealand and in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Mark is a strong team player with a commercial focus and has a passion for building teams and developing people. He is a strategic thinker with strong technical skills including mergers and acquisitions.
Ordinary Member of the Executive
Amanda Lampe
Chair, Bundaberg Distilling Company & Corporate Relations Director, Diageo Australia
Chair, Bundaberg Distilling Company & Corporate Relations Director, Diageo Australia
Amanda has extensive senior executive management and leadership experience, having worked for major Australian corporations and Federal and State Governments. She has deep experience in corporate affairs, marketing, and customer. She has worked as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Principal Press Secretary and Media Director to NSW Premier Bob Carr. Since leaving the world of politics, she has sat on the executive leadership teams of the ASX, Cochlear and now Diageo Australia.

Her work experience has seen her lead global cross-functional teams, launch major products and services to market, work on major transformation programs, develop and implement major corporate regulatory strategies and implement national policy reform.

Team

Chief Executive
Gregory Holland
Greg has more than 30 years’ experience in government relations, consulting, politics, industry associations and the corporate sector. As Chief Executive of Spirits & Cocktails Australia, Greg has a focus on stakeholder engagement, key relationships, new business development and an increasing focus on building the reputation of the Australian spirits industry with key stakeholders. A former Federal Cabinet Ministerial Adviser, Greg has worked in the telecommunications, pharmaceutical, alcohol taxation and regulation sectors, community consultation in the mining sector and advisory responsibilities in Antarctic geopolitical and heritage issues.

This extensive experience has equipped Greg with the skills, experience and qualifications as an experienced adviser on the workings of government decision-making and its interaction with communities and stakeholders. Greg’s strong political, corporate and community networks complement his knowledge to add real value for his colleagues.
Communications Manager
Nicole Lestal
Nicole is an experienced communications professional and trusted advisor to senior executives. She has honed her skills in government and stakeholder relations, program management, strategic communications, events and marketing in rewarding roles in the public and private sectors.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Public Communications and Master of Communications Law from the University of Technology Sydney.
Research & Executive Support
Lee Findlay
Lee is a research and executive support professional with extensive experience gained working FMCG, media and politics.

Lee holds a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Diploma in Information Studies from the University of Technology Sydney.