Speakers

Robert Brewer
Chief Executive - Spirits NZ

Robert has held the role of Chief Executive, Spirits New Zealand for ten years and has worked in public affairs, marketing and government relations roles for 30 years. Over this time Robert has worked for both public sector and private sector organisations on staff and as a consultant. He cut his teeth in the public affairs world by working on a range of challenging policy and organisational issues such as genetically modified organisms, animal welfare practices, transportation of plutonium and legacy issues relating to dioxin contamination for Dow AgroSciences in New Plymouth. In his spare time, he allows himself the luxury of pretending to enjoy the odd game of golf.

Matt Carnell
Head of Business Development - BNZ

As Head of Business Development, I am here to help enable business owners grow and achieve their goals through provision of market leading and innovative banking solutions.

I find it very rewarding to apply my 24 years of banking skills and experience to create bespoke funding solutions that give our clients a competitive advantage.

I have spent time working in Corporate (10 years), Commercial, Credit, Invoice Finance, & Property plus 6 years in people leadership running the highly successful North Harbour Commercial Partners team.

Outside of work I’m a keen fisherman, diver, and active off-road competitor.

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Anne Gigney
Director - Tasmanian Whisky Academy
Ian Thorn
Tutor and Technical Expert - Institute of Brewing and Distilling Asia-Pacific
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Kirsten Hopkins
Business Development Manager - Peninsula

With over 20 years of experience in business operations, development, marketing, and sales, Kirsten is passionate about helping businesses thrive in New Zealand. Coming from a background in business ownership and holding a master’s degree in business administration, she understands the challenges of managing your own business—juggling compliance, staff, clients, and profitability. Kirsten loves her role at Peninsula Employsure, where she gets to support New Zealand businesses every day.

Tim Jones
Panel Speaker
Founder, CEO, B Corp Consultant - Grow Good

Meet Tim, your ultimate B Corp guru! He simplifies and accelerates the B Corp Certification journey, unlocking profitability, competitive edge, and cost savings while championing people and the planet. Tim's stellar record includes certifying a third of NZ's B Corp community and global businesses. As NZ’s first certified B Corp Consultant, with a Duke University certificate in Impact Measurement and Management for the SDGs, he's a true change-maker. Featured in top media like Stuff, Idealog, and the NZ Herald, Tim empowers businesses to thrive in a purpose-driven economy. Get ready to be inspired as he leads the charge towards a sustainable, impactful future!

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Ben Leggett
Panel Speaker
Director/Distiller - Elemental Distillers

Born to the lush vineyards of Marlborough in New Zealand, Ben spent 14 years working in the UK spirits sector from cocktail bartender to Brand Ambassador, drinks writer and freelance Brand Consultant representing some of the biggest names in premium liquor. Now back in rural New Zealand, Ben owns and operates his own sustainably built boutique distillery producing award-winning spirits while also teaching WSET Spirits and consulting on distillery compliance and recipe development.

Lisa Macrae
Senior Applications Specialist – Distilled Spirits APAC - AB Biotek

Lisa has over 10 years’ experience within the distilling industry working within Scotland, Tasmania, Western Australia and NSW. During her tenure she has produced whisky, rum, gin and vodka as well as a number of speciality products. Lisa completed the Diploma in Distilling in 2023 from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. Lisa is also the first Australian to be featured on the cover of Whisky Magazine in 2022 while holding the position of Senior Distiller at Archie Rose Distilling Co.

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Natasha McGill
Writer/Speaker/Broadcaster - More Good Drinks

Tash McGill is a compelling storyteller who understands how to make pretty words pay big bills and create meaningful connections with consumers. Even the trade is sometimes won over. Editor at large of More Good Drinks, publisher of The Feed and New Zealand's only specialist spirits and bartending journalist, Tash is a strategist with over 15 years of business, marketing and get-it-done experience to help you focus on how to activate your brand story in stand-out ways, especially when money is tight.

Gareth Morgan
Distillery Manager - Reefton Distilling Co.

Gareth has been heavily involved in all areas of the Scotch Whisky industry, including at distilleries such as Macallan and Tamnavulin. Immediately prior to moving to New Zealand, Gareth was Distillery Manager at D&M Winchester Ltd, responsible for cask and bottling management, based at Coleburn Distillery.

Gareth leads our Reefton site and cask management programme as we prepare for the launch of Moonlight Creek Whisky to market in 2025.

Conrad Morley
Founder and Managing Director - Kākāpō Distillery

Conrad is the founder and managing director of Kākāpō Distillery, a micro-batch gin distillery based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Since its founding in 2020, Conrad has developed Kākāpō Distillery's three gins, each highlighting one native botanical from Aotearoa. Kākāpō Distillery is proudly B Corp certified and donates at least 10% of profits to the Kākāpō Recovery Foundation. Conrad has a background in marketing and arts which he continues to do alongside his work at the distillery.

Patrick Newton
Distiller - Waiheke Whisky Ltd

Patrick Newton is an acclaimed figure in the New Zealand beverage industry, renowned for his transformative contributions as both a winemaker and a distiller. With over two decades of experience crafting premium wines, Patrick honed his expertise at the illustrious Mudbrick Vineyard on Waiheke Island. There, he earned a reputation for his innovative approach and dedication to excellence, producing award-winning wines that captured the essence of Waiheke's unique terroir.

Transitioning from winemaking to the art of distillation, Patrick now serves as the Head Distiller at Waiheke Whisky. His profound understanding of flavor profiles and fermentation, coupled with his relentless pursuit of quality, has allowed him to create whiskies that are not only reflective of Waiheke Island but New Zealand’s on the global stage.

As a guest speaker at the NZ Distillers Conference, Patrick brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective on the interplay between winemaking and distilling. His journey from the winery to the distillery is a testament to his passion for the craft and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of New Zealand’s beverage industry.

Blair Nicholl
Owner/General Manager - National Distillery Company

Blair is a fun-loving creative who is passionate about design and everything beverage. He comes from a deeply embedded hospitality/bartender background and believes a full sensory experience is the key to a good drink. Blair has brewed beer with some of New Zealand’s top producers, blended wine with New Zealand’s elite wine makers and roasted his own coffee brand. He’s even been involved in New Zealand’s beauty industry.

He enjoys hanging out with his family and loves being at the beach or in nature whenever possible.

Blair has an absolute passion for the New Zealand beverage industry and has a “my door is always open” approach to helping the industry where and whenever needed.

Neil Pollett
Founder & Director - Green Bottle NZ

Neil Pollett is a reuse champion and a change maker. He's founder of Green Bottle NZ, a social enterprise that's creating a commercially viable way for drinks companies to switch from potentially harmful 'single use' or recyclable packaging to a far more environmentally responsible reuse or 'refillable' business model.

As a graduate of Waikato University Neil has worked in the glass packaging industry as well as marketing many leading international wine & spirit brands. Throughout his career he's focused on new product development by introducing positive change to a wide variety of different product markets.

Emma Proucelle
Senior Adviser Exporter Regulatory Advice Service - MPI

Emma completed a Masters Degree in Food Safety and Quality in Food Industry and has worked in the food sector for over 10 years.

The knowledge gained set her up to have a successful four years as a Food Compliance Officer, mainly investigating domestic matters under the Food Act and Animal Products Act. She built an understanding of the Acts and associated requirements like Risk Based Measure programmes and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

She then joined the MPI Food Assurance team for about a year and a half, becoming a part of the team responsible for enabling the export of eligible food and live animals. Her role was mainly focused on Animal Products, especially dairy.

Emma joined the Exporter Regulatory Advice Service (ERAS) team in May 2024 where her experience is contributing to supporting customers with their export journeys.

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Desiree Reid
Founder and Managing Director - Cardrona Distillery

Desiree Reid is the Founder and Managing Director of Cardrona Distillery, nestled in Cardrona Valley between Queenstown and Wanaka. The Cardrona Single Malt Whisky was named one of the best 50 drams ever reviewed by Whisky Magazine and The Reid Single Malt Vodka named as one of the world’s best vodkas by New York’s ‘Best 50’. Cardrona was sold to International Beverage in September 2023, who own globally renowned Scotch Malt Whisky distilleries, Balblair, Old Pulteney, Ancnoc and Speyburn. Desiree remains the Managing Director of the New Zealand business.

Andrea Selway
Human Resource and Health and Safety Professional - Peninsula

Andrea is a Human Resource and Health and Safety professional who has been working with Peninsula for almost 7 years. With an Honours degree in Industrial Psychology and over a decade of HR roles across both small and large organisations, Andrea has a proven track record in providing timely, up-to-date advice, and supporting businesses in getting the outcomes they are looking for. She is skilled in employment relations, staff development, mediation, conflict resolution, benefits and compensation, performance coaching, health and safety, learning and development, and legal compliance.

Mike Sutherland
Panel Speaker
Owner - Sawmill Brewery + Smoko Room

Mike’s passion is about creating great beer and more importantly running a great business. Sawmill have an ethos of resourcefulness and creativity in how their brewery is run. Beverage companies are not environmentally friendly businesses, so there are endless opportunities to be innovative. With that ethos Sawmill became New Zealand’s first B-Corp brewery, certified in 2017.

Prior to becoming a brewery owner Mike worked in international trade of primary produce.

Rachael Thomson
Co-Founder and Managing Director - Thomson Whisky

Rachael Thomson is the co-founder and Managing Director of Thomson Whisky. Based in Auckland, Thomson Whisky is one of the pre-eminent NZ whisky distilleries, creating award winning single malts and blends. A degree in Creative Advertising led Rachael to work in Ad agencies, but it was the commercial side that ultimately won her over. Delivering growth for her brands became a passionate pursuit and creating the business engine alongside the creativity her wheelhouse. Over the past 15 years she has built the Thomson Whisky brand and company, grown a global sales network, and managed a sales force across NZ. Thomson Whisky has enjoyed consistent success and continues to be recognised globally. Brand work and telling the Thomson Whisky story remains one of her favourite areas of her role. Notable recent awards for Thomson Whisky include Best New Zealand Single Malt at the World Whisky Awards (UK) 2023 & 2024.

Larissa Watson
Consumer Insights Lead - NielsenIQ

Larissa works for NielsenIQ as a consumer insights lead, starting her career in Canada before moving to New Zealand 5 years ago. With more than 20 years of experience, Larissa has worked closely with both retailers and manufacturers across the FMCG industry. Larissa has a passion for data insights and highly curious about what makes consumers tick. She delivers valuable consumer insights through industry thought leadership and market trend publications, including liquor focused insights.

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Dan Wright
Group Customs and R&D Manager - Fonterra Co-Operative Group Limited

Prior to joining Fonterra, Daniel spent 13 years with the New Zealand Customs Service working in a variety of roles including Border Operations and Trade.

Daniel’s role in Fonterra covers its global Customs compliance including Imports, Export controls, Excise & Free Trade Agreements. Daniel also oversees Fonterra’s global government incentive and R&D programs.

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