New Vinehealth Australia Board member Peter Nguyen brings a wealth of financial and legal experience to the table.
Peter, the General Manager of Corporate Services at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), has a law and commerce degree from Flinders University and has spent more than 23 years working in finance, risk management and governance roles internationally, nationally and locally. He is a chartered accountant and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
“I’m an Adelaide boy and throughout my time working overseas, I planned to come home to South Australia eventually,” Peter said.
Peter has worked across multiple industries including agribusiness and government, and at listed companies such as Elders and Origin Energy and for the professional services firm Deloitte. “I’ve always been attracted to roles where I can make a difference and improve organisations,” Peter said.
“Quite often when I go into an organisation, people say, ‘It can’t be done,’ but I believe most things are possible. What’s our excuse for not being able to achieve it?”
At the AWRI, Peter has carriage of the core financial functions of the organisation. Peter also oversees HR, IT and facilities management at the AWRI.
Established in 1955, the AWRI is the Australian grape and wine industry’s specialist research organisation. It supports a sustainable grape and wine industry through world-class research, practical solutions and knowledge transfer.
“There are about 100 of us, working at the AWRI and the turnover is about $16 million per year, so it’s a reasonable size organisation to manage,” Peter said. “That brings with it challenges and opportunities, as we focus on how to deliver the best research services to the grape and wine industry.”
Peter applied to the Vinehealth Australia board to contribute to another key organisation within the wine industry.
“I believe I can contribute to key areas such as finance and IT. With the transformation of the Vinehealth Register underway, I’m looking forward to exploring what’s possible in biosecurity management through technology,” he said.
“I can also offer skills in governance, which is important with so many new board members and I have experience in guiding boards and management through key changes such as this.”
Peter said his first priority is understanding Vinehealth Australia’s core remit, and how the organisation can best meet the obligations set out in the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Act.
“Broadly, the mission is to prevent phylloxera from coming into the South Australian wine industry, one of the few wine areas in the world that is phylloxera-free. That’s a competitive advantage for South Australian growers and winemakers,” Peter said.
“As a Board, we’re examining how we can best execute that mission within a limited budget.”
Peter, a wine lover, has a young family and can often be seen running around a soccer field on Saturday afternoons, for his old college club. He is also the Treasurer of the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference.
