Until 1 July 2008, Rob was Managing Director of Winestream. Having sold the business to Kylie and Alex, Rob remains part of the Winestream team as Consultant and brings with him enormous experience in marketing, public relations, broadcasting, publishing and the promotion of wine brands. He was one of the leading forces behind the rapid success of Rosemount in the early 90s and has also worked on the dark side as a wine journalist.
After starting his wine industry career in the vineyards of the Clare Valley in the 70s, Rob was the 3rd Australian to pass the rigorous IMW exams and become a Master of Wine.
Rob’s passion for the drinks industry goes without saying and his strength in communication is proved by considerable presentation experience with radio and television including over 10 years broadcasting with the ABC.
Other milestones in his career were becoming the founding executive of the Wines of the Riverina Promotion Committee, extensive marketing experience with Rosemount Estate, and a stint at Fosters plus judging numerous national and international wine shows.
Rob has recently expanded his experience of both sides of the drinks media coin. He has just completed his first book on Australian wine, A Good Nose and Great Legs, and has written and narrated a set of soon to be released educational CDs for the USA market. Diverse experiences such as these allow Rob to be able to communicate with the media based on shared experiences and to be respected for his wide range of knowledge.
“Communication for the wine industry in the new millennium, faces a unique set of challenges. Effective communication now means identifying the appropriate channels for the product and speaking to those who control the presses, microphones and cameras.” Rob Geddes MW