John Ide Email Address

Group Manager Wineries and Operations

Established in 1849, Yalumba is Australia's oldest family owned wine company and remains fiercely independent and progressive through exclusive ownership by Robert & Sam Hill-Smith and their family. With fifth -generation Robert Hill-Smith as Chairman, teamwork is vital and decisions are the result of patience, consensus and innovation. There is a commitment to micro-manage individual vineyard estates, a charter to preserve the very old vines of the Barossa, and the knowledge to behave as a leader in the industry. Yalumba is one of the most influential producers of Viognier in the world and also remains committed to the truly Australian wine style of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend. With its unique on-site cooperage, Yalumba has the advantage of full control over the quality of oak used to age its collections of premium fine wine. With success intrinsically linked to the land, Yalumba is acutely aware of how its presence impacts the environment. A philosophy of farming sustainably they have commenced setting aside a ratio of 1:1 putting native vegetation aside for every hectare planted to vineyard. Minimal intervention winemaking has focussed on crafting wines of character and personality expressed through the vineyards premium grapes are sourced from.

I provide leadership and direction for the people in the Winery Operations (Cellar and Bottling) and General Services (Maintenance and Projects) teams at The Yalumba and Oxford Landing Wineries. I enjoy getting the best from those I work with by ensuring a positive commitment through engagement in their work, leading to overall team achievement and success for all. Prior to leadership roles my career was focused in project engineering, with over 20 years experience in managing projects from scoping and submission through to commissioning, implementation and continuous improvement phase. Fortunately I still have the opportunity to work and guide others in this area within my current role. I enjoy working with, coaching and managing people to show their best by motivation and inclusion in the team to focus on commitment and fulfilment in their everyday work.