Media Release

IBD’s direction focused on enhancing learning for the future

The Institute of Brewing and Distilling Asia Pacific (IBD Asia-Pacific) has today shared exciting changes that will shape the face of the organisation in the Asia-Pacific region and benefit our growing brewing and distilling industries into the future.

Globally, the Institute of Brewing and Distilling is undergoing its own transformation, building on its qualifications to ensure that its industry-recognised education responds to the online environment and changing needs of its membership.

For the Asia Pacific Section of the IBD, this global transformation provides the ideal time to review our own systems, approach and community platforms to ensure we meet the needs of students and members in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The first component of this transition for IBD Asia-Pacific is the appointment of Dr Megan Sheehy to the role of Chair IBD Asia Pacific. Megan comes from the industry with an extensive career in malting and brewing and is currently the Executive Chairperson of Barley Australia. Megan is the first woman to chair of our Section and will lead the IBD section’s new developments over the next 12 months.

Megan takes over the role from outgoing Chair Ian Roberts (from Lion) who has been at the helm for two years as Chair and more than four years on the Board. Redefining the Section’s strategy, bringing about more diversity on the Board, and preparing for this change has been Ian’s legacy as chairperson.

Ian Roberts as outgoing chair, has welcomed Megan’s appointment: “I am really pleased to be handing the reigns over to Megan who has been a dedicated Board member for some time. Megan’s career has notably spanned both brewing and malting and she is well known to members through her important work with Barley Australia, regular attendance at IBD events, and various publications and presentations of her work. I think importantly Megan represents the changing landscape of our membership and has successfully brought a level of diverse thinking to the strategic direction of our Section.”

The second component of the transition will be the appointment of an Executive Manager for the IBD Asia Pacific region. This will be a new role and transitions the current Secretarial role into a strategic position that will drive our vision and respond to the changing landscape of the industry. This appointment impacts the existing Secretarial role of Rob Greenaway who is helping with the transition to the new structure. The recruitment for the Executive Manager will commence shortly.

In announcing this new role, the IBD Asia-Pacific Board would like to recognise the dedicated work of Rob Greenaway who has served for more than a decade as secretary, with a lifetime of work in the industry and also a Fellow of the Institute. While this transition is undertaken, it will remain business as usual in our Section and Rob Greenaway will be actively involved in the transition process.

These developments are in line with IBD Asia-Pacific’s strategic direction for the future of distilling and brewing education in our region. They align with our goal to advance education and professional development in the science and technology of brewing, distilling and related industries and to support our membership to enable life-long learning.

Following the appointment of the Executive Manager, we will continue planning for the next four years. Our focus will be development of our training offerings, education support to the region’s independent brewers and distillers and further work on creating systems that strengthen the relationships and capabilities of our region to create quality beers and spirits.

The IBD Board looks forward to sharing further developments and enhancements to our business in the future and will keep the membership informed during the transition.

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