DrinkWise Board of Directors

Neil Comrie AO, APM, OStJ

AO, APM, OStJ Chair of the Board, Community Director (appointed 18 April 2007).

Qualifications:

BA, Ass Dip CJA, FIPAA (Vic)

Experience:

Neil Comrie completed a 35-year career with the Victoria and Queensland Police forces, including an eight-year term as Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police. Following his police career, Neil was Visiting Professor, Faculty of Business and Law at Victoria University. He was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2000 and was Victorian of the Year in 2001.

Special Responsibilities:

• Chair of the Board (appointed 8 May 2013)
• Member of the Corporate Affairs Committee
• Former Company Secretary and Public Officer
• Former member of the Risk and Audit Committee and the Community Safety Committee

Terence Slater AM

Community Director (appointed 27 August 2008).

Qualifications:

BSc, BEc, MPH, FIML, MAICD

Experience:

Terence Slater has had significant leadership roles in Public Health policy and regulation, including having responsibility for the preparation of Australia’s first national alcohol policy. He led the work to establish National Statutory Schemes involving the Chairing of Inter-departmental Committees and Commonwealth, State and Territory working parties and committees to create the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA), Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR), the Treaty establishing the Australia New Zealand Food Authority and the Treaty establishing the future creation of the Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Products Agency. He chaired the National Food Authority and was the National Manager of the TGA and CEO of Australians Donate. He is currently the Chair of the Board of Therapeutic Innovations Ltd Australia.

Special Responsibilities:

• Company Secretary (appointed May 2011)
• Member of the Corporate Affairs Committee
• Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee
• Former member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee, the Community Safety Committee and the Social Marketing Committee

The Hon Kate Ellis

Community Director (appointed 7 August 2019).

Experience:

Kate Ellis was elected to Federal Parliament as the Member for Adelaide in 2004. In 2007 she became a Minister serving in portfolios including Sport, Youth, the Status of Women; Employment Participation, Early Childhood Development and Childcare. She also served as the Shadow Minister for Education, Childcare and Vocational Education. Kate has been involved as a Director on a number of boards, including the World Anti-Doping Agency: the Adelaide Football Club: the Rare Find Foundation and the Crows Children’s Foundation. She acts as an Ambassador for a number of charity organisations, including the Childhood Cancer Association.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Social Marketing Committee

Professor Niki Ellis OAM

Community Director (appointed 22 July 2013).

Qualifications:

MBBS, FAFPHM, FAFOEM

Experience:

Professor Niki Ellis is an Occupational and Public Health Physician and was the inaugural President of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Over the past 10 years, she has worked on pioneering collaborative research models between industry and academia with the aim of improving the relevance and impact of research. At the University of Queensland, she set up the Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health and more recently at Monash University she was the Foundation CEO of the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research. Niki has a long-standing research and practice interest in work stress. In 2008, she presented a four-part television series on the ABC, Stressbuster. Niki is Adjunct Professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University.

Special Responsibilities:

• Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee

Dan Hamilton

Industry Nominee Director representing Spirits & Cocktails Australia (appointed 26 May 2025).

Qualifications:

BA (Acc & Intl Bus)

Experience:

Dan Hamilton is currently Managing Director of Diageo Australia, having been in role since October 2023, overseeing strategy and operations across the integrated demand and production operations.  This includes delivering outstanding growth for Diageo’s leading portfolio of international spirits brands along with Bundaberg Rum, the home of Australian distilling.  Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business operating across some 180 countries globally and representing 200 plus brands

Prior to returning home to Australia, Dan led a transformation of Diageo’s business in Korea and Japan, two of Asia’s largest and most dynamic premium international beer and spirits markets.  With 14 years’ experience with Diageo, he has also held General Management positions in Europe, Japan and China, as well functional leadership roles in business development and strategy across Asia Pacific.

Prior to joining Diageo, Dan held strategy and business development positions in the hospitality industry including Director Business Development and Strategy for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Greater China and Business Development Director IHG Japan.

Dan is well known for his positive leadership style, focused on harnessing growth opportunities, investing in the development of people and building strong mutually beneficial relationships with customers and stakeholders.

Peter Hurley AO

Industry Nominee Director representing the Australian Hotels Association (appointed 26 October 2011).

Qualifications:

Dip Teaching (adv)

Experience:

Peter Hurley has over 45 years of experience in the hotel/liquor industry. He is the Managing Director of the Hurley Hotel Company. Peter holds numerous positions/board memberships across several organisations. He is formerly the State President of the South Australian branch of the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and was on the National Executive of the AHA, previously serving two terms as National President. Peter is also a Life Member of the Adelaide Football Club having served on the Board from 2001 until 2014. He is a former Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He also held the position of Vice Chair for the Independent Gaming Corporation for which he was a founding Director from 1992-2019.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Funding Committee

The Hon Rob Knowles AO

Community Director (appointed 4 May 2011).

Qualifications:

FIPAA, MAICD

Experience:

The Hon Robert Knowles was a Member of the Victorian Parliament for 24 years serving as Minister for Health, Aged Care and Housing. Since leaving Parliament, he served as Chair of Food Standards Australia & New Zealand, Chair of the Mental Health Council of Australia and Commissioner of the National Mental Health Commission. Robert also currently serves as a Director on the boards of IPG Pty Ltd, Beyond Blue Ltd, The SilverChain Company, Brandon BioCatalyst Pty Ltd and Great Ocean Road Health.

Special Responsibilities:

• Chair of the Social Marketing Committee
• Member of the Corporate Affairs Committee

Angus Lilley

Industry Nominee Director representing Australian Grape & Wine (appointed 7 April 2025).

Qualifications:

BComm

Experience:

Angus Lilley is Treasury Wine Estates’ Managing Director of Treasury Premium Brands, Treasury’s premium portfolio of global brands including Wynn’s, Wolf Blass, Squealing Pig and 19 Crimes.  Angus has worked for Treasury Wine Estates since 2013 and held several senior commercial roles during his time with the business, including Treasury Wine Estate’s Chief Marketing Officer, where he was responsible for marketing strategy and implementation across Treasury Wine Estate’s brand portfolio globally.  Angus has vast experience in the global wine industry gained by prior experience working both globally and in Australia for the Hardy Wine Company and Constellation Brands while based in the US in various marketing and commercial roles.

Anubha Sahasrabuddhe

Chief Growth and Commercial Officer (appointed 18 November 2021).

Qualifications:

BBus, LLB (Hons)

Experience:

Anubha Sahasrabuddhe is a global consumer leader having led some of the world’s most loved brands. Anubha has extensive experience cross-culturally in both emerging as well as developed markets. In 2021 Anubha joined Lion Beverages as CMO and in 2023 was appointed Chief Growth Officer, bringing consumer, ventures, data and technology together to drive growth.

Prior to joining Lion, Anubha held leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company and Mars Wrigley.

Anubha’s passion is business transformation through a creative and cultural lens and she has a track record of transforming businesses through a consumer-led growth agenda and building high performing diverse teams. Anubha is currently on the Board of the Australian Association of National Advertisers and is also a Director of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Corporate Affairs Committee
• Member of the Funding Committee

Amanda Sellers

Industry Nominee Director representing Brewers Association of Australia (appointed 20 June 2023).

Qualifications:

BComm, CA

Experience:

Amanda Sellers is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Asahi Beverages – Oceania. Asahi Beverages Oceania consists of a Regional Hub and three Business Divisions: Asahi Lifestyle Beverages, Asahi Beverages New Zealand, and Carlton & United Breweries. Prior to this role, Amanda held the position of Group CFO at Asahi Beverages where she managed a number of accountabilities, including Finance, Legal, Risk & Assurance and Shared Business Services. Before joining Asahi, Amanda was General Manager, Finance Operations at Transurban and also held a number of divisional CFO roles at Treasury Wine Estates. Amanda holds a Bachelor of Commerce, is a Fellow of the Tax Institute and is a member of the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand. She is also a Board and Committee Member of Lifeblood and a director of Circular Plastics Australia Pty Ltd.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Corporate Affairs Committee
• Member of the Funding Committee

Paul Sheahan AM

Community Director (appointed 22 July 2013).

Qualifications:

BSc, DipEd, MEd (Prelim), FAIM, MACE

Experience:

Paul Sheahan is a graduate of The University of Melbourne in Pure Mathematics and was involved in the government and private system for 40 years, including Principal of The Geelong College for nine and a half years and Headmaster of Melbourne Grammar School for fourteen years, providing first-hand knowledge of behaviours of young people. Outside schools, he has played international cricket for Australia and has held several appointments on the boards of not-for-profit organisations, including the Australian Drug Foundation (of which he is a Fellow). Since retirement, Paul has accepted a number of board positions, including currently being a Trustee of the Sir Robert Menzies Foundation and Chairman of the Energy & Water Ombudsman Victoria.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Social Marketing Committee

The Hon Amanda Vanstone AO

Community Director (appointed 22 July 2013).

Experience:

Amanda Vanstone entered Federal Parliament in 1984, as a Senator for South Australia. She served as a Minister in the Australian Government from the 1996 election until January 2007 and is the longest serving female Cabinet Minister since Federation. Amanda held several ministerial portfolios in the Howard Government, including Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs; Minister for Justice and Customs; Minister for Family and Community Services; Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women; Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation. Following her resignation from the Senate, she was appointed as Australian Ambassador to Italy and to San Marino. Amanda now hosts Counterpoint, a weekly program on ABC Radio National, writes an opinion piece for The Age on a fortnightly basis and is a member of several boards.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Social Marketing Committee

Michael Waters

Industry Nominee Director representing Retail Drinks Australia (appointed 10 July 2020).

Qualifications:

BBM, GAICD

Experience:

Michael Waters is the CEO of Retail Drinks Australia, the national industry body providing advocacy and services to support packaged liquor retailers in all states and territories of Australia. Prior to this appointment, Michael was Retail Drinks’ Chief Operating Officer since the organisation was formed in late 2018, following the national merger of the former state and territory Liquor Stores Associations (LSA). Before the national merger, Michael held the position of Executive Director and Company Secretary for the LSA NSW and ACT. Michael is also currently a member of the ACT Government’s Liquor Advisory Board, a Director of Alcohol Beverages Australia, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) after graduating from the AICD Company Directors Course in 2018 and holds a Bachelor of Business Management from the University of Queensland.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Funding Committee

Professor Judith Whitworth AC

Community Director (appointed 23 May 2022).

Qualifications:

MBBS, MD, PhD, DSc, FRACP, FATSE, FAICD

Experience:

Professor Judith Whitworth is an Emeritus Professor of the Australian National University. She has an extensive career in the medical and research fields and has published six books and over 500 scientific articles. Judith has held a number of prestigious appointments including Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer of Australia, leader of the Australian Delegation, World Health Assembly, Chair of the Medical Research Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, President of the Australian Society for Medical Research and the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia. She was Chair of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Health Research from 2004-2011. Judith was made a Companion in the Order of Australia in 2001 for the advancement of academic medicine and as a major contributor to research policy and medical research administration in Australia.

Special Responsibilities:

• Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee