Ralph Dunning, Chair of the Drinks Association, reached a remarkable milestone this year - two decades of dedicated service to the association and the wider industry.
On Thursday, 26th October, the industry gathered together at the Kirribilli Club in Sydney for the Drinks Association’s Annual Chair Drinks, hosted by Ralph Dunning.
In his address to the attendees, Dunning said: “This association is an important entity within our industry. It is vital in the ongoing success of our individual member businesses. We represent 21 members, the 21 largest and most influential, and, I would say, the drivers of our industry. We seek to ensure that their progress is strong. We seek to ensure that they are successful, and by utilising the services of the association, we think we are contributing to that success, both to them individually and to the industry collectively.”
“So thank you all for embracing the association, your support, and of the time and effort that you put in, because it's really only with that, that this association is successful.”
Following Ralph’s address, Michael Ritoli, General Manager, CUB Premium Beverages and Deputy Chair for the Drinks Association, took the opportunity to congratulate and celebrate Dunning for 20 extraordinary years as the association’s chair as well as another seven years as board member.
Ritoli thanked Dunning for the guidance and support he has provided to the Drinks Association, the board and the wider industry.
He said: “Your passion, your commitment, your drive is unwavering. You're just absolutely fantastic at what you do. Twenty years is just an unbelievable milestone.”
“I've been on the board for just over 10 years, and your support to me has just been awesome. Your knowledge of our industry is second to none. So thank you for everything that you've done for the board as well as the association because you are definitely an integral part of our success.”
Reflecting on Dunning’s two decades of service, Drinks Association’s CEO, Georgia Lennon, said: "The Drinks Association has been incredibly fortunate to have Ralph as our Chair and guiding beacon for 20 years. Throughout my six years as CEO, Ralph has been an unwavering pillar of support for me and our board, sharing his wealth of knowledge and insights with unmatched generosity.”
“He is more than a leader; he's a true gentleman who readily shares both his professional expertise and the warmth of his family life with us. Congratulations, Ralph, on achieving such a momentous milestone, and thank you for your extraordinary dedication and service," she added.
Following the event, the Drinks Association took the opportunity to interview Dunning about how the drinks industry has evolved over the past two decades.
Ralph, what do you think has been the biggest change to the industry over the past 20 years?
When I started with the Drinks Association 27 years ago, it was very different. To do business in those days, you had to have knowledge of the industry, you knew people well, you built trust with them and you serviced them well.
Today it’s a completely different world. What we’ve managed to do in the last 15 years is transform the association into an entity that serves the needs of its members by providing the data they require to make informed decisions that can drive profitability to their bottom line.
How do you think the increased reliance on data has helped Drinks Association members and key players in the industry?
We have a promise to all of our members that we will deliver four times their fees in value back to the business. Well for the last four years, the CFOs of all our members have valued the services and the products that we deliver to our association members at 5.5 times.
So as an association, we are very much delivering upon our charter, which is to make doing business for our members easier, quicker, more effective, and more professional. That's what we do. We serve our members to make them more agile and make it easier for them to make business decisions because they're informed up to the minute.
In what areas do you think the Drinks Association has driven progress?
We are helping each one of our members to excel in the area of environmental, social and governance (ESG). The social responsibility that we have to the communities in which we operate, the customer base that we sell to, and to our employees is so important. That’s why as an association, we've put so much time and effort into corporate social responsibility, gender balance, and closing the gap on gender pay.
When we improve in these areas, we attract the best and brightest people, which ultimately strengthens our industry.
How do you think leadership has changed during your time as Chair?
Our business leaders today are far more strategic and have a broader outlook. If I have a look around our table at our Board of Directors, it’s made up of well-rounded people who have an appreciation for not just sales, product or NPD, they also understand cash flow, stock-to-sales ratios, and all the things that actually keep the engine room running within a business.
What do you think the future holds for the drinks industry?
I'd say there are three big areas to focus on: R&D, cost control and looking after your employees. We all know that at the moment we're in a cycle that's a little lower than we would like it to be. But I've been through four of these cycles, and the one thing I do know is that we will emerge as a drinks industry stronger, faster, fitter, and more agile.
View the full image gallery from the 2023 Chair Drinks here.