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It
is truly a great honour for me to serve as your incoming President for
the next 12 months. Having been a member of the IBD for over 25 years,
and having liased with
Clarges Street
globally and on several global issues over that period, there is always
a considerable amount of challenging IBD work to be accomplished in a
short timeframe. This next year will be no exception. I am certainly
looking forward to rapidly progress the growth of the Institute during
my period of Presidency and my subsequent year of being Past-President.
First
and foremost, I must first and sincerely recognize Harry
White* for his outstanding role for the past two years as your
President, and the enormous amount of successful change which he has led
and which we have all witnessed. The stage is now set with a super
competent staff in
Clarges Street
to help guide and re-define the future of our products and services and,
thereby, ensure the unassailable longevity of our organization for the
future.
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On
the subject of education, and on behalf of the Institute, I had the
distinct pleasure to address the 31st EBC this year in
Venice
. The theme was really quite simply. There is a global need for a
renewed emphasis on technical education in brewing for the future. We
all know change in the brewing/beverage industry happens almost every
day. Organizations become leaner. Gone are the days of sizeable R &
D departments. Intellectual capital which was able to inform and
generate technical breakthroughs is diminishing – at a rapid rate –
due to downsizing, retirements, etc. Against this picture, however,
information is everywhere and “data-rich, information poor” is a
maxim which now pervades our world. We have access to so much data but
so little time to properly use it to best advantage or even to properly
understand it! Consequently, we are realizing a picture of less people
in our organizations that have the ability to efficiently interpret
available technical information and apply it against the ultimate
objective to “grow the bottom line”. Clearly in this age of world
class manufacturing which drives responsibility through all levels of
the organization, expecting and getting more from a slimmed-down work
force, demanding enhanced strategic agility, requiring superlative
quality (“right-the-first-time”), providing greater consumer choice,
as well as also reducing costs - we certainly have to re-think our
learning and development options for the future if our organizations are
to succeed. This is a global issue. The IBD can be and must be part of
the answer. The IBD has great educational products now. However, to be
relevant to the future and with all the exciting new educational tools
available and in development, now is the time to gain traction in
education to ultimately have products to be able to educate 24/7 (twenty
four hours a day, seven days a week).
I
recently had a memorable experience attending an IBD dinner of the
Scottish Section. I can only think that this section must be one of the
most enthusiastic on this planet! Great beer, great distilled spirits,
great company! Judged at any level, the camaraderie of brewers,
distillers and the allied industry is second to none! But distilling is
obviously world-wide, not just in
Scotland
, and with sincere reverence to my Scottish colleagues, the IBD needs to
grow its association, membership and educational products across the
world in distilling. Recent discussions with the American Distilling
Institute have highlighted, at the very least, a need for a Worldwide
Distillers Resource Directory. By compiling such a work (and if done
properly, it will be onerous!) the IBD can start to bolster its presence
in worldwide distilling which must be a strategic imperative for future
growth and something which I look forward to leading.
As
you are all aware, the integration of these subjects combined with other
practical, interactive and innovative thinking in modern-day brewing and
business is destined to all come together at the
2007
International Brewing Convention to be held in
Manchester
over the period October 1 through October 3, 2007. This
unique convention and exhibition, titled “From
Here to Reality” and led by the Institute of Brewing &
Distilling (IBD) and the Brewing, Food & Beverage Industry Suppliers
Association (BFBi) promises to be an outstanding event and something
which brewers, distillers and allied industries will truly not want to
miss. The all-international steering and organizational committees have
put together a technical programme unlike any other and certainly one
which will surpass anything which we have seen in modern times. So
please put the dates in your calendar/diary and we look forward to
seeing you for a most informed and informing future-based experience!
So,
there you have it! Education, global distilling and our 2007
International Brewing Convention (IBC) – three opportunities for my
year as President. If we can start to transition these items for the
ongoing betterment of the Institute then we will have made a small but
vital step to secure our exciting future. Please let me have your
thoughts on these subjects - it is always good to work and win in teams!
I look forward to meeting many of you during the year and especially in
Manchester
at the IBC!
Cheers!
David
*Please
click here
to read Harry White's Farewell Message.
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