About
The Australian Beverages Council Ltd (ABCL) is the peak body representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry.…
Read MoreThe Australian Beverages Council is managed by a team of dedicated staff with expertise in their respective areas.
In 2009, Geoff was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Beverages Council. Since then, Geoff has successfully managed two mergers, significantly raised the Beverages Council’s profile with key stakeholders and firmly positioned the organisation as the peerless, respected voice of the $7+ billion non-alcoholic beverage industry in Australia.
In 2010, Geoff was elected President of the International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA) and further elected for a consecutive two-year term in 2012. In 2016, Geoff was appointed the inaugural Executive Director of the ICBA Asia Pacific Regional Group. Geoff has served on the Board of the International Council of Bottled Water Associations (ICBWA) since 2009, and in 2017 was elected as its Vice-President.
Geoff has over 20 years’ involvement in boardrooms including global training companies, national not-for-profits, arts organisations, public companies, statutory authorities and international associations in both director and chair roles.
Geoff is a Fellow of both the Australian Institute of Management and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds qualifications from The University of Queensland and The University of Cambridge. Geoff divides his time between Sydney, Brisbane and overseas markets. He is a rugby tragic, terrible golfer, avid runner and enjoys cooking and wine matching.
Cathy Cook is a highly experienced advocacy and strategy professional whose experience includes managing complex landscapes with diverse stakeholder groups throughout the globe. A former Australian diplomat and Ministerial adviser, Cathy has promoted Australian interests in China, India and the United States. She has received three awards from the Australian Government for her crisis work. Working in the private sector for the past 15 years in Washington DC with both corporates and trade bodies she managed high impact litigation, crisis response, influence campaigns and advocacy.
Cathy holds qualifications from Monash and Sydney universities. When not working she can be found spending time with family and friends, enjoying good music and art, planning which part of the world she can explore next, and, after over a decade in northeastern USA, barracking for her ice hockey team.
Lianna hails from Ireland, where she discovered her flair for all things Food Science. Luckily, Lianna now calls Australia home and brings experience in Research and Development, Regulatory Affairs and New Product Development to the Australian Beverages Council.
Lianna is a food and drink guru with a passion for detail and a history of notable success. She has supported a number of product launches with major UK and Irish retailers, one of which received the ‘Innovator of the Year’ award from Sainsbury’s supermarkets.
At Queen’s University Belfast, she received her Bachelor of Science in Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition with Honours. She is also a qualified Level 2 Fitness Instructor and enjoys sharing her nutritional expertise via social media platforms. In her spare time, you will find her trying out new brunch spots in Sydney on her quest to find the best!
As Secretary of The Technical Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Committee (TSRAC) and Australasian Bottled Water Institute Committee (ABWIC), Lianna is sharing her wide-ranging expertise with the Australian Beverages Council’s Members who will be supported by her pragmatism, scientific approach and strong decision-making skills.
Scott is a highly experienced legislative affairs and policy professional who has worked across government and the private sector with experience in public health, governance, crisis management and international diplomacy.
Scott brings a wealth of experience as a former Ministerial Adviser at both the state and federal levels of government. He has led complex public engagement campaigns and international policy initiatives. A career highlight was supporting the advancement and implementation of Australia’s Sports Diplomacy 2030 strategy.
Scott understands the importance of building strong networks and relationships to achieving any goal. He looks forward to working with the members of Australian Beverages Council and advancing the priorities of the industry.
Scott is currently studying through Macquarie University. He recently became a dad and when he isn’t working can be found spending time with family and friends, travelling, skiing and being an overall sports tragic.
Shannon is a sustainability professional with a previous focus on sustainable packaging products for the food, drink, and pharmaceutical industries. Originally from New York, Shannon immigrated to Australia in 2013 to obtain her master’s degree from the University of Sydney, where her work in Anthropology led her to a passion for environmental as well as human rights.
Shannon utilises her strong analytical skills, eye for detail and passion for all things sustainability to assist members in being responsible corporate citizens. She tackles the hard problems alongside businesses to help foster a solid and resilient industry for the years to come.
In her spare time, you can find Shannon watching documentaries or on her treadmill, enabling her to attend and try everything she can at food and drink events around Sydney.
Jacqui brings with her a wealth of experience, with a background in Law, she has gained extensive administration skills and a keen eye for detail. With her bubbly personality, she is the first point of contact for ABCL and is always happy to assist with any enquiries.
Her love of the ocean makes her passionate about environmental health and sustainability and lead her to join the ABCL team. When she isn’t at work, you will find her exploring NSW coastlines or in her kitchen cooking up a feast for her family and friends.
The Australian Beverages Council Ltd (ABCL) is the peak body representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry.…
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