Dec 07: Willi Klinger is an Austrian musician, stage performer, actor, stand-up comedian, an event organizer but above all a knowledgeable, passionate wine lover and an Austrian wine evangelist and more importantly the Managing Director of Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB), writes Subhash Arora who has interacted with him for over 15 years , reporting that he has decided to quit the organization after 10 years of fabulous performance at various levels
Wilhelm Klinger, popularly known as Willi, announced his retirement as head of the AWMB on Wednesday at the board meeting of AWMB and will step down from his position as Managing Director at the end of 2019, making for greater ease of succession with an entire year’s notice to smoothen the path for the next generation in plenty of time.
I met Willi at a wine conference in Vinitaly in 2002 when I walked into a fully packed seminar because the short guy wearing glasses was speaking in German. Having lived in Stuttgart for a year, centuries ago, I hoped to pick up a few words-in every other room they were speaking an incomprehensible language- I didn’t know Italian language then. I have since met him at many international events in Austria and other countries where he has been relentlessly promoting Brand Austria and pursuing a consistent strategy for improving quality, which has enabled Austrian wines to achieve an enviable reputation on the international level, and record export volumes year after year.
His 6 years’ valuable experience with Gaja wines from 2000-2006 during which I met him and over a decade of experience in the wine industry in Austria prior to that, has surely helped him. He is very popular with Austrian producers, journalists, hospitality industry people and all the wine stakeholders and is appreciated as much for his music prowess as the event organisation capability. The best compliment was given by delWine when it gave him a 100 point rating overall, after a Press Tour in June 2011.
He has nurtured a tight, compact and excellent team which the next Managing Director will be lucky to head in 2020. He has been the 6th Managing Director since AWMB was formed in 1986 post-the scandal that rocked the Austrian wine industry obliging the government to step in and form tough wine laws. He has been the longest serving Managing Director making the next person’s job a tough act to follow. But no one can replace Willi Klinger- there is only one of him. One hopes for the sake of Austrian wine industry that he remains in touch with the industry after he ‘retires’.
Willi says Willi will!!
For a couple of related earlier Articles, please visit:
Star Personality: Willi Klinger of Austrian Wines
Austrian Wine : Klinger Scores 100 Points
Subhash Arora
If you Like this article please click on the Like button