Yvette van der Merwe, the Chief Executive Officer of South African Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS), was elected president of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) last Friday, making history as the first president from an African country in the intergovernmental body’s century-long existence.
Appointed during the 22nd General Assembly at OIV’s headquarters in Dijon, France, van der Merwe will serve a three-year term as president. She succeeds Professor Luigi Moio, who will become the vice president of the OIV.
Established in 2002, SAWIS is a key provider of wine industry information and market analysis, based in Paarl, the largest town in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. During her tenure at SAWIS, van der Merwe played a pivotal role in shaping South Africa’s wine certification system and overseeing policy analysis and business intelligence functions. She also improved data collection and analysis methodologies, demonstrating her solid capabilities as an economist and information technology specialist.
Van der Merwe started her career in wine in 1996 and joined the OIV in 2000 as a member of the South African delegation. Before her presidency, she served as the president of Commission III Economy and Law from 2022 to 2024. Prior to that, she chaired the “Economic Analysis, Markets, and Consumption” Expert Group of Commission III from 2016 to 2021 and was vice-president of the “Law and Consumer Information” Expert Group from 2013 to 2016.
The inauguration of van der Merwe signifies a pivotal moment, highlighting Africa’s increasingly prominent role in the global wine industry, which has long been dominated by Europe and the US.
“Yvette van der Merwe’s appointment as President of the OIV is a momentous occasion for her and a proud milestone for the entire South African wine industry,” says Rico Basson, CEO of South Africa Wine, a non-profit organization focused on enhancing and promoting the domestic wine industry.
Expressing appreciation for her appointment, van der Merwe also acknowledges the difficulties she will face and her determination to overcome them.
“Being elected as OIV President is both an honor and a responsibility, which I am prepared to embrace with dedication and enthusiasm,” she says. “I recognize the global challenges facing the wine industry and am committed to addressing them through collaboration, innovation, and sustainable practices. Additionally, I pledge to support the successful execution of the OIV’s newly adopted strategic plan.”
Discover more from Vino Joy News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
