Lunelli takes on IWSC president role in 2016

The International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) has appointed Matteo Bruno Lunelli, CEO of Ferrari Winery and the Lunelli Group, as its new president for 2016.

Each year, the IWSC and its former presidents conduct a search for the group’s next president, who occupies the role for 12 months.

Named presidents are influential figures in the wine and spirits industries, and become active vice presidents of the IWSC after their term.

Lunelli takes over from 2015 president Neil McGuigan, of McGuigan’s Wines.

“I am honoured to take up this prestigious position since IWSC has a global outreach and continuously promotes the excellence of wine on the world stage,” said Lunelli.

“As I believe that wine is the poetry of its own land and every great wine is an expression of a unique territory, I hope to emphasise the role of the IWSC in educating the consumer in fully understanding the beauty of the diversity of the wine world.”

Lunelli also serves as vice president of the Altagamma Foundation, which unites high-end Italian companies from various sectors.

He graduated from Bocconi University Milan with an honours degree in Economics and started his career in financial consulting before joining his family business, Ferrari Winery, which was founded in Trento in 1902.

Lunelli is also CEO of the Lunelli Group, an Italian beverage group that handles a number of other brands that “complement” Ferrari, including the historic grappa Segnana.

Established in 1969, the IWSC seeks to reward and promote the world’s best wines and spirits and currently receives entries from around 90 different countries.