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The 2025 Drinks Association Inclusive Leadership Program has officially launched, bringing together another cohort of leaders from across the drinks industry committed to inclusive, adaptive leadership. Now in its ninth year, the program continues to create meaningful change – both for the individuals involved and for the wider industry.

The launch event welcomed mentees and mentors from a broad cross-section of businesses. Julie Washington from Serendis opened the event by acknowledging the shared commitment in the room.

“Congratulations to all of you for being part of the 2025 Drinks Association Inclusive Leadership Program,” she said. “Thank you to all the mentees who have prioritised your own development and your commitment to leading and continuing to lead in this industry.”

Stephanie Shedden, Embrace Difference Council Gender Equity Workstream Lead reflected on the program’s impact over nearly a decade.

“This program has been running for nine years,” she said. “Over the course of the program, the mentors and mentees learn incredible lessons that they can use to drive their own personal growth but also implement within their businesses.”

The panel discussion featured past participants reflecting on their own experiences of the program. Speakers included Ashley Powell, Moët Hennessy Managing Director, and Kate Maxwell, Customer Marketing and Execution Director at Lion, who participated as mentors in 2024, and Ale Alvarez, Head of Advocacy, Partnerships and Content at Brown-Forman, and Luke Algar, Content & Creative Lead at Accolade Wines, who joined the 2024 program as mentees.

For many, the program delivered beyond their expectations. “I wasn’t expecting as much structure and tools and planning as the program actually offered,” shared Ale. “Everything in MentorKey was super helpful – from structuring the conversations to tools like the HBDI and 360 feedback. It far exceeded my expectations.”

“Going into it, I was expecting answers, but it’s actually about questions,” added Luke. “It was a luxury to think about some of those bigger things – about your values, your purpose, your next step. You’ll be surprised by how much soul-searching you do.”

The relationships formed between mentors and mentees were a consistent highlight. “My mentee and I had really different cultural backgrounds, which made our conversations richer,” reflected Kate. “We immediately had a great rapport. We just focused on getting to know each other without pressure.”

Ashley agreed, adding that the connection extended beyond the formal sessions. “There’s a mission, but also the day-to-day things that pop up. I’d leave every session more energised than I came in. It’s not a time burden – it adds fuel to your tank.”

The impact also stretched beyond the individuals. Several panellists described how they brought new ideas and tools back to their teams.

“You get a lot of really good knowledge,” said Luke. “Don’t gatekeep it. The magic comes when you apply it and share it with others.”

“For me, it expanded beyond the obvious markers of diversity – like background and age – and helped me understand cognitive diversity, how people think, the knowledge and expertise they bring,” said Kate. “It shifted my mindset.”

As the 2025 cohort begins their journey, the message from past participants was clear: trust the process, make the time and don’t be afraid to go deep.

“You have the capability,” encouraged Luke. “Sometimes you just need someone to give you permission to go for it.”