Andrew Cooper is the new Board Member at the Drinks Association following the retirement of Director of Marketing and Innovation, Mr Cam Pearce, after 13 years at Coopers and six years on the Drinks Association’s Board.
Mr Pearce will remain on the Coopers Board and Andrew Cooper paid tribute to him saying, “Cam has been a calm voice and steady hand leading our marketing team through challenging times. Thanks to the efforts of Cam and his team we’re on good foundations today, with many exciting things on the horizon.
Mr Cooper is currently managing exports and on-premise key accounts for Coopers. He said, “It is an important point in time and an opportunity for the industry to re-energise itself as we emerge from COVID, particularly in the on-premise.”
Ahead of stepping into the role of Board Member for the Drinks Association, Mr Cooper said, “I am looking forward to being able to engage and learn from such a high calibre group of industry professionals as well as bringing a fresh voice to the table.”
He sees being part of the Drinks Association conversation as an opportunity to connect with other board members and as a place for dialogue, exchange and sharing experiences with the network.
“We all want to see a vibrant and thriving drinks industry and hospitality sector in Australia,” he said.
Coopers recently hosted its first sales and marketing conference in three years. Mr Cooper said, “Our fantastic team emerged aware of the challenges of the moment but very optimistic and with a fire in our belly. Together we’re proud of our beer and our 160-year-old Australian story. We’re excited to share that with customers and consumers both here and around the world.”
He applauded Mr Pearce for the innovations he has brought to the table and been integral to, such as the new beers, the recently launched Coopers packaging refresh and the current generational investment being made with the development of the visitors centre at Regency Park.
Coopers have invested $60m to develop the site which will feature a restaurant, microbrewery, whisky distillery and brewery tours for the “immersive Coopers experience” when it opens in late 2023.
Mr Pearce will remain on the board of Coopers as a non-executive Director, a role he was appointed to in 2002 before joining Australia’s largest independent family-owned brewery full-time as a marketing executive in 2010.
Coopers Managing Director, Dr Tim Cooper, said Mr Pearce has made an exceptional contribution to the 160-year-old company.
“Cam has been an integral part of many changes and developments at Coopers over the past 13 years and we thank him for his tireless dedication,” Dr Cooper said.
Mr Pearce said it had been a privilege to work at Coopers during such a transformational period.
“It has been a privilege to be a custodian of the Coopers brand. I look forward to maintaining a close connection with the company and continuing to serve on the Coopers board.”
National Marketing Manager Kate Dowd will continue to lead responsibility for the Coopers brand and marketing strategy and will now report to Coopers General Manager, Michael Shearer. Sixth-generation family members Andrew and Louise Cooper will fill Mr Pearce’s positions on several industry and subsidiary boards.
The Drinks Association welcomes Andrew Cooper to the Board and wishes Cam all the very best upon his retirement.