John Barker elected as new DG of OIV

John Barker has been elected as the new DG of OIV at the 21st OIV General Assembly meeting, held in Jerez De La Frontera, Spain. He has got 139,4 of the total 142,8 weighted votes. 46 out of 47 eligible Member States have voted for him.

John Barker will begin his tenure in January 2024. In 2024, OIV will celebrate its centenary.

John Barker, PhD, who joined OIV in 2005 as a New Zealand expert, presided over the Law and Economy Commission from 2009 to 2012, and subsequently served as the Vice-President of the Commission from 2012 to 2014. After running for the DG position in 2018, he continued his work as an OIV expert and as a recognised wine lawyer.

He completed a PhD in law and geography from the University of Auckland, from where he also obtained his bachelor's degree in law and arts.