Wines of South Africa (WOSA) has appointed editor and wine writer, Maryna Strachan, as Communications Manager, effective from November 1. In her new role, she will serve as the liaison between WOSA and its member producers as well as with international trade and media.

She will also support CEO, Siobhan Thompson, in providing insights and commentary on South African wine industry developments.

Strachan, who edited the magazine Wine Extra for seven years, also coordinated The Wine Show, a consumer-focused exhibition hosted annually in several key South African cities. She holds a certificate in small-scale winemaking from the University of Stellenbosch and has been a judge in several local wine competitions, including Veritas.

“We are delighted to welcome Maryna to the team and look forward to the skills she brings at a time of fast-changing dynamics in the international world of wine,” says Thompson. “She is an energetic, creative and resourceful self-starter and strong team player. Her extensive exposure to the South African wine industry, her ongoing work with producers and trade as well as her close conversancy with consumers make her ideally positioned for the job. Not only is she a skilled print, digital and broadcast communicator and wine educator and presenter, but she comes with solid marketing experience as an integral part of the organisation and marketing as well as being the face of The Wine Show.”

Strachan previously worked as a copywriter in the UK.

She succeeds André Morgenthal, who left WOSA recently to work on a project to document and protect South Africa’s old vines.