Bernie Rowe

Chair

Bernie Rowe is Chair of MRC Trust.  He has been interested in the primary sector for many years principally involved in the production and packing of cherries for export and the domestic market.  He also has interests in a vineyard and in forestry.

Bernie was born in Marlborough and studied at the University of Canterbury completing his LL.B degree.  He returned to Blenheim in 1981 for lifestyle and became a partner in the law firm Gascoigne Wicks in 1982.  

Ivan Sutherland

Ivan is the interim Chair for the MRC Advisory Committee. He has extensive experience in the grape and wine sector.  He has been involved with Wine Marlborough, the unified local grape and wine organisations since its establishment.  He was the founding chairman for the Marlborough Wine Research Centre Board established In 2003 now MRC Advisory Committee.

Graduated from Lincoln University in 1972 with a VFM, he entered the wine industry in 1979, being one of the earlier private pioneers of the Marlborough viticulture industry.

Over a period of many years he established his own vineyards on selected sites in the Wairau and Southern Valleys. In 1986 Ivan joined Cloudy Bay in its establishment years as their viticulturist, a position he held for 18 years.

In 2002 he established the Dog Point label in partnership with James Healy.

Clive Jones

Clive Jones joined Nautilus Estate as Winemaker in August 1998. After completing the 2022 season, he is now a 30 vintage veteran of the Marlborough wine industry.

Clive originally trained as an industrial chemist before being drawn to the wine industry as a passionate wine consumer.  Armed with a degree in Chemistry and a strong analytical mind he joined Selaks Wines in Auckland just before vintage in 1992. Selaks were one of the pioneering Dalmatian winemakers of the West Auckland wine scene at the time and a solid apprenticeship with this Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling specialist ensued. During this time Clive also completed a second degree, this time in applied science (wine science) by distance education at Charles Sturt University.

With a background in the production of Marlborough wines, a move to the region itself and the heart of the New Zealand wine industry to join Nautilus Estate provided the next step in Jones’ career and a welcome lifestyle change for his family.  Nautilus also provided the opportunity to continue working with premium sparkling wine which is a key passion.

Clive is a respected member of the local winemaking community and often represents the region on various panels and debates both locally and overseas.  He has been involved in wine industry governance at regional or national level since 2010 and is the current Chair of the New Zealand Winegrowers board.