“I have only positive feedback regarding working with Brad. I am a sales manager at Iona wines, and he was our General manager. He was inspiring and an excellent leader of our team. He taught us how to work more effectively, professionally and with discipline. He lead with encouragement and had a clear focussed vision for Iona. He taught us fundamental marketing/ sales strategies that helped us improve the way in which we work, and made us more effective. He taught us to work with urgency but not panic. I am very disappointed that he will be leaving our team at Iona, and wish him the very best with his new endeavour. I am looking forward to following his career with keen interest, and hope to cross paths again in the future.”

Global Sales & Marketing Manager Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons

“Brad and I worked together at DGB for a number of years. During this time he was always thinking outside the box, and challenging the senior management to do things differently. He was always extremely positive and dedicated to the job and had immense knowledge into brands and the marketing thereof. He was a real people person and could lift morale across the team and across several different levels of staff ensuring that the goal was always achieved. Brad always put his colleagues first, and had a real zest for life, passionate about all he applied his mind to.” 

ME Econ

“Brad Gold is one of the most creative Marketing Managers I have known. During his time at DGB he re-invented a long-standing brand (Boschendal) that had lost its allure, returning it to its rightful place among the brand leaders in SA wines. He also developed a complete brand personality for a newly-acquired brand (Brampton) that was inventive, fun and interactive – attracting a new demographic of younger wine drinkers. Brad’s strengths are his intelligence, enthusiasm, vision and diligence. But above all Brad inspires others with his positive attitude and determination to deliver a successful result even in the most challenging conditions.”

International Marketing Manager DGB (Pty) Ltd. 

“Brad has always maintained utmost professionalism across the various engagements I have had with him through various work projects. He is not scared of a challenge and forever driven by a hunger to expand his knowledge base. I would consider him to be a strong strategic business marketer.”

Group Winemaker DGB (Pty) Ltd.

“Brad has a very good understanding of the whole wine value chain and he is good wine taster. His knowledge of wine and different wine styles enable him to work very closely with winemakers when developing new brands. Brad is very strategic in his approach in terms of brand development and brand positioning. Brad is a very likeable person with a lot of integrity and good people skills.”

Kleine Zalze Marketing

“Brad is an experienced and well-rounded wine industry professional. He has great wine marketing skills as well as solid business management qualifications and experience. To top it all he is a Cape Wine Master with superior tasting skills. Brad is a good communicator, verbal as well as written and has a calm and confident demeanour.”

South African Wine & Brandy Transformation Manager

“I have worked with Brad for several years in different capacities. Brad is a real visionary person with strong conceptualising, creative ability and strategic thinking skills. His background in marketing and international business provides that excellent background for strategic marketing. Brad is a savvy marketer and his incredible forward thinking nature makes him dynamic in this ever changing social media space, the new way of marketing. He is not just a energetic, talented and hardworking individual, his also humble kind and treat his colleagues with great respect and appreciation for their talent.”

Senior Winemaker/General Manager at Margaret River Winemakers

"I had the privilege in working with Brad during my time at Oak Valley. I have not met someone like him in my time in die Wine Industry. He has so much knowledge of and passion for the wine market and is also so well connected. What makes his approach so unique is that he is a creative and strategic thinker as well. On top of that he has a great sense of humour and great leadership skills. I would love to work with him again and would highly recommend him to any other company. He was a great asset for Oak Valley and would be a critical asset to any other business as well."

Owner Concierge Angels

“I reported to Brad when he was Marketing Manager for Boschendal and Brampton Wines. During that time I found Brad to be most professional, knowledgeable and displaying a natural talent for the wine industry and invaluable insight into marketing and sales. He thinks on his feet effortlessly creating abstract concepts and implementing them into the context of business which translates into increased sales and product awareness. He creates the future - doesn't follow others and his energy and focus brings out the best in people. Thank you Brad!”

Owner Iona Vineyards

“Prior to joining Iona in September 2018 Brad had been in the employment of Oak Valley, a fellow wine producer in the Elgin Valley, so I had the opportunity of observing first hand, Brad’s contribution to the Oak Valley wine business. In addition we worked very well together on some projects in the Elgin Wine Guild. 

When the opportunity to employ Brad came up, it coincided with my plan to “raise Iona to another level” by way of strategizing and updating the look and feel of the brands that make up our portfolio, as well as providing structure to the winemaking team with a view to raising the quality of the wines and developing and managing the sales team.

To this end Brad did an excellent job, in summary:

• A clear definition and structuring of  the portfolio, into 3 distinct offerings representing the diverse growing conditions and styles.
• Developing new labels and branding.
• Fine tuning  prices and pricing structures to the different market sectors.
• Cutting costs of packaging without compromising the image of the wines.
• The creation of point of sale promotional material.
• Formalising and coordinating the evaluation and tasting of wines with the whole winemaking team prior to bottling. 
• Management and motivation of sales force.

Brad is an excellent lateral thinker, thrives on creating strategy and brand development. He has had a broad exposure to the wine industry from a young age with qualifications to suit. He is a team player with a high level of loyalty and integrity, even tempered, a great sense of humour and a strong motivator. A real asset.

I wish him well in his next venture.

Andrew Gunn, Proprietor, Iona Vineyards

April 2020” 

Marketing Director DGB (PTY) LTD

“I have known Brad Gold for at least 20 years, first as a young “upstart” traveling with us to International Wine Shows around the world when he worked for L’Avenir in Stellenbosch and then later when did international Sales for my friend Tim Rands at Vinimark. Brad was always keen as chips to do anything, always ready to help, carry stuff, do things and assist others. Brad was a very keen learner, a natural “wine marketing man”, obviously very knowledgeable about wine and very popular with his colleagues.

I lost a bit of contact with Brad when he joined Distell but later met up when we were looking for someone specific to look after Boschendal. We then appointed Brad as Marketing Manager for Boschendal, reporting to me. At that time, the Boschendal brand was a little tired and we were in desperate need to “liven her up”. We did this and Brad was in integral part of the strategic thinking and the execution. Brad then joined my colleague on our International business promoting all DGB Brands internationally, supporting the Sales teams at wine shows and events around the world.  Again, Brad was viewed as a very helpful colleague and went a long way in establishing a solid foundation for the role of an International Marketing Manager for DGB. Brad grew with every position that he was in and he grew the stature of the position as well. In total Brad was with DGB for 6 years, from February 2010 to June 2016

Brad is a bright and personable individual with a great sense of humour. He is creative thinker and very innovative self-starter and will achieve any goal he has set his mind to, his CWM and MBA degrees are testimony to that. Brad is a leader in his field, has an amazing tasting ability and I can see him playing a very important role in the South African wine Industry in the future.

I can recommend Brad for any Senior Marketing position he applies for.”

Owner Chateau Naude

“I met Mr. Brad Gold when he was a young man just after school in Pretoria, where I matriculated as well about 30 years before him.

He started working at L'Avenir where I was the winemaker and this young man's enthusiasm to learn more about wine and everything that goes with it like the vineyards, making it, selling it and eventually enjoying .it, was unsurpassed in my life at that stage. He soon became a person which we all loved and enjoyed. The owner started using him as his personal assistant for whatever he was able to do, and I started using him to present wine-tastings for me when I was away on other business. He grew to such an extent as one of the most needed workers on the farm; that when he started to study further all things regarding wine, I knew that one day soon he will surprise all of us. This happened shortly thereafter when Bradley James Gold became the youngest ever Cape Wine Master in 2006 with his wonderful book `The English Wine Market" That didn't stop this young man's drive to better himself and only because we couldn't afford to keep him while he was studying further about business as such, we had to let him go. Although we were very sad, I knew that the world was his oyster and we were not allowed to stop him from reaching much higher things in life, which he has done many times in my life. When he got married as a devout Christian, I told my late wife that watching this man grow up, becoming a loving, honest and hard-working young man to achieve his goals, has been one of the most inspiring things in my life and epitomizes the saying ``If there's a Will there's a Way!" Whoever can afford to employ this young man; which is still how I see him after more than 30 years, will never be disappointed and always be blessed. That is what I feel he deserves!!

Yours faithfully,

Francois Naude snr.” 

CEO at AIM Investment Holdings

“We studied together at the Business School of Stellenbosch when I bought Alluvia Wine Estate. I’ll always remember Bradley for having a zest for life and like-able gentleman. It was clear that with his work ethic, wit and focus he was destined for great things.”

Media

“I met Brad soon after he qualified as the youngest Cape Wine Master in about 2003. Since then, he has worked in large scale wine distribution with wholesale distributors and on family owned wine estates, which has given him broad-based experience in the wine industry. His knowledge about wine, its production and distribution is exceptional”

Former Editor of Wine Magazine. 

“I’ve watched Brad Gold go from learning the basics about wine to someone who boasts both a Cape Wine Master qualification and an MBA. He is driven, enthusiastic, energetic but also a hard worker. Admirable traits and I’d not hesitate to recommend him.”

Director at GRFT Design

“Brad is an energetic, motivated and acute marketer, his proficient communication skills and innovative approach will add great value to his next endeavour. Brad shows dedication to the brands he represents and will continue to challenge himself and those that he engages with - constantly focused on improving revenue streams through strategic thinking. His knowledge of brand development within the wine industry will make him an asset to his next employer.

Sales Representative Paarl Labels 

“I had the opportunity and great privilege to work with Brad Gold for almost a year in his position as General Manager of Iona Wines.

What a guy!!

Brad is always extremely dedicated, proud and positive in whatever he takes on, have a high degree of integrity, great values and beliefs and always a cheerful personality.

In the times I have worked with Brad, he has demonstrated excellent knowledge and competence in the wine industry. Brad is well equipped to take charge of any management position in his industry.

Brad is always goal driven and ready for any project no matter how big or small... He is a productive contributor to team efforts, thoughtful, positive, calm and full of motivation even under the most stressful circumstances. He was always on time with completion of any label project we have worked on, if not ahead on schedule...

His goal driven nature, strong attention to detail, and excellent management skills would be beneficial for any organization.

I highly recommend Brad Gold’s talent and expertise as an individual and as a professional.

Klein Constantia

"Brad brings energy and insight into every project – his passion is tangible and his knowledge undeniable. Each collaboration has led to positive change- beyond the product and the brand, to the people involved too."