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Head of OIV Pau Roca dies
The director general of the OIV, Pau Roca, has died at the age of 65, it has been announced.
In a statement this morning the OIV said that Roca, who has been the director general of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine since 2018, has died in Dijon after a long illness.
Roca, who started his career in scientific research in oceanography and later in moved to the olive oil sector, built up specific and in-depth knowledge of the global wine sector during his forty year career, heading up the FEV, the Spanish Wine Federation, for more than 20 years. A Spanish delegate for the OIV since 1992, he chaired the Consumer Law and information group for six years, and was the vice-chair of the sustainable development and climate change group, before being appointed to a five-year term as director general in 2018.
He was keen to encourage the development of digitalisation within the wine sector, and also promoted new internal communication tools at the OIV, while ensuring that its role and its activities are recognised in an increasingly globalised world. As part of this, Roca strengthened the OIV’s ties with global institutions such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD ), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) and the Codex Alimentarius.
He was as well as being instrumental in moving the organisation to its new headquarters to Dijon and under his tenure, five new members were welcomed into the OIV: the UK, Ukraine and Albania.
Regina Vanderlinde and Luigi Moio, who chaired the OIV during his term in office, praised Roca’s conviction and commitment to the world wine industry, which they said had “enabled the Organisation to embark on a new century”.
The OIV extended its condolences to his wife, Diana Ribera and three children, saying it shared the grief of his family and friends over the terrible loss.