Lee has led AGW during the most tumultuous period Australia's wine industry has faced in generations.
Lee McLean has resigned as chief executive of Australian Grape & Wine and will leave the national industry body at the end of September, closing an eight-year tenure that included four years in the top job.
McLean served five years as general manager of government relations before his appointment as CEO in 2022, and brought more than a decade of experience in agricultural policy, trade and international relations to the role.
"Serving Australia's grapegrowers and winemakers has been a great privilege," McLean said. "I've given this role everything I have, and I know it's the right time to step away and allow space for fresh thinking and leadership."
Board chair Helen Strachan paid tribute to his stewardship through a difficult era for the sector. "Lee has led AGW during the most tumultuous period Australia's wine industry has faced in generations," Strachan said. "Lee has been a steady, trusted and respected leader. He has invested in relationships across our industry, strengthened industry cohesion and built constructive partnerships with government."
The board said it will settle interim arrangements and begin the process of appointing a new CEO in the coming days. McLean thanked his teams past and present, the board and its committees, and the organization's members, adding: "While I know conditions are very difficult for many in our industry, the reality is we are today making wines that are better than they have ever been. I look forward to championing Australian wine at every opportunity in the future."
His departure coincides with another changing of the guard at the top of Australian wine: Australian Wine Research Institute managing director Mark Krstic has announced he will step down at the end of 2026, leaving the sector's peak advocacy and research bodies both searching for new leaders at once.