Born near Liverpool, UK and is married to Glenda with two sons. Educated in England, graduating at the Liverpool University with a Degree in Industrial Chemistry.

David emigrated to Australia in 1967 and was employed at B Seppelt & Sons, Seppeltsfield before transferring to Great Western and then returning to the Barossa in 1974.

In 1976 he joined the Reynella/Hungerford Hill Wine Group, working in the Southern Vales and in the Hunter Valley.

He returned to the Barossa to work in winemaking with Saltram Wines in 1979 and several years later joined the Penfolds organisation in a senior technical capacity at the Penfolds/Kaiser Stuhl complex.

David has been a Member of the Jaycees in the Barossa Valley and an Apexian interstate.

He was Chairman of the Festival Finale Committee of the Vintage Festival Association 1981-1985 and became President of the Vintage Festival Association in 1987.