香港澳洲商會
The Australian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong
H O N G
K O N G
austcham news • Issue 209 | JUNE 2019 5 ACBA 2019 – All the winners and photos from our gala night 9 GBA Roadshow Heads to Australia 20 The New Morrison Ministry 27 Summer Intern Program Kicks Off
Celebrating Business Excellence Olympic Legend Launches Wellness Series
www.austcham.com.hk
Where Business, People and Ideas Connect
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Get your ticket now! Book online www.austcham.com.hk/events/90
EVENTS UPDATE JUNE AT A GLANCE… Friday, 14 June, 8pm – 9:30pm Gender Diversity in Hong Kong's Financial Services Industry PwC Executive Conference Centre, 21/F Edinburgh Tower, 15 Queen's Road Central Wednesday, 19June, 7:45pm – 8:50pm Franking credits, negative gearing and superannuation are safe for now –A postelection update for tax effective investing as an expat in Hong Kong *Independent Event Delivered Through AustCham’s Event Management Service
Dot Cod Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar, Basement, 14 Chater Road, Central Thursday, 20 June, 6pm – 9pm Mix At Six Mr. Wolf, 5/F, 70 Queens Road, Central, Hong Kong
AUGUST AT A GLANCE… Thursday, 22 August, 12pm – 2pm Mind, Body Business Series: Extending your Performance Window King & Wood Mallesons, 13/F Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central June 2019
Chairman's Column
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t was a great honour for the Chamber to host the 2019 Austcham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards (ACBAs), which saw a sold out crowd of 400 enjoy the gala dinner at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. My congratulations to all the finalists and the winners for their business excellence – it is inspiring to see. I would like to thank title sponsor Westpac for their continued support of these prestigious awards. My thanks to all the category award sponsors for your commitment too. In fact, it was one of the largest events the Chamber has ever organised and the feedback has been great. Guests had the opportunity to hear of the expanding business opportunities that the Greater Bay Area (GBA) represents in the keynote speech by Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam. I thank her for honouring our event with her presence. We also heard from two guest speakers from innovative technology firms – Jonathan Larsen, Chief Innovation Officer of Ping An Group, and Maggie Zhou Managing Director of Alibaba Australia and New Zealand. Mrs Lam’s speech was timely as the Chamber led its second GBA delegation the day before the awards. These trips are proving extremely popular with our members and this time a delegation from AustCham Shanghai joined us. At the gala dinner Mrs Lam announced that Australia will be the next destination for a high-level overseas promotion of the GBA. The overseas promotion is a joint initiative of the administrations of Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau. In her keynote address at the award gala dinner, Mrs Lam praised the work AustCham Hong Kong has done in its GBA position paper released in November last year identifying the opportunities the GBA presents. To quote from her speech Mrs Lam said: “I'm pleased to say many of the things said in the position paper are now incorporated into the Outline Development Plan, so I look forward to working very closely with AustCham and also with other international chambers in taking full advantage of this Outline Development Plan.” This is a very exciting and timely announcement as there is growing awareness in Australia regarding the opportunities GBA offers. This high-level promotion will increase understanding in the Australian business community of the GBA and the Outline Development Plan. AustCham’s commitment to keeping Australian business informed of the GBA was recognised by Mrs Lam’s fulsome praise of the work we, and in particular our Greater Bay Area Committee, have done to date with our report and I thank her for that. Later this year we will be hosting a series of events to highlight industry sector opportunities in the GBA.
austcham news issue 209 Cover Story
Celebrating Business Excellence
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High-Level GBA Roadshow Heads
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to Australia Feature - Mind, Body,
Business Series Launch
Flying Start for Corporate
Wellness Series Australia Focus
YoursCsincerely, Qantas sleep banner ad 195x55mm hires.pdf 1 4/8/2017 15:10:04 Andrew Macintosh chairman@austcham.com.hk
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The Morrison Ministry On the Scene
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Industry Insight
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News
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AustCham Intern Program 27 Committees in Action 28 Corporate Profile
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Mentor Program
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After an extremely busy first half of the year we will be looking forward to quieter few months through the summer, but we won’t be taking our foot off the pedal. Finally, as we go to press the proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance are scheduled to go before the Legislative Council today (12 June) and we are watching this matter closely.
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austcham news Online version
Chamber Chatter
What’s Trending
W
hat an extraordinary celebration of AustraliaChina (and Hong Kong) business success in the star-studded Westpac AustCham Australia China Business Awards 2019 for about 400 guests, the largest event staged by your Chamber.
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Each of the 30 finalists is to be congratulated – to be selected from close to 200 award nominations is an extraordinary feat. We had winners ranging from rock lobster producers to horse racing starting gate manufacturers to one of Australia’s finest symphony orchestras – the 2019 Awards were a wonderful example of the ingenuity, hard work, creativity and commitment of Australian corporations large and small to doing business in this part of the world. And the networking and business focus of the gala dinner was one of a number of feature events across China and Hong Kong under the Festival of Australia umbrella which culminated in the AFL game between St Kilda and Port Adelaide in Shanghai on Sunday, 2 June. This continues to be the only foreign sporting code which plays a game for premier points in the Mainland. And we were pleased to welcome the Minister for Youth and Sport Senator Richard Colbeck in his first international visit following his recent appointment to the Morrison ministry. A series of business networking events were held to coincide with the game which brought together an extraordinary mix of senior business leaders – as well as diehard football fans who had travelled to the game. We were delighted to be supporting our members Port Adelaide, as well as Austrade, and the AFL in promoting this event – Australians have a gift for making business out of sporting events and the game was no exception.
Published By: The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Room 301-302, 3/F, Lucky Building 39 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2522 5054 Email: austcham@austcham.com.hk Editorial Committee: James Kelly Jacinta Reddan Advertising: Email: advertising@austcham.com.hk
Where Business, People and Ideas Connect The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong is Australia's largest international chamber with about 1,400 members representing about 500 Australian and Hong Kong based companies. It's the largest Australian business grouping outside the country and the second largest of 28 International Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong. The AustCham mission is: To promote & represent business & values while enabling members to connect, engage & grow bilateral relationships. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, its members or officers. The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong takes no responsibility for the contents of any article or advertisement, makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness, and expressly disclaims any liability for any loss however arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of this publication.
Keith Thomas, CEO of Port Adelaide Football Club
Copyright © 2019
Jacinta Reddan, Chief Executive, AustCham
The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Find out more about the winners
AustCham Platinum Patrons
June 2019
Printed on environmentally-friendly paper
Cover Story
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Celebrating Business Excellence
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he Australian Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing are pleased to announce the award winners for the 2019 AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards (ACBAs). The 2019 winners were unveiled at the prestigious Westpac AustCham Australia-China Business Awards Gala Dinner at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong, on 28 May. Hosted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and sponsored by Westpac Banking Corporation, the evening presented nine winners across eight award categories recognising businesses who demonstrated Australia-China business excellence. The ACBAs was one of a number of feature events held across China and Hong Kong under the inaugural Festival of Australia banner. With 400 guests in attendance, keynote speaker Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, gave an insightful address about Greater Bay Area opportunities and advancements in technology and innovation in the region. Mrs Lam also announced Australia will be the next destination to host the overseas promotion of the Greater Bay Area (see page 9). The evening also included a special dialogue with Maggie Zhou, Alibaba’s Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand and Jonathan Larsen, Ping An Group’s Chief
Innovation Officer and Chairman and CEO of the Ping An Global Voyager Fund on Innovation, in conversation with CNN’s Andrew Stevens. Other dignitaries included Yang Yirui, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the HKSAR; Charge d’Affaires Gerald Thomson, Australian Embassy China; Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria; Michaela Browning, Australian Consul-General to HK & Macau; Martin Pakula MP, Victorian Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade and Michael Correa, Westpac General Manager – Asia Pacific; Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Stephen Phillips, Director-General of InvestHK; as well as business leaders from Australia, China and Hong Kong.
Cover Story AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards 2019 Winners:
Agriculture, Food and Beverage Award (Joint Winners) Geraldton Fishermen's Cooperative Ltd Geraldton Fishermen’s Cooperative Ltd have built a world-leading supply chain from Western Australia to China, delivering value directly back to hundreds of fishing families and communities along the Western Australian coastline.
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Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd Hancock’s focus in the agricultural sector uses the latest technology, science and innovation to constantly improve the quality of their products in order to deliver the highest quality beef and dairy products to customers in China and around the world.
Sponsored by
ACBA 2019 Finalists Agriculture, Food & Beverage 1. Evolution Health (also for Cross-Border Investment) 2. Geraldton Fishermen’s Cooperative Ltd 3. Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (also for Construction, Infrastructure and Natural Resources) 4. Treasury Wine Estates 5. Wines by Geoff Hardy Business Innovation, Creative Industries and the Digital Economy 1. AsiaPay 2. Blockshine Technology Corporation 3. Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 4. Ovolo Group 5. Tennis Australia Construction, Infrastructure and Natural Resources 1. Downer EDI Limited 2. Fortescue Metals Group 3. Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd 4. Steriline Racing (also for Small-To-Medium Enterprises) 5. Woods Bagot Consumer Services 1. Australian Football League 2. Box Hill Institute 3. Ego Pharmaceuticals 4. Port Adelaide Football Club 5. Swisse (also for Sustainability, Diversity and Social Responsibility) 6. UOW Global Enterprises
Business Innovation, Creative Industries and the Digital Economy Award Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The MSO’s sold-out six city tour of China in 2018 promoted Australia's cultural assets to an audience of more than 200 million people through live performance and 4 concert broadcasts across China. Publicity for this engagement reached an estimated 1.56 billion people. MSO have also established key partnerships with China including a 4 year agreement with the National Centre for Performing Arts Beijing and a 10 year Australian-exclusive partnership with international classical content distribution giant UNITEL.
Sponsored by
Cross-Border Investment 1. Evolution Health 2. MinterEllison 3. Tianqi Lithium Corporation & Tianqi Lithium Australia (also for Sus tainabilit y, Diversit y and S ocial Responsibility) Small-To-Medium Enterprises 1. China Australia Millennial Project (also for Sustainability, Diversity and Social Responsibility) 2. Cturtle 3. Ladies Who Tech 4. Steriline Racing 5. The Silk Initiative (also for Professional and Business Services) Professional and Business Services 1. Ambition (also for Sustainability, Diversity and Social Responsibility) 2. DLA Piper 3. King & Wood Mallesons 4. Moelis Australia 5. The Silk Initiative (also for Small-to-Medium Enterprises) Sustainability, Diversity and Social Responsibility 1. Ambition 2. China Australia Millennial Project 3. Ladies Who Tech 4. Swisse 5. Tianqi Lithium Corporation & Tianqi Lithium Australia
June 2019
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Cover Story cont from P.6
Construction, Infrastructure and Natural Resources Award Downer EDI Limited Downer has a proud rail heritage dating back more than 100 years. Downer has partnered with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, the largest train manufacturer in the world to work together on major projects in Australia up until 2053 including the Melbourne Metro and Sydney’s Waratah fleet. In unique collaboration, both Downer and China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation have co-located teams (both in Australia and China) working together on delivering this high quality infrastructure.
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Sponsored by
Consumer Services Award UOW Global Enterprises University of Wollongong’s City University of Hong Kong is recognised as a premier College providing quality tertiary education to over 6,000 students each year. The College has demonstrated consistent and sustained business excellence, delivering an exceptional Australian student experience across all its programs. It is highly regarded for its rigor in quality assurance and holistic education, delivering transformative student experiences in Hong Kong.
Sponsored by
Cross-Border Investment Award Tianqi Lithium Corporation & Tianqi Lithium Australia Tianqi made the bold decision in 2016 to build the world’s largest lithium plant in Western Australia. This included the decision to set up a Kwinana office to be Tianqi’s global headquarters and to run most of the company’s corporate development activities from Western Australia. The company has since created 900 construction jobs and over 200 permanent operational jobs in the Kwinana area - a significant injection of Chinese investment dollars into WA. The judges also praise Tianqi’s investment into grassroots CSR initiatives for the local community totaling at $1 million AUD per year, in addition to a $5 million AUD sponsorship of the new WA Museum currently under construction - which includes a commitment to bring two world class Chinese exhibitions to the Museum over the next five years. Sponsored by
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Cover Story cont from P.7
Professional and Business Services Award Moelis Australia
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Since its establishment in 2009, Moelis Australia has advised on corporate transactions with a value in excess of $80 billion AUD, raised over $6.5 billion AUD in capital for clients and manages in excess of $3.5 billion AUD in assets. Over the last five years, their asset management division has created and led some of Australia’s most innovative investment strategies focusing on Chinese investment. Moelis were the pioneers of the Significant Investor Visa program, which has now seen more than $10 billion AUD in investment flow into Australia, primarily from China. They are now one of the largest managers of high net wealth investment capital in Australia.
Sponsored by
Small-To-Medium Enterprises Award Steriline Racing Based in South Australia, Steriline’s team of 12 staff designs, manufactures, installs and services racetrack equipment for the international horse racing industry. Over half of the company’s total sales come from exports, with its market-leading equipment used in over 50 countries across the world. Steriline also works with clients to research and develop products that are safe for both animals and jockeys, including for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and Conghua development in Guangzhou.
Sponsored by
Sustainability, Diversity and Social Responsibility Award Swisse In 2018, Swisse and its parent company the H&H Group founded the H&H Group Foundation. The purpose of Foundation is to advocate and educate consumers about living a healthy lifestyle, especially under the pillars of nutrition, movement and mind. The Foundation has invested in programs, events and innovation with charity and not-for-profit partners in the preventative health and wellness community that educate and promote people living healthy lives.
Sponsored by
Winners’ videos and highlights from the ACBA 2019 are available here: June 2019
Cover Story
High-Level GBA Roadshow Heads to Australia competitive strengths Hong Kong offers to take a lead in the Greater Bay Area. “And here I would pause and remind our Australian guests that the Australian Chamber's position paper has this very important phrase which I like a lot. It says that Hong Kong's advantages lie in "One Country, Two Systems" and it is very important for Hong Kong's continued success to uphold "One Country, Two Systems".
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ustralia will be the next destination for a high-level overseas promotion of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive Mrs Carrie Lam announced at the AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards. The overseas promotion is a joint initiative of the administrations of Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau.
“But this continued implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" as well as Hong Kong taking advantage of the commercial opportunities in the Greater Bay Area are not mutually exclusive. We could, on the one hand, uphold and even bring to new height the "One Country, Two Systems"; and at the same time take full advantage of the opportunities available under the Greater Bay Area.
“So, any worry and rumour and speculation that once we In her keynote address at the awards’ gala dinner on 28 co-operate and take a greater part May, Mrs Lam praised the work in the Greater Bay Area economy, AustCham Hong Kong has done in I look forward to working H ong Kong will los e unique its GBA position paper released in very closely with AustCham characteristics, the "One Country, November last year identifying the Carrie Lam Two Systems" principle will be opportunities the GBA presents. eroded, there's absolutely no truth Australia will become the third country to receive the roadshow in that sort of statement. I just want to reassure you that that after promotions were held in France and Japan, and only the is how we are going to take forward the Greater Bay Area.” second since the promulgation of the Outline Development AustCham Hong Kong Chairman Andrew Macintosh said Plan by the Central Government earlier this year. that this is a very exciting and timely announcement. “There is “I am announcing here because I have already got the agreement growing interest in Australia regarding the opportunities GBA of the Guangdong Governor at the meeting earlier this month offers. This high-level promotion will increase understanding that Governor Ma Xingrui thought that it's a very good idea to in the Australian business community of the GBA and the host the next overseas promotion of the Greater Bay Area in this Outline Development Plan. wonderful country of Australia,” Mrs Lam told the 400 guests “AustCham’s commitment to keeping Australian business at the awards ceremony, which recognised business excellence informed of the GBA was recognised by Mrs Lam’s fulsome and innovation of Australian and Chinese companies. praise of the work we, and in particular our Greater Bay Area “AustCham has produced a position paper on the Greater Bay Committee, have done to date with our report and I thank Area before the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdongher for that.” Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was officially approved AustCham Hong Kong will later this year host a series of and promulgated by the Central Government of the People's events to highlight industry sector opportunities in the GBA. Republic of China," Mrs Lam said. The full GBA report is available on AustCham’s website www. “I'm pleased to say many of the things said in the position paper austcham.com.hk. are now incorporated into the Outline Development Plan, so I On 27 May AustCham Hong Kong led its second GBA tour look forward to working very closely with AustCham and also to Shenzhen, which included a delegation from AustCham with other international chambers in taking full advantage of Shanghai. this Outline Development Plan.” In her speech, Mrs Lam paid tribute to the longstanding ties between Australia and Hong Kong, most recently demonstrated by the signing of a Free Trade Agreement and related investment agreements. She also highlighted the
The full transcript and video of Mrs Lam’s keynote address is available here:
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AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards
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June 2019
AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards
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AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards
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June 2019
AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards
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AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards
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AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards
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THANK YOU TO THANK YOU TO THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS SPONSORS OUR SPONSORS OUR THANK YOU TO Winners’ videos and highlights from THANK YOU TO TITLE SPONSOR THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS the ACBA 2019 TITLE SPONSOR TITLE SPONSOR OUR SPONSORS OUR SPONSORS are available here: TITLE SPONSOR TITLE SPONSOR
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Feature - Mind, Body, Business Series Launch
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Flying Start for Corporate Wellness Series
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ustCham’s much anticipated Mind, Body Business Series got off to a flying start with Australian Olympic legend Alisa Camplin AM as guest speaker sharing her inspirational story as an elite athlete, a global corporate executive, and now, as a resilience and high-performance consultant.
“Research shows that if you have a structured process to work towards your goals, so you can break things down, engage expertise and track and hold yourself accountable along the way, then your chances of successful goal achievement are significantly higher. Remember, that a vision without a plan is just a wish,” she said.
Alisa became Australia’s first female Winter Olympic Gold Medalist in the sport of freestyle aerial skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a sport she dominated holding the world number one position for consecutive years.
But what about when things don’t quite work out as planned? “Sometimes Plan B can be better. What really allows you to bounce forward from adversity is letting go of what could have been and accepting where you are right now. Only then are you ready to start creating a different future.”
And share she did by getting the breakfast audience at the Hong Kong Club up off their seats to go through the moves – takeoff, spins and the landing - required in freestyle aerial skiing. Alisa’s extraordinary story is one of thrills and spills in becoming an Olympic freestyle aerial skier including juggling a day job with IBM, delivering pizzas at night, and cleaning houses on the weekend to finance her dream. Her success came at an extreme physical cost with multiple injuries and she worked with a sports psychologist for five years to learn how to better manage the mental and emotional aspects of performing under pressure. After retiring from the sport, she spent 16 years as a global executive with IBM and then took on several non-executive director roles. Combining all her experiences with additional training, Alisa now works in the area of human performance, currently based in Hong Kong with her husband and two young children. With a focus on mindset and using tools and techniques from the performance psychology field, Alisa adds her trademarked goal planning process to show how goals can be achieved and performance enhanced in both business and life. June 2019
A vision without a plan is just a wish Alisa knows first-hand about adversity. After losing her first child to congenital heart disease in 2011, she turned tragedy into opportunity and established the charity Finnan’s Gift, which has raised over A$2.5M for cardiac care at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. “It’s so important that we are real about life because it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. We need to teach people how to bounce forward from adversity of any kind, because that’s a core part of living a content and productive life. We need to speak openly and teach people how to embrace and navigate the whole journey of life, to give them skills and show them what being resilient and mentally well means.” Alisa is reluctant to draw too many comparisons between the performance or wellness issues which confront her corporate clients in Australia and Hong Kong, noting that every organisation has strengths and weaknesses within its own culture - however one thing does stand out.
Feature - Mind, Body, Business Series Launch
“People work incredibly hard here in Hong Kong but they may not necessarily be working smart. That’s partly because of deep rooted cultural norms, like presentism and not getting enough sleep, so burnout and fatigue is incredibly high.” Rest and recovery, is a key element in Alisa’s approach. “Most people wait until they are overwhelmed or broken before they get proactive in managing their stress, energy and importantly their performance. You have to shift between intense focus and intense rest, at both a macro and micro level, in order to reap the benefits of increased productivity, higher engagement levels, more energy, greater immunity and the ability to sustain the work you do at a high quality for longer.” Within an organisation it is also important that changes in approach to corporate wellness are led from a senior level for them to resonate throughout an organisation. “You can’t expect employees to adopt a better work life balance if your organisation is rewarding or promoting extreme workaholics, in the same way you can’t ask for innovation if your team are too scared to take strategic risks. People operate within cultures, and leaders need to consider the impact of system and structural elements which also drive people to work in a certain manner. Senior leaders need to embody the changes they want to see take place while consistently and visibly mitigating workplace barriers to success. “There’s a lot of frustration and dissatisfaction for people where the actuality of their life, is very different to the hopes and expectations they have for their life. I do a lot of coaching and consulting in this area, helping individuals to close the gap between reality and expectations. There really are some sensational tools that enable people to better manage their time and priorities, giving them much greater control over their life.” “We need to aim for a holistically balanced life. There is no point hyper-exceeding in one area and failing miserably in all other areas of your life, that is not success.” “Certainly for me, there has been highs and lows, but my real story is in all those transitions in between.”
Alisa’s Wellbeing Tips: 1. Consistently get 7-9 hours’ sleep and never work more than 90mins without taking a rest and having something to eat 2. Eat nutritious food 3. Have meaningful goals you are committed to and celebrate your small successes 4. When you feel challenged, ask yourself what is possible in this moment - be a problem solver 5. Enjoy the process of learning and growing (this includes embracing your mistakes) 6. Focus on what you can control 7. Preparation and practice reduce stress 8. Be your own greatest cheerleader 9. Engage in your community and nurture your support structures 10. Make sure you have regular ‘you time’ doing things that bring you joy Alisa was bestowed with a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2019 for her support of paediatric health care. She holds an honorary Doctorate from Edith Cowen University, and she’s a member of faculty at Australia’s Centre for Ethical Leadership. She sits on a number of prominent Australian boards as a non-executive company director, and is the China/Australia Ambassador for Sport. The next speaker in the Mind Body business series will be Andrew Cox Director of Joint Dynamics Ltd on 22 August. Our thanks to the series sponsors:
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Feature - Mind, Body, Business Series Launch
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June 2019
Advertorial
Australia Focus
The Morrison Ministry
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cott Morrison was sworn in as the 31st Prime Minister of Australia on 29 May along with his Cabinet, outer ministry, and assistant ministers. We look forward to working with Prime Minister Morrison and his leadership team. Two key portfolios remain unchanged, those of Trade, Tourism and Investment, and Foreign Affairs. 20
AustCham members and friends watched the 2019 Election unfold at a ‘Democracy Sausage Sizzle’. (Photos on page 23)
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham
Prime Minister, Minister for the Public Service Scott Morrison
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women Marise Payne
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg
June 2019
Australia Focus
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack
Minister for Indigenous Minister for Water Resources, Australians Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster Ken Wyatt AM and Emergency Management David Littleproud Â
Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge
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Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann
Minister for Agriculture Bridget McKenzie
Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations Christian Porter
Minister for Health, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Cabinet Greg Hunt
Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts Paul Fletcher
Minister for Education Dan Tehan
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Michaelia Cash
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matthew Canavan
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley For more information please visit:
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds CSC
Minister for Families and Social Service Anne Ruston
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert
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Australia Focus cont from P.21
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OUTER MINISTRY
Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government, Assistant Trade and Investment Minister Mark Coulton
Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Housing Michael Sukkar
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman
Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Assistant Defence Minister Alex Hawke
Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel Darren Chester
Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Minister for Youth and Sport Richard Colbeck
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price
ASSISTANT MINISTERS
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ben Morton
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz
Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Andrew Gee
Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories Nola Marino
Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology Jane Hume
Assistant Minister for Finance, Charities and Electoral Matters Zed Seselja
Minister for the Environment Jonathon Duniam
Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood
Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships Steve Irons
Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans
Assistant Minister for Children and Families Michelle Landry
Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services Luke Howarth
On the Scene
Democracy Sizzles in Hong Kong
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ustCham members and friends marked the recent Federal Election day in that most democratic of ways – the traditional sausage sizzle. Our thanks to the venue, Mr Wolf. Thank you to our venue partner
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Directors have nominated climate change as the number one issue they want the Fe address in the long-term. Significantly, directors now also nominate it as the numbe Federal Government to address in the short-term. The percentage of directors nomi issue increased substantially over the last six months.
Industry Insight
Directors have nominated climate change as the number one issue they want the Fe Directors to prioritiseSignificantly, renewable energy sources as also the top priorityitfor i addresscontinue in the long-term. directors now nominate asadditional the numbe This is followed by regional infrastructure water supply. Federal Government to address in theand short-term. The percentage of directors nomi issue increased substantially over the last six months. Directors have nominated climate change as the number one issueofthey want thethe Federal Government to address in the longTop five issues importance Federal Government should address in Investme term, according to the latest Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Director Sentiment Index (DSI). Significantly, directors the short-term Directors continue to prioritise renewable energy sources as the top priority for additional i now also nominate it as the number two issue for the Federal Government to address in the short-term. The percentage of 51 per ce This is followed by regional infrastructure and water supply. renewabl directors nominating it as a short-term issue increased substantially over the last six months. area of im Top five issues of importance the Federal Government should address in Investme irectors continue to prioritise renewable Top five issues of importance the Federal Government should address in the short-term investme the short-term energy sources as the top priority for Energy Climate Taxation Infrastructure Productivity infrastruc 51 per ce
A Climate Change in Director Sentiment
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additional infrastructure investment. This is followed by regional infrastructure and water supply.
Directors rate energy policy, climate change and tax reform as the top priorities for the Federal Government to address in the short-term. The importance of climate change has significantly increased since the second half of 2018. Directors rate climate change as the top long-term priority the Federal Government to address, followed by an infrastructure, ageing population, energy policy and taxation reform. Investment in infrastructure 51 per cent of directors rate renewable energy sources as the top area of importance for infrastructure investment, followed by regional infrastructure and water supply.
Sentiment Plummets
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Directors rate energy policy, climate change and tax reform as the top 50for % the Federal 30% Government to45% % 29% priorities address in the36short-term. The importance of climate change has significantly increased since the second 50% 42% 42% 38% 30% half of 2018.
Directors rate energy policy, climate change and tax reform as the top companydirectors.com.au Top five issues of importance the Federal Government should address priorities forofthe Federal Government to address inshould the short-term. Top five issues importance the Federal Government address in The the long-term in the long-term importance of climate change has significantly increased since the second half of 2018.
39%
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34%
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35%
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Sentiment declines Climate Infrastructure change significantly
renewabl area of im Renewable energy sou investme infrastru
32%
Energy
Taxation
Directors are seeking action from the Federal Government Overall sentiment has hit negative territory for the first change population policy reform Climate Changepriority with it being identified as the number timeDirectors in 18 months,rate declining 21.1 points since the climate change as last the toponlong-term the Federal one long-term and number two short-term priority for the survey to -16.9 overall. 39 % 34 % 38 % 35 % 35% Government to address, followed by anFederal infrastructure, ageingDirectors population, Government to address. continue to rate The decline is largely due to increased pessimism about renewable energy sources as the number one priority for policy and taxation reform. the energy domestic and global economies. In addition, directors 38% 47 % 39 % 36investment. % 32% additional infrastructure are far more pessimistic about conditions for their own business. The uncertainty relating to the Federal Election has Directors also no doubt rate playedclimate a factor. change as the top long-term priority the Federal
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The confidence of Australia’s company directors is at its lowest point in over two years.
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verall sentiment has hit negative territory for the first time in 18 months, declining 21.1 points since the last survey to -16.9 overall. The decline is largely due to increased pessimism about the domestic and global economies. In addition, directors are far more pessimistic about conditions for their own business. The uncertainty relating to the Federal Election has also no doubt played a factor. Directors are seeking action from the Federal Government on Climate Change with it being identified as the number one long-term and number two short-term priority for the Federal Government to address. Directors continue to rate renewable energy sources as the number one priority for additional infrastructure investment. June 2019
Overall Director Indexby an infrastructure, ageing population, Government to Sentiment address, followed Overalloverall Director Sentiment Index in the first half of 2019 became pessimistic, down 21.1 The sentiment energy policy and taxation reform. The overall sentiment in the first half of 2019 became pessimistic, down 21.1 points on the last survey. The Index has points on the last survey. The Index has moved into negative territory, not moved into negative territory, not seen since first half of 2017. seen since first half of 2017. 100.0 Optimistic
80.0 60.0 40.0 20.0 +0.9
0.0
-6.4
-10.2
-15.1 -27.5
-20.0
-21.8
-21.9 -29.0
-29.0
-17.5
-22.5
+12.7 +4.2
Neutral
-31.4 -16.9
-40.0 -39.1
-43.7
-60.0 -80.0 Pessimistic
-100.0
2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half 2nd half 1st half
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Director and board issues When asked to nominate steps directors need to take to regain and rebuild pubic trust, directors once again nominated demonstrating respect for customers/clients/communities, trustworthiness of leadership Industry Insight and improving corporate culture. When asked to nominate steps directors need to take to regain and rebuild pubic trust, directors once A When Matter Trust toof nominate steps directors need to take to regain and rebuild pubic trust, directors once again asked nominated demonstrating respect for customers/clients/communities, trustworthiness of leadership
Toand what extent your board focused culture Sustainability and long termcorporate growth continues again nominated demonstrating respect for customers/clients/communities, trustworthiness of on leadership When asked to nominate stepsprospects directors need to take to regain rebuild pubicistrust, directors once again nominated and improving culture. change in of your organisation? to be thedemonstrating main that keeps “awake at night”. trustworthiness andissue improving corporate culture. respect fordirectors customers/clients/communities, leadership and improving corporate culture. Structural change/changing business models, legal and To what extent is your board focused on culture Sustainability and long term growth prospects continues Top what extent is your board focused on culture change in your Sustainability and long term growth prospects continues To whatinextent is your board focused on culture change your organisation? long term growth continues regulatorySustainability compliance, corporate culture andprospects data security to be the mainand issue that keeps directors “awake at night”. organisation? % to be the main issue that keeps directors “awake at night”. change in your organisation? to be the main issue that keeps directors “awake at night”. Structural change/changing business models, legal and are also pertinent. Structural change/changing business models, legal and Substantial
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Structural change/changing business models, legalsecurity and regulatory compliance, corporate culture and data regulatory compliance, corporate culture and data security
36 36
effort %
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the currentculture governance regulatory compliance, corporate and data security are also pertinent. are also pertinent. landscape,are 91also per pertinent. cent of directors have said their board is Perhaps unsurprisingly given the current governance focused on effecting cultural change their organisation. Perhaps unsurprisingly giveninthe current governance
% Substantial effort Substantial effort
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the current governance landscape, 91 per cent of directors have said their board is landscape, 91 per cent of directors have said their board is landscape, per centcultural of directors have said organisation. their board is focused on91 effecting change in their focused on effecting cultural change in their organisation. focused effecting in their organisation. Issues that wouldon“keep youcultural awakechange at night”
No effort
55%
Issues that would "keep you awake at night"
38%
Issues that would “keep you awake at night” Issues that would “keep you awake at night” Sustainability and long term 38% growth prospects Sustainability and long term 38% growth prospects
36%
19%
19% 19%
Legal andLegal regulatory and regulatory compliance compliance Legal and regulatory
21% 21% compliance
21% Corporate culture
Corporate culture Corporate 20% culture
20% Legend
20%
2nd half 2018
1st half 2019
Legend Legend 2 half 2018 st 2nd half 20181 half 12019 half 2019 nd
Some effort %
Some effort
Steps and believe rebuild public trust 53 per centtoofregain directors that demonstrating Steps53 toper regain rebuildbelieve public that trustdemonstrating cent and of directors respect for customers/clients/communities should 53 perrespect cent directors believe that demonstrating respect for customers/clients/communities shouldfor 53 perofcent of directors believe that demonstrating be prioritised by boards in order to rebuild public customers/clients/communities should be prioritised by boards be prioritised by boards in order to rebuild public respect for customers/clients/communities should trust, followed by trustworthiness of leadership and in order to rebuild public trust, followed by trustworthiness trust, followedby byboards trustworthiness leadership andof be prioritised in order toofrebuild public leadership and improving corporate culture. improving corporate culture. improving corporate culture. trust, followed by trustworthiness of leadership and improving corporate culture. Demonstrating respect for for 52% % Demonstrating respect customers/clients/communities customers/clients/communities % 53 % Demonstrating respect for 52% customers/clients/communities 53%% Trustworthiness 48 Trustworthiness of of 48 % leadership 44% leadership 44 Trustworthiness of 48% % leadership 44 Improve corporate 43%% Improve corporate 43 % culture 42% Improve corporate culture 43% % 42 culture 42 Greater accountability 33%% Greater accountability 33 % in cases of misconduct 35% Greater accountability 33% % in cases of misconduct 35 in cases ofgenuine misconduct 35%% Increased 34 stakeholder engagement 33% Increased genuine 34 % Increased genuine 34% stakeholder engagement 33 stakeholder engagement 33% %
business models Structural change/changing
20% 20%
55 55
Some effort %
36%
22%
20%
No effort
Steps to regain and rebuild public trust
Structural change/changing Structural change/changing business models
20% 20%
9 9
% No % effort
Sustainability and long term growth 36% prospects
22% business 22% models 20%
9%
st
Steps to regain and rebuild public trust
AustCham will launch a 'Towards a Sustainable Future' series later this year. The full Director Sentiment Index is available at
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News
Do You Need to Renew Your Passport?
How Australians in Hong Kong Voted
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total of 5,434 Australians in Hong Kong took the opportunity to vote at the Australian Consulate-General for the recent Federal Election. This is down from 6,594 for the 2016 Federal Election. Not surprisingly, most voters were registered for electoral divisions in NSW and Victoria but votes were lodged in Hong Kong for 139 of the total 150 Australian electorates.
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The most popular divisions were: Bennelong with 360 votes (John Alexander MP elected); Bradfield 306 (Paul Fletcher MP); and North Sydney 270 (Trent Zimmerman MP).
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he Australian Consulate-General is reminding Australian citizens in Hong Kong to allow themselves enough time if they need to renew their passport or related applications. The Consulate’s appointment system for passport processing and notarial services now regularly books out up to three weeks in advance. This is in addition to the up to three weeks to process your passport application once lodged. Remember, most countries require at least six months validity on a passport when travelling, so the advice from the Consulate is to plan ahead to ensure that your travel documents are ready for when you need them.
Australian Consul-General Michaela Browning casts her vote
Year round Mates’ Rates: Member Benefit Program 2019
Food & Beverage Dining Concepts: Enjoy 15% off on all a la carte dining.
These exclusive member benefits and discounts listed are available only to AustCham Hong Kong members, accessible by downloading a Membership eCard.
Island Shangri-La Hong Kong: 15% discount on regular-priced items
This provides exclusive marketing opportunities for members to promote their company’s products and services, replacing the month-by-month offer which was limited to only one company’s benefit or discount. More details on our website. Terms and conditions apply. www.austcham.com.hk/membership/ membershipecardandspecialoffer
Marco Polo Hotels - Hong Kong: 15% off at Cucina, Cafe Marco, Three on Canton and add@Prince Lifestyle Expat Living Free one year subscription Travel Virgin Australia: 15% off selected business and economy class fares Hotels Grand Hyatt Hong Kong: Offer Coming Soon
ard Membership eC
June 2019
Hotel VIC: Enjoy 20% discount on Food & Beverage at Hotel VIC on the Harbour Ovolo Hotels: 20% off on the Best Available Rate
AustCham Intern Program - Building Asia Capability
2019 Summer Program Kicks Off
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he AustCham Internship program kicks off with a number of bright, talented undergraduates coming from top Australian universities to Hong Kong during June- July and also at the end of the year starting from November. If you are a member please register for this way to give back to the community, support alumni, add value to your business in addition to exploring other recruitment pipelines. Austcham provides a full end-to-end service, making the experience seamless and stress-free for students and host companies alike. Please register your interest through our website or email: julian.finlayson@austcham.com.hk
Intern Program Information Event Date: Thursday 20th June 2019 Price: Free Time: 12:30 - 1:30pm Venue: AustCham Business Centre, 3/F Lucky Building, 39 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong Australian Interns are coming to Hong Kong! Secure your interns now as a complimentary service as part of your membership. Interns are here from November 2019 until February 2020. Meet the AustCham team, join us for a lunch time discussion and answer any questions you may have. Please RSVP to secure your place.
The interns we received from AustCham were completely wonderful! Each one was so helpful in moving processes forward and we were delighted to give them roles with responsibilities in each of the departments in which they were placed. There were intelligent, highly professional, hard working and brought a vibrant efficiency. We always love the interns we receive from universities across Hong Kong during the Hong Kong summer, but these interns from Australia, coming during the Hong Kong winter, helped to bolster our team during that period of the year too. We can’t wait to have more AustCham interns this year! – Liz Begbie, Crossroads Foundation
Here are some testimonials from organisations involved in the 2018 Intern Program Arcadis were very pleased to take an Intern from the Austcham last year. The process was very straightforward and the Intern we had was very enthusiastic and eager to learn. I believe she went away having learnt a lot about what it is like to work in a corporate business environment and communication skills with clients and our teams. We are taking another Intern this summer as we believe the programme is a worthwhile exercise both for Arcadis and for the Intern involved. – Hilary Faulkner, Arcadis Hong Kong
Please register online at www.austcham.com.hk/services/ austcham-intern-program. Numbers are limited.
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Committees in Action - Greater Bay Area Committee
Delegation to Shenzhen: Navigating the Greater Bay Area
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he Greater Bay Area represents a collaborative initiative and a significant opportunity to shape the future of Hong Kong and the ten other cities within the Pearl River Delta. The continued development of the region leaves it well-positioned to play a leading role in advanced manufacturing, technology and innovation, transportation, trade and finance.
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AustCham Hong Kong recently organised its second delegation to see first-hand the developments in Shenzhen, visiting Huawei, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Tencent and UBTECH Robotics – the major players on this landscape. We were joined by a delegation from AustCham Shanghai.
June 2019
AustCham Hong Kong’s “Connecting Opportunities in the Greater Bay Area” report highlighting commercial opportunities within the Greater Bay Area is available here. Committee Sponsors:
Committees in Action - Construction, Infrastructure and Property Committee
Hong Kong’s Digital Twin Hong Kong’s Director of Lands Thomas Chan outlined the Government’s smart city strategy through the wider adoption of digital twin technology to capture the built environment in virtual form. In tandem with BIM and 3D mapping, the Government plans to make this data open source for the private sector over the next three years.
Our thanks to panel moderator Michael Camerlengo, Partner, Infrastructure Advisory, KPMG, and speaker Ben Simpfendorfer, CEO of Silk Road Associates, and to KMPG for hosting the event. This fascinating topic was presented by AustCham’s Construction, Infrastructure and Property Committee.
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Committees in Action
AustCham MGSM CEO Forum Series
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he difference with a Coopers is that you get to meet a real Cooper�. And that was what we got. Coopers Brewery Chairman, Glenn Cooper AM, spoke at our recent CEO Forum Series as a fifth-generation member of the legendar y South Australian brewing family, the largest Glenn Cooper Australia-owned brewery. Glenn says Coopers was the first craft beer, well ahead of the curve in the 1990s. His talk was a terrific insight into an Australian brand which staved off takeover bids by the industry giants. Our thanks to Macquarie Graduate School of Management for sponsoring this event as part of our CEO Forum Series. Thank you also to Jock Auld and Alex Oxford for making it happen and to our Young Executive Committee led by Rachel Phillips. No better way to spend a hot Hong Kong Friday lunchtime than with a Coopers - and a Cooper. Young Executives CEO Forum Series sponsor:
June 2019
Committees in Action - Small Business Network
Networking Tips Founder of networking consultancy keepwith, Megan Burke Roudebush, was a recent committee guest speaker. She provided these tips on how to improve your networking skills – ideal for AustCham members who want to make their membership work for them.
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hile strategic networking is nuanced and can be dif ficult for many, keepwith suggests the following practical strategies to make networking easier for AustCham members:
1.
Make Networking a Habit: Schedule a weekly recurring calendar appointment with yourself during which you engage in deliberate networking activity. Make the appointment recurring and honour the appointment by showing up and not scheduling another commitment at the same time. As a general rule, we recommend that everyone books 30-60 minutes a week for deliberate networking (aka relationship building) activity. Use this time to:
a. Work on your strategic networking plan; b. Schedule meaningful catch-up conversations with key people in your network; c. Complete follow-up “homework” items from a previous recent networking meeting. d. Think about and refine your Networking Goals---ask yourself what you are looking to accomplish through your networking activities?
2.
Consider the Connection Between Networking and Wellness: Research shows that having a strong network, comprised of meaningful relationships with the people who are most important to you, contributes positively towards wellness. That is why we recommend that you build regularly recurring deliberate networking time into your calendar. When thinking about the connection between Networking and Wellness, remember the following:
a. Be Discerning About Whom You Let Into Your Network: With whom you choose to associate (i.e., the members of your network), reflects your personal brand. You are the company you keep. Be careful and deliberate about the people whom you let into your network. b. Spend Time on Relationships that Fuel You: Spend your precious and limited time building and maintaining positive, constructive and supportive relationships and step aside from relationships that do not fuel your overall outlook. c. Focus on the Quality of Your Relationships, Not the Quantity of your Connections: It is impossible to build and maintain an infinite number of relationships. It can be exhausting to even try. By focusing building and maintaining fewer, more meaningful relationships, you are less likely to feel drained form your networking activities.
3.
Know Your Networking Style and Execute Your Relationship Building Approach Accordingly: By knowing the types of networking activities you enjoy (large formal events; more impromptu conversations; meeting people in outside the box ways, for examplewhile you are volunteering, one-on-one-networking conversations), and the types of networking activities that you do not enjoy, you will enjoy your networking activities much more. If you are someone who does not like large formal networking events, perhaps serving on a panel with someone or talking to the person on the spin bike next to you makes more sense. Network in the ways that are most comfortable for you and you will enjoy your relationship building activities enough to make them a habit.
4.
Dispelling Certain Networking Myths a. Networking need not feel transactional. Meaningful relationship building should feel reciprocal and genuine.
b. Networking is not just for professional matters. Challenge yourself to think about networking as relationship building for personal and professional matters. c. I have to be at a large formal networking event in order to be networking. This is definitely not true. You can network by engaging in the following activities: i. Host a monthly/quarterly/regularly scheduled gathering based on a theme (i.e., Monthly Meatball Dinners) ii. Volunteer. By volunteering, you will meet other volunteers, as well as the board members of the organization. Meeting these people is a phenomenal networking opportunity. iii. Invite members of your network to engage in a fitness activity with you: take an exercise class, run a 5k, catch-up over a walk instead of while seated or eating a meal. Thanks to the AustCham Small Business Network committee sponsors:
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Committees in Action
Marketing & Media Network: Politics & Business
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he boundaries between business and politics have never been more blurred than they are today. Guests at our recent event heard first hand from two political and corporate communication experts who shared their ‘war’ stories from political campaigns in Australia and the UK. It was a great opportunity to learn how they applied these skills to their business careers. Our thanks to the speakers, Matt Stafford, President, Asia-Pacific for BCW who has previously worked in the office of the Australian prime minister, and Rob Shorthouse, Communications Director for the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong. He was the Director of Communications for the No Campaign in the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014. Committee sponsors:
June 2019
Corporate Profile A warm welcome to our latest Platinum Patron
Asia Miles asiamiles.com
Asia Miles, Asia’s leading travel and lifestyle rewards program, was launched in February 1999 and now has more than 11 million members and over 800 program partners worldwide. Asia Miles aims to deliver Life Rewarded and offers members extensive opportunities to earn miles by spending daily from a wide range of travel and lifestyle categories, including flights, hotels, dining, financial services, retail, technology brands, living and wellness and much more. With 26 airline partners, Asia Miles members can earn miles when flying to more than 1,000 destinations worldwide. With 400 dining partners to choose from, Asia Miles offers one of the largest number of lifestyle food and beverage options in Asia through which to earn miles. In addition to flight awards, Asia Miles members can also redeem miles and enjoy fabulous awards such as hotel stays at 60,000 hotels, car rental services in 20 countries, and over 35,000 travel and lifestyle awards. What are the main skills of your job? Being at the helm of the Asia Miles team and providing the strategy and thinking that underpins our business. I have a particular focus on developing and maintaining a high-performance culture in the company. In addition, I try to apply my previous experience over loyalty business in the past two decades to take Asia Miles to greater heights, focusing on all stakeholders to achieve greater member engagement, partner satisfaction and business profitability. What does your company do particularly well? We are very member-centric – Asia Miles is committed to putting members right at the heart of our business. We value member feedback, listen to what they say and endeavour to seek out opportunities that create better member experiences. We had a number of “firsts” in 2018, including our first blockchain-enabled dining campaign that enhanced member experience through a gamified miles-earning journey and faster bonus miles crediting. After an encouraging response, we've extended the technology to our retail partners and followed with more blockchain-enabled marketing campaigns in 2019. In addition, we understand our members value flight awards, so we launched our first member-exclusive flight to Osaka in 2018 to give our members an exclusive redemption opportunity. This year, as part of our 20th Anniversary celebrations, we are delighted to bring back the member-exclusive flight, flying our members to Sapporo in June. What’s more, we will be launching a member hub in July to collect feedback from 8,000-plus members to help shape the program.
Paul Smitton Chief Executive Officer How would you describe your workplace and colleagues? Our office is fantastic. It’s designed as a vibrant workspace that can cultivate creativity and build positive momentum. The design and facilities are very employee-centric – our staff can rest, recharge and have meetings at two designated office areas, ‘Our Space’ and ‘My Space’. As for our colleagues, they are the best – young, energetic and creative. What is the vision of your firm? We will continue to be the leading travel and lifestyle rewards programme in Asia. We will keep taking members ahead by offering more rewarding delightful moments, awe-inspiring experiences and everyday surprises. We understand that loyalty is not a given. We need to earn it by staying in step with our members’ inspirations and aspirations – and that in turn is what motivates the Asia Miles team to keep evolving, innovating and responding. What’s your firm’s connection with Australia? Asia Miles has a growing membership base in Australia. We now have nearly 370,000 members in the country and most of them are in the age range of 31 to 40. In addition, our parent company, Cathay Pacific, flies to 6 destinations in Australia every week including Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Cairns and Brisbane. We also have business in Australia within our parent Swire Group. Why did you join AustCham, and what do you hope to get from your membership? AustCham is a good platform for members to connect, engage and grow relationships, given it’s the second largest international chamber in Hong Kong and with its long-standing history. We hope we can take this opportunity to connect more closely with the Australian community, at the same time working to enhance the Asia Miles program in Australia. What’s your favourite place to go (or to eat) in Hong Kong in your spare time? Fineprint serves the best piccolo coffee and smashed avo on sourdough – just like home! It's a great place to go after cycling with friends to Shek O and back. Not to mention the Asia Miles dining partners are my all-time favourites!
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Mentor Program
2018 Graduation Ceremony
T
he 2018 AustCham UOW Mentor Program came to a close with a session on forging a pathway to the boardroom and the graduation ceremony. Guest speakers included AustCham board member Alex Oxford; Deborah Biber (Chief Executive, Blue Moon Asia); and Fyiona Yong (Millenial Leadership Coach). Vanessa Bourne from the University of Wollongong presented certificates to the mentors and mentees present. Our thanks to UOW and the venue supporter throughout the series KPMG, and of course to the mentors and mentees.
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Please watch this space for details of the 2019 program which will be announced soon. If you are interested in being a mentor or mentee please contact pearl.li@austcham.com.hk
Title sponsor:
Alumni of the 2018 AustCham UOW Mentor Program
Mentee Andrea Lew Annalise Haigh Bryce McKee David Gallie Dominic Varley Elaine Shu Jason Siu Jehan Kanagasingham Katherine Law Krystle Edwards Kylie Saunders Nancy Wang Nicolas Cheung Nicole Roddy Olivia Burgess Rhiannon Alban-Davies Ryan Fleming Shirman Lai Simon Quail June 2019
Willis Towers Watson KorumLegal Insite Solutions Black Kite Brewery Limited Shandong Gold Willis Towers Watson Goodman ANZ Bank Willis Towers Watson Proco Global Group Telstra ANZ Hills Koncept (Hills Energy) Limited Probitas Patners Citi Willis Towers Watson Fisher & Paykel Healthcare ANZ Ernst & Young
Mentor Program Mentor Andrew Tam Angelo Iannazzo Cassandra Ho Catherine Mooney Cecilia Lui Christopher Chan Deirdre Lander Jennifer Theunissen Kelvin Law Paul Raben-Christensen Rod van Buuren Roger Steel Shirley Adrain Stuart Sanders Theresa Johnson
ANZ Bank Stanhope IPC Limited Madison Pacific Trust Limited Asante Capital Group ILIA Connect Lakeville Capital Management Willis Towers Watson PineBridge Investments Blue Oak International Ltd. Bloomberg LP ASG Group WillisTowersWatson Career Catalyst Group Velocity Technology Limited HKSAR Department of Justice
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AustCham CSR Partners AustCham is committed to giving back to the communities in which we operate – and, importantly, in which our members operate. Not only is this good for business, it is the right thing to do. We are pleased to support our three CSR partners.
The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) is a private sector-led, nonprofit organisation focused on empowering young Indigenous people in financial need to build a brighter future for themselves and for the nation. AIEF provides scholarships that enable Indigenous students to attend leading Australian schools and universities, as well as mentoring and career support to ensure students make a successful transition from school to further studies or employment, productive careers and fulfilling lives. www.aief.com.au
The Fred Hollows Foundation
The Hub
The Fred Hollows Foundation is a leading Australian charity inspired by the work of the late Professor Fred Hollows. Fred was an eye doctor, renowned surgeon and highlyrespected Australian dedicated to ending avoidable blindness in developing countries.
The HUB is a children's support centre which provides educational support, extra-curricular classes, family counselling, social health and wellbeing services to those who need it most without discrimination.
Our vision is a world in which no one is needlessly blind. 4 out of 5 people that are blind don’t need to be. We work in 25 countries, and have restored sight to more than 2.5 million people. The Foundation’s Hong Kong office aims to reach the increasing number of needlessly blind in the Asia region, especially in mainland China, where 20% of the world’s blind live. www.hollows.org/hk/home
Hong Kong based Australians David Boehm and Bruce Stinson decided they wanted to give something back to Hong Kong after 30+ years of working and living here and the outcome was a commitment to help the children in disadvantaged circumstances. Their belief that children are the future and key for Hong Kong to continue to be a prosperous community spurred them to form a charity to give underprivileged children the opportunity to find a better environment to develop into contributing members of the community. www.thehubhk.org