Issue 6 Spring 2016 American Chamber of Commerce in Australia OďŹƒcial Magazine
Innovation. There is always a better way
The right to invent
Cybercrime. Think before you click
Page 6
Page 16
Page 20
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Contents
Issue 6 Spring 2016 American Chamber of Commerce in Australia Official Magazine
American Chamber of Commerce in Australia Head Office: Level 6, 48 Hunter Street Sydney NSW 2000 P: 02 8031 9000 E: nsw@amcham.com.au W: www.amcham.com.au AmCham offices in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide
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Foreword 2
Cover Feature: Innovation
Published by:
There is always a better way
Big Picture: Digital Disruption 4
Cover Feature:
Innovation. There is always a better way 6
Health Committee - A Snapshot 10
Women in Leadership: ABN: 57 074 729 007 PO Box 824 Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Kirsten O’Doherty
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Innovation Committee
P: 1800 222 757
- A Snapshot
F: 1800 063 151 E: publications@ crowtherblayne.com.au
Feature Article: The right to invent 16
W: www.crowtherblayne.com.au
Podcast:
Advertising Sales: Lyndon Smith Editor: Samantha Regan
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Cybercrime – think before you click 20
Committee Roundup
24
State Roundup
28
Production Controller: Yvonne Okseniuk Managing Editor: Trish Riley Design Team: Andrew Crabb, Michelle Triana and Danny McGirr Printed By: Newstyle Printing
Access Spring 2016 1
Foreword
The impact of technology Maureen Dougherty, Chairman AmCham Australia President, Boeing Australia and South Pacific
It is difficult to believe, but the end of the year is in sight. As fast as 2016 has gone, compare that to the pace we see every day with new technologies. Whether it’s wearable technology, robotics in manufacturing, how a car drives or a plane flies, or just how we live our lives today – technology impacts all of us.
For years – over fifty, in fact – the pace of technology was often described in terms of Moore’s Law. Named after Gordon Moore, a co-founder of semiconductor company Intel, Moore’s Law describes how computing power would continue to increase as the cost decreased. That axiom has served not just the tech industry – but all industries including many right here in Australia. If you doubt the wisdom of Gordon Moore, just think back to the black-and-white photos of old mainframe computers chugging away to perform very basic tasks – and compare that to what your mobile phone can do today. In the great scheme of things, it took relatively little time to advance the state of the art in a way that anyone with a smartphone in their hand can do more than those costly, room-sized mainframes. Whether Moore’s Law continues as a theory or not, what is certain is that American companies operating in Australia – together with small and medium-sized enterprises – have a great role to play in continuing to drive innovation and technology on a global scale. Australia has been and remains a great proving ground for businesses seeking new ways to incorporate technology in their production cycles, internal processes, and ultimately their products. Please enjoy this latest edition of Access and its focus on technology and innovation.
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Welcome
‘The next wave’ Innovation and Automation Niels Marquardt, CEO AmCham Australia
If there’s one thing that encapsulates the American character, it’s the constant drive to push boundaries and to innovate. Indeed, as recently departed U.S. Ambassador to Australia John Berry has pointed out, this bold entrepreneurial spirit is a key attribute shared equally by Australians and Americans. Like many others across business and government, AmCham has sharpened its focus on innovation this past year. Whether through providing access to opportunity by leading Innovation Missions or championing the policies that incentivise innovation, we continue to support a pathway that will make the Australian economy more open, more dynamic, and more connected to key partners like the United States. Yet with so many concurrent conversations about this topic, it can be hard to define the signal from the noise. So given this edition’s theme is innovation, it is worthwhile pausing to demystify what exactly we mean by this. When we visited some of the world’s leading innovators in California last year on AmCham’s annual Innovation Mission, we heard innovation described as the process of creating something new that adds value, or re-combining to create value. This is absolutely not confined to the tech sector and startups, though these players are important parts of the story in both countries. In many cases, digital technology companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Apple and Google are pioneers in advancing a culture of innovation, fostering the mindset and skillset individuals and organisations need to adapt to rapid
economic shifts. As I have seen first-hand through our exploration of the ecosystems in Sydney, San Diego, and Silicon Valley, innovation can be found in any organisation that is willing to broaden its idea of the possible and channel its investment into unchartered waters. For many, this shows up as a greater focus on automation and artificial intelligence technologies. In fact, a recent study by AmCham member KPMG Australia found that robotics now account for more than 80 percent of work involved in manufacturing a car. An incredible figure, considering that it was just over a century ago that Henry Ford installed the first moving assembly line at his factory in Michigan. What’s more, this is just the tip of the iceberg when we consider that the spread of robotics and subsequent automation has been all the more decisive thanks to the forces of globalisation.
At AmCham, the perspective we continue to advance is that an open economy with a robust free trade regime is the best formula for improving access to opportunity for all. An open economy that allows innovation to flourish is essential for our current and future prosperity. Those who deny this truth will be severely punished by the irresistible tide of globalisation. We need to embrace the fact that we are living through an era of tremendous transformation. This is bringing unprecedented opportunities to those who recognise them. The present drive towards automation is by no means the end of the story. The challenge for us all is to embrace innovation, which will sustain business and help to create the jobs of the future.
This latest wave of automation is unrelenting, and continues to compel structural adjustments. Yet when I visited Washington with an AmCham delegation earlier this year, it was clear that some still erroneously see a solution in trying to swim against the tide, opposing critical building blocks for our shared prosperity like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). At the Peterson Institute, economists explained to us that while some 80 percent of recent job loss in the U.S. has been caused by automation, trade policy is mistakenly blamed for most of it. In other words, it is American machines, not Mexican workers, that are making so many of our jobs redundant as we all globalise. This is not a trend that can be resisted by building walls or reversed by an isolationist trade policy.
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Big Picture
The GDP related to the Internet is worth over $4 trillion US, 3.5x more than the oil and gas industry
Digital Disruption How digital technology is transforming our world
Only 42% of companies say they know how to extract meaningful insights from their data
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64% of SMBs already use cloud-based software, and 88% expect to in the next 2-3 years
57% of a B2B purchase decision is made before buyers talk to a sales rep 9 out of 10 companies have already been the target of a cyber-attack By 2025, the total worth of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology could be $6.2 trillion – most of that value is healthcare ($2.5 trillion) and manufacturing ($2.3 trillion)
Globally, cloud apps will account for 90% of total mobile data traffic by 2019
Uber and Airbnb are just the start. The sharing economy will grow 3,000% from 2015 to 2030
The use of sensors will grow 700,000% by 2030
All statistics provided are courtesy of SAP Digital Disruption Report 2016
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Cover Feature: Innovation
INNOVATION
There is always a better way Innovation is a hot topic around the world, as industries, governments and universities grapple with accelerating change, and strive to nurture, cultivate and ultimately harness and profit from it. The Michael Crouch Innovation Centre at UNSW Australia (“MCIC”) has quickly emerged as an important player in Australia’s contribution to this worldwide movement. I am Brad Furber, a lawyer, technology entrepreneur and angel investor originally from the State of Washington who lived and worked in Seattle and Copenhagen, Denmark before moving to Australia. In late 2014, I was hired by UNSW to take what was then, a greenfields concept, and lead a collaborative co-design process to launch, operate and now expand the MCIC.
The MCIC was established through the generosity of business leader and philanthropist Michael Crouch AO, and is guided by Michael’s conviction that “there is always a better way.” It’s a simple but dynamic notion, and it supports our core purpose: “We are an emergent force fostering innovation to create a better world.” If you pop in to the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre on any given day, the first thing you see may be an international figure, such as Guy Kawasaki or Peter Shankman, speaking in the Event Space and inspiring students, staff, academics and others from the greater community. The next thing might be groups of people collaborating to solve a wicked problem in the Design Space. Then perhaps a bevy of industrious makers bent over a 3D printer, laser cutter or CNC milling machine in the Maker Space. Walking by the other side of the new Hilmer Building, you might see an exhibition of surfboards with Islamic art patterns in the Exhibition Space. Finally, if you are lucky enough to get access to the secure co-working space on the first level, you will see teams of young innovators at work in the shared “in Residence” Space, developing start-up ideas, learning from industry and government leaders, and being mentored by, and mentoring other entrepreneurs. Perhaps most exciting of all will be something you can’t see with the naked eye. This is the complex and open neural network that spreads out from, and feeds into, the MCIC value web. It’s the cross-pollination of ideas and the hybridisation of solutions that spring from new relationships between people from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. That’s because the MCIC is far more than a single centre or series of physical spaces. The MCIC is a platform, both physical and digital, that seeks to inspire creativity and enable collaboration through new ways of working, connecting and creating value. The MCIC is enabled by UNSW and powered by the community. For us, community means not only staff, students and alumni but also industry, government and individuals from the community – anyone who has ideas, questions, or simply wants to find a better way. In its first year of operations, the MCIC generated more than 20,000 meaningful engagements with end users, and demand is growing.
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Our long-term vision was co-designed using the DesignShop™ process trademarked by MG Taylor. Matt and Gail Taylor, the original creators of the MG Taylor methodology, have played an important role during our formative stages, serving as “Artists in Residence” of the MCIC for three months in 2016. The DesignShop methodology, used by complex organisations to effect culture change or strategic transformations, has three phases: Scan, Focus, Act. We engaged in an intensive three-day Version 2.0 of MCIC DesignShop with 65 participants from industry, government and academia. Among other outputs, the participants co-designed and co-created a Gazelle’s format one-page strategic plan, which we are now using to help guide our future work. Matt and Gail also lead a two-day DesignShop for the PLuS Alliance (so named because Phoenix, London and Sydney are the main locations of the three research-led alliance partners, Arizona State University, Kings College London and UNSW). They remain actively engaged with the MCIC remotely from the U.S. and plan to return. The MCIC has become a neutral space for an expanding global diaspora of creative MG Taylor trained Knowledge Workers, and the MCIC is now seeking to expand this way of working both internally and externally. (See panel.) One of the MCIC’s inspirations is James Collins, author (with Jerry Porras) of Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, and Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... And Others Don’t. It was Jim who trademarked the phrase BHAG, or “Big Hairy Audacious Goal”. The MCIC’s BHAG is:
“We aspire to be the leading university based innovation network in Asia Pacific by 2025.” That goal puts us right at the centre of UNSW’s bold 2025 Strategy, which commits the university to playing a leading role in Australia’s National Science and Innovation Agenda. The activities that flow from this are shepherded by UNSW’s newly created Division of Enterprise, and the MCIC now plays a central role in this division. The Enterprise Division’s strategy aims to support and enhance all aspects of UNSW’s industry engagement, innovation and entrepreneurial activities, with a view to doubling the university’s knowledge exchange revenues within five years. At the MCIC, we also aim to be “multipliers” in the sense explored by Liz Wiseman in her book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter. She defines “multipliers” as people who believe smart people are everywhere, in contrast to “diminishers”, who think they are among an elite group of individuals (i.e, “the smartest ones in the room”). Diminishers think they need to have all the answers, so they tend to be empire builders, tyrants, know-it-alls, decision makers, or micromanagers. Multipliers, on the other hand, believe their job is to ask the right questions, so they act as talent magnets, liberators, challengers, debate makers and investors. At the MCIC, we aspire to be “multipliers of multipliers”. Our core values state that “everyone is welcome” and “innovation is in everyone’s DNA”, because we start from the premise that people are smart and will figure things out. The UNSW motto is “manu et mente”, or “with hand and mind”.
We take that further and say, “The best way to learn is through hand, mind and heart.” We believe in the value of networks, the wisdom of crowds and group genius. Accordingly, our brand promise is: “If we can’t help you find a better way, we’ll help you find someone or something that will. Within our centre and network, together, we will find a better way.” We’re agile and customer-centric, and are constantly focused on improving our end user experience. But we are a relatively small team, so what we do in the MCIC is a function of who is in it. The who is key. Everyone is welcome, true. But the people we hire and provide with “in Residence” access must live and breathe and reflect our purpose, our core values and our brand promise. No exceptions. That’s our secret sauce. It’s well known that academic silos confine people and ideas to their own divisions and faculties. It’s also well established that creativity springs from team work. Even in the movie The Imitation Game, the genius Alan Turing makes his breakthrough when he talks to someone outside his usual circle at a pub. Thanks to Michael Crouch’s generosity, the MCIC was created through a top-down process, making it independent of any one faculty, school or department. This is rare globally and unique in Australia. As a result, the MCIC is exceptionally broad, outward-looking and institutionally neutral. We see the centre as the “leading node” in an open network, and have established our first new node, CATAPULT, in the Faculty of Engineering’s School of Computer Science. Eventually we hope to have MCIC nodes in every UNSW faculty, and
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Cover Feature: Innovation
externally with strategic partners. Every relationship extends and enhances the MCIC network. The MCIC has four pillars – events, design, makers and in-residence. Everything we do aims to foster a culture of innovation on campus and beyond. We seek to inspire an innovation mindset in every UNSW graduate, contribute to the innovation ecosystem in Australia, and influence the emerging innovation economy around the world. Our events include innovation challenges, hackathons, thought leaders, maker workshops, seminars, community building, and pitch and ideation events. These are facilitated by experts from UNSW and our network of external partners. Fiona Tschaut, our Program Manager produces, co-creates and curates a broad and deep offering of programs and events. She is orchestrating a multi-faculty/division UNSW collaboration with Australian Futures Project, My Big Idea, for up to 500 Australians to take part in a three-month innovation capability-building program. In addition, right now we are hosting a 13-week series of start-up talks organized by Selena Griffith, UNSW Senior Lecturer and Engineering Scientia Education Experience Manager. We also hosted and co-orchestrated the ANZ Data Science Hackathon, an ANZ innovation initiative in partnership with UNSW, IBM, Thomson Reuters, GitHub and Stone and Chalk. Our collaborative design work focuses on philosophy, best practices, capability development, facilitation services and
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experiential learning. For example, in June 2016, we were hired by NAB Private to produce a Business Co-Design Sprint to explore whether there is an opportunity for a financial organization that can comprehensively support startups and emerging growth ventures in a way that no Australian financial organization has or does. The one-day session brought together over 35 participants with experience as bankers, venture capitalists, angels, entrepreneurs, lawyers, policy makers and academics, and was facilitated with the assistance of one of the MCIC’s strategic partners, and current Expert in Residence, Business Models, Inc. (co-founded by the producer of worldwide bestseller Business Model Generation). We are currently engaged to design and facilitate a two-day workshop, using the MG Taylor methodology, to drive alignment and culture change in connection with the implementation of a CRM system for a large, complex organization. Our makers range from bio-hackers, coders and digital fabricators to engineers and traditional woodworkers. In our Maker Space, we provide end users with the tools and the resources to play, to rapidly prototype, and to bring ideas to reality. We provide foundational learning, including 3D Printing 101 inductions, and we host everything from bike-repair workshops, to peer-topeer Arduino and Raspberry Pi coding classes, to yoga sessions. The latter have proved to be quite popular, as our community seeks to learn how to harness the benefits of mindfulness and meditation for their creative practices.
Under our “in Residence” program, we invite founders, funders, experts, mentors and artists to co-locate and/or hotdesk with us. In exchange for access to our facilities and programs, they commit to engage in knowledge exchange and to cultivate relationships and opportunities with other participants. Our current “Catalysts” include, among others, the founders of DisruptSports.com (bespoke sports gear), CAITRE’d (concierge catering), Wattblock (energy analytics), SkyGrid (IoT platform services), InstrumentWorks (data collection and analytics) and Quberider (space science ride sharing services). Our current “Experts” include, among others, founders or Australian executives of Business Models, Inc. (global strategy and collaborative design), Student.com (global student accommodation platform), Wordplay (creative design), WhereToFromHere (collaborative design) and Lightbulb (collaborative design). Our very first exhibition was the global premiere of DomeLab, an experimental visualisation platform initiated by UNSW Art & Design. It was produced by our first MCIC Artist in Residence, Professor Sarah Kenderdine, who now serves as Director of Visualisation for UNSW’s trans-disciplinary initiative Expanded Perception and Interaction Centre (EPIC). DomeLab was first erected as an MCIC-sponsored exhibit in August 2015, and since then it has travelled to five other locations as part of an ARC LIEF Grant in collaboration with 10 other organizations. DomeLab is a fantastic example of how a state-of-the-art exhibit can bring
together science and art to transform the way we visualize data and disease, and also lead to bigger and grander visions and projects. One of UNSW’s great sources of satisfaction is the alliance formed between our university and China’s “Torch” high technology industry development program. In China, since 1988, the Ministry of Science and Technology and partner companies have established 150 science and technology precincts by co-locating Chinese businesses, universities and research organisations. The Torch precincts now generate some 7 percent of China’s GDP, 10 percent of its industrial output and 16 percent of export value. For the Torch Precinct at UNSW, an initial AU$30 million investment has been secured by eight Chinese companies to support Australian research, in Australia, in advanced materials, biotechnology, energy, and environmental engineering. Independent economic modelling by Deloitte Access Economics estimates that the new precinct will add more than AU$1 billion to Australia’s GDP in the first ten years alone. The first group of UNSW Torch industry partners will initially set up incubator spaces on the Kensington campus, close to researchers and a growing community of student entrepreneurs. Investment is expected to build to AU$100 million, enabling UNSW to construct a new purpose-built, globally connected UNSW innovation precinct by 2025.
The Torch Precinct concept is a great example of the “triple helix”, the structure that brings universities, government and industry together in collaborative endeavours. Often, that physical proximity is key, as we have learned from Torch and other exemplars around the world. By creating science parks where you get collaboration, you also spark curiosity, creativity and ultimately innovation. UNSW wants to create a triple helix and the MCIC is a living lab for this approach. We want to scale it up and build a much larger innovation precinct, like an MCIC on steroids. Innovation is a hot topic in Australia and around the world because it is perhaps the key driver to creating and sustaining long-term economic growth and prosperity. The global leaders in innovation are also, not surprisingly, global leaders in terms of GDP per capita. Economic opportunity and growth, of course, lead to many other things, including political stability, security and general well being. If you look at recent indexes, such as the Global Innovation Index 2016 (Cornell University, INSEAD, and WIPO), the top ten nations in innovation are Switzerland, Sweden, UK, U.S., Finland, Singapore, Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany. In Asia Pacific, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Japan lead the way. New Zealand and Australia are also in the top 20, but at the back of the pack. That’s why Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s government, rightly, is focused on trying to improve Australia’s innova-
Collaborative design to solve wicked problems The Michael Crouch Innovation Centre at UNSW Australia is establishing a series of design sessions to bring industry, government and academics together to solve wicked problems for their collective benefit. Each session will be designed to educate participants in the tools, techniques and methods of collaborative design and innovation, while providing an opportunity to develop and strengthen relationships.
tion culture, capabilities and incentives. Australia’s innovation ecosystem is in transition, and it is learning from best practices globally. In policy development, big science projects, and international collaboration, Australia has much to gain from, and much to contribute to, the global innovation ecosystem. At the MCIC, we believe we are capable of playing an important role in this evolution. The fact that everyone is welcome at the MCIC makes it capable of attracting people from all disciplines, and all walks of life. In general, we don’t ask people for their credentials at the door. Our culture and practices enable us to attract not only the usual suspects, but also the unusual and extraordinary – sometimes it is the outliers who come up with the breakthrough ideas and solutions. If we get lucky, we may just attract someone like Will Hunting, the character played by Matt Damon in the movie Good Will Hunting, who as a janitor at MIT proves to be smarter at solving math problems than the Fields Medal recipient professor posting these challenges. Bottom line: The ultimate MCIC output is creating and supporting a culture and a community where it is fun and rewarding to learn by doing, to take risks, to fail, to keep trying, and to collaborate with other curious and creative people and organizations.
The sessions will be targeted at a specific challenge or opportunity, and will entail: • A deep dive into the context of the challenge or opportunity • Exploration of associated trends and adjacent or related insights • Input and insight from a range of experts across industry, government and academia • Development of enabling models and potential solution sets • Establishing a roadmap for an agreed way forward, and a platform that enables participants to stay connected
If you are interested in exploring how your organization might sponsor, or participate in one or more of these design sessions, please send an email to Brad Furber: brad.furber@unsw.edu.au
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Committee Feature
Snapshot: Transforming Healthcare Interview with Andrew Wiltshire, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs of Medtronic Australasia Pty Ltd
Australia’s healthcare system is under pressure. Many healthcare professionals, policymakers, and government officials share the view that although the overall quality of care is high, the country’s healthcare spending is of concern, and innovation in the form of technology and new service delivery models are required to help provide solutions. This is also the collective opinion of the diverse members of the American Chamber of Commerce Health Committee who, comprised of pharmaceutical, medical devices, dental, healthcare services, complementary medicine, hands-on community services and select organisations, represent the broad spectrum of the healthcare industry of both U.S. and Australian based companies. Working with the U.S. and Australian Governments to advocate for a sustainable healthcare policy for the benefits
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of its members and the community, the Committee supports the development of a vibrant healthcare system that promotes innovation, and delivers best practice in healthcare. “The issues facing healthcare are similar to those in other sectors,” says Andrew Wiltshire, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs of Medtronic Australasia Pty Ltd and Chairman of the AmCham Health Committee. In addition to the challenge of getting products to market faster, the industry is under increased pressure from
Government with regard to regulation and rapidly escalating health care costs. “There are limits to the amount of health care consumption any public or private insurance system can realistically finance.” adds Wiltshire. “This is especially true when demand for health care services grows faster than the capacity of the sector itself, which causes prices to rise faster than the economy-wide rate of inflation. “Rising cost pressures do however, spur innovation in new therapies, technology,
and business models that have the potential to disrupt existing arrangements. “The AmCham Health Committee believes that with the right policy direction and careful management, the Australian healthcare system could in fact, be a major contributor to the country’s economy. The sector is already one of the largest providers of employment, and the fifth largest contributor to Australia’s GDP, but it could contribute further by attracting foreign investment and talent, especially in the ‘Medtech’ and R&D arena. “A real opportunity exists for the healthcare sector to become a major export industry,” adds Wiltshire, “to the extent that it could help compensate for the decline in traditional export markets. “The AmCham Health Committee has provided Government with a raft of recommendations dealing primarily with the reduction
of red tape, and the need to foster better regulatory reforms – all issues that are adding to the cost of healthcare and discouraging innovation. “It’s an exciting time to be involved in the healthcare sector,” says Wiltshire. “The Government appears to understand that private health insurance is a fundamental element of the health system offering consumers greater choice over their care whilst taking pressure off Medicare and public hospitals so that their universality remains sustainable. “The AmCham Health Committee applauds many of the reforms being proposed,” adds Wiltshire, ‘particularly the efforts to maintain private sector involvement so as to ensure the delivery of consumer’s value for money. If this were to cease, Australia would miss out on opportunities for innovation and the improvement of healthcare on the whole.
“In addition to advising on local health reforms, the Health Committee has been actively involved with advocacy on ‘big picture’ items such as the TPP agreement, and more specifically, the establishment of commonly-agreed rules relating to data exclusivity and the transparency of laws and regulations. “Working within the AmCham environment, we are fortunate enough to have access to Government and mission personnel from both sides, and we are excited about the support being provided.”
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Women in Leadership
Kirsten O’Doherty, General Manager of AbbVie Where can you find a company where employees are happy, have high energy, great morale and speak the same organisational language, regardless of the ups and downs of the industry? Where people know, not only what the organisation’s values are, but also use those values as their basis for making decisions? According to Kirsten O’Doherty, the General Manager ANZ, and the biopharmaceutical company, AbbVie, where she leads a team a team of 285 staff across Australia and New Zealand, AbbVie is just such a company. “It is vitally important for an organisation to have a clear and common purpose that extends across the company,” says Kirsten, “one that everyone can identify with, and connect to. Having a common purpose creates an enormous impact in an organisation’s culture and spirit – its soul, if you will - that drives success beyond financial statements.” What is your leadership style, and what is your philosophy about leadership? “The highest priority in a company is its people,” says Kirsten. “I think management need to engage in a number of behaviours that build trust including leading-by-listening, showing compassion and caring, demonstrating their own commitment to the organisation, and giving employees the authority to do their job while inspiring them to do their best work. “In addition to holding them accountable, it is vitally important to value people’s individual contribution, as this motivates, and enables them to collaborate, and innovate with confidence.
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What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow, and develop as a leader? “AbbVie has a culture of continued learning – both locally and globally, and I am fortunate that I have been able to continue upskilling within the organisational environment. “In addition to ongoing professional development courses undertaken however, there is constant ‘on the job’ development and training where one learns from others. “I personally subscribe to the philosophy that you learn the most when you undertake challenges not done before,” says Kirsten. “Continued learning and innovation go hand in hand, and the greatest growth comes when you are stretched or made uncomfortable.” Throughout her career, Kirsten has remained committed to on-going professional development. Kirsten is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has undertaken residential senior leadership programs at the London Business School and at IMD in Switzerland. What do you feel has been your greatest career accomplishment to date, and how has it equipped you for your current role? “I would have to say that the formation of AbbVie from within the global Abbott Group in 2013 was the most exciting, rewarding and challenging aspect of my career to date” “In essence, it meant separating a global corporation of 69,000 employees across 150 countries, and then building a brand new organisation; a new culture, new values, separate back office services, IT, everything.“ “Initially the team felt lost. Where we had been a large organisation with an existing footprint, we were suddenly an ‘unknown’, a blank canvas on which to try and create a new company. “Coming back to the importance of having a clear vision and common purpose,” adds Kirsten, “and I’m happy to report that for the last
“CONTINUED LEARNING AND INNOVATION GO HAND IN HAND”
three years AbbVie has achieved a ranking on the ‘Great Place to Work’ listing – we are #14 this year, and for the past five years, we have ranked as one of Australia’s most innovative companies – being named #7 this year.” What does mentorship mean to you, and how do you mentor successfully? “AbbVie has extensive mentorship programs globally, and I have been privileged to have been mentored by a number of senior executives throughout my career, as well as mentor people myself,” “As a member of the AbbVie regional leadership team, I have had the opportunity to interact with colleagues across Asia, including China and Japan, and we’re working together to implement similar mentoring programs locally.” What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organisation? “The most important decisions we make are those relating to the company’s direction and strategy,” says Kirsten. “There are always multiple options, and in a world that is changing as rapidly as ours is, there is always more that one can do. It’s tempting to take on too much, to try to be too many things to too many people. “I believe it’s probably more important to decide on what not to do, and to have very clear priorities for the short and medium term.” What strategic issues keep you awake at night? “The greatest challenge for us currently, is how we can improve communication and collaboration with the Government in order to better demonstrate the value of our medicines and platforms for patients, and for Australia as a whole.”
How are innovation and the use of technolog y impacting on the healthcare industry? “Consumers are definitely beginning to manage their health, and their health spending in ways that will ripple across the industry,” says Kirsten. “Already there are patients having video consults, and using their smartphones as diagnostic tools. “There are significant opportunities for using ‘big data’ to better direct health services and effectiveness. Nurses, doctors and other clinicians will need to learn to work in new ways, incorporating insights gleaned from data analysis into their treatment plans. “AbbVie already have a number of internet-based and social media platforms – again governed by regulations – that offer good support, but I foresee that going forward we will expend more and more effort on developing these platforms.” What do you see for the future of women in leadership positions in your industry? “While the healthcare and pharma industries are heavily female orientated – up to 70% in fact – there are not a lot of female GMs or senior executives in place. It is vitally important that organisational leadership is representative of the employee and customer base. “Companies need to be reviewing representation across the board, and if it is not truly representative then it needs to be actively managed. Diversity drives innovation and higher performance, and if it is not present, there is a good chance you’re missing out.”
Kirsten’s experience includes leadership of financial performance, marketing and sales excellence, strategic planning, change management and creating high levels of employee engagement. Originally qualified and working as a hospital pharmacist, her career has led to more than 20 years in the Australian pharmaceutical industry in varying roles, moving from clinical research and medical roles to commercial roles, and into senior leadership roles with increasing responsibilities. Kirsten is a Board member of Medicines Australia, the industry association for the pharmaceutical industry in Australia.
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Feature Article INNOVATION:
Disrupt or Be Disrupted! Technology is radically transforming how we live, work, communicate and create. We need to embrace new ideas in innovation and science, and harness new sources of growth to deliver the next age of economic prosperity in Australia.
This is the underlying mandate of the AmCham Innovation Committee, chaired by Geoff Culbert, President and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric Australia and New Zealand. “Innovation is important to every sector of the economy – from ICT to healthcare, education to agriculture, and defence to transport – in every stage of business”, says Culbert. “Innovation keeps U.S. competitive. It keeps U.S. at the cutting edge. It creates jobs and enables U.S. to enjoy a high standard of living.”
“The Innovation Committee provides an opportunity for AmCham members to get involved in the innovation dialogue in Australia, and more specifically, to influence the impact on the U.S. business community.” “Australia is considered one of the most innovative markets in the world,” adds Culbert. “The Innovation Committee acts as a bridge between Australia and the U.S., in order for members to access and learn about what’s trending in the U.S., in order to bring ideas and opportunities
back, implement similar tactics and grow their businesses.” “The initiatives undertaken to date have all been well received. From the first mission to Silicon Valley in 2015, which was attended by a number of companies in various phases of growth, to those held recently in Melbourne and Sydney, members have all spoken highly of the experience. The second mission to the U.S. in November this year is already fully subscribed.” When asked about the challenges facing innovation in Australia, Culbert said: “The pace and variety of change across every sector is happening faster than ever before. The challenge for every business is, disrupt or be disrupted. We need to identify what the future looks like, and ensure that we are investing enough into R&D so that our products remain competitive.” “Twenty to thirty years ago, you knew the competitors, and the likelihood of new competition, but today it’s those threats that you could never have anticipated – threats like Uber and Airbnb, that are disrupting traditional industries.” “Australia is now in its 26th year of uninterrupted economic growth against a background of major structural reforms and global shocks. Despite this growth, our productivity performance has been
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lagging for almost a decade. Innovation is a major force for productivity growth, and that is why we must be resolute in our commitment to it.” “Australia has to retain its global competitiveness,” adds Culbert. “As a relatively small country in terms of population, and being geographically isolated in a world where more countries are competing, we have to work much harder to secure Australia’s future economic prosperity. This country has traditionally been known as a low risk, high return environment and we need to hold that position by redoubling our efforts on innovation, and continuing to seek and develop markets based upon global exports and scale.” “Innovation is not just about startups, consumer apps or IT. It’s also about established businesses doing things better to stay competitive in a changing environment. To make the biggest impact on the economy, the immediate focus needs to be on innovation within industries that already have size and scale, industries that are currently competing and driving millions of dollars into the economy - industries such as mining and resources, oil and gas, and healthcare.”
globally, a track record of solid R&D, and significant money invested in hardware; and it’s not enough. There has been a seismic shift in terms of how businesses are run, combined with the emergence, and importance of big data and analytics. These dynamics are driving and demanding innovation for our customers.” “I am excited by the opportunities. Australians have proven to be ‘early adopters’. We have great academic capabilities, a global mindset, and innovation that is happening on the factory floor, on our farms, in our retail environment and in the office, in addition to the leading-edge research occurring in our science laboratories. We are perfectly placed to be the petri dish for piloting concepts that will turn into commercial opportunities – to create jobs and drive our economic future.”
“With the U.S. being the biggest twoway trade partner with Australia, the AmCham Innovation Committee provides an active knowledge-based environment that provides members with access to ideas and innovations that can be taken back into their own organisations,” says Culbert. “It is obvious by the sheer number of members who have volunteered to be on the committee, and the significant contribution those members have made, that the Innovation Committee has tapped into an area of high interest and importance, and one that will continue to grow.”
“It’s not enough to be a sizeable company,” says Culbert. “Speaking specifically about GE, we have a long history of manufacturing technology infrastructure
Access Spring 2016 15
Feature Article
Did you know that right to invent is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution? Carla Degenhardt, Watermark (Patent Attorneys)
Among the United States Founding Father’s inventions were the telegraph, the first revolver, the American sewing machine, the rotary press and the mechanical reaper. Vulcanization was discovered by one of them, and another changed how both industrial and domestic stoves are used. A further Founder invented the rotary printing press, which made the early editions of this publication possible.
To this day the rights of the American inventor are paramount in any discussion around changing IP law. Most recently, the America Invents Act added a ‘micro’ entity fee level to its revenue system to ensure that American inventors, no matter how small can have access to intellectual property protection so as to enable the start up of enterprises. The Wall Street Journal in March 2015 states that ‘inventiveness is at the heart of the American character’. As you are aware, AmCham in Australia recognises its role in bringing the innovation cultures of the two countries together AmCham’s aim is to be a critical hub offering connections and access to opportunity, and the establishment of working groups over recent years has enabled the organisation to address communities of interest within its stakeholder group providing those communities and their guests with tailored, exclusive access to thought leadership, policy advice, business advocacy, information, and relationships with like-minded people, businesses and government. In the innovation space particularly, a competitive advantage is essential to grow businesses efficiently and intelligently. From an Intellectual Property perspective, the U.S. is a major patent destination for Australian innovators. The most recent data from the World Intellectual Property Organisation shows that in 2014/15 38 percent of patent applications filed outside Australia were filed in the U.S. In 2015, some 76 percent of all patents filed into Australia from off shore originated in the U.S.
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The last decade has seen the introduction of a number of landmark initiatives designed to promote trade and investment between Australia and the U.S. Since implementation of the Australia/U.S. Free Trade Agreement in 2005 there has been a large increase in investment between our countries. •
The U.S. is Australia’s most significant investor at 27.2% of the $758.2 billion of Australia’s foreign investment (as at December 2014) and is also Australia’s largest destination for investment abroad – 30% or $575.5 billion of Australia’s total foreign investment.
•
In 2014/15, the U.S. was Australia’s third largest two-way trading partner in goods and services with a worth totaling $64.6 billion. Australia’s goods exports to the US totalled $13.4 billion and imports from the U.S. into Australia were $44.1 billion. The bilateral service trade figures for 2014/15 were $7.1 billion for exports and $13.7 billion for imports.
Recently the Trans Pacific Partnership (“TPP”) signed by twelve Pacific Rim countries but yet to be ratified, was welcomed by both the U.S. and Australian business communities. The TPP is the most ambitious and comprehensive free trade agreement ever negotiated and aims to promote commerce and
investment in the region. Representatives from the twelve Pacific Rim countries met in May to discuss progress on ratification of the Agreement. Some of their shared goals include strengthening and broadening the mutually beneficial links between member economies, the creation of jobs and new economic opportunities, the promotion of economic growth and development and the support of innovation. To paraphrase, Malcolm Turnbull releasing the Australian Federal Government’s innovation statement in late 2016, Australia’s universities and research organisations are world-class but Australia needs to be better at commercialisation and collaboration. Australia consistently ranks last or second last among OECD countries for business research collaboration. Increasing collaboration between businesses, universities and the research sector is absolutely critical for our businesses to remain competitive. As the Prime Minister said: “Companies that embrace innovation, that are agile and prepared to approach change confidently, and with a sense of optimism are more competitive, more able to grow market share and more likely to increase their employment.” Both the U.S. and Australia can only benefit if we have more companies of this description. AmCham seeks to foster and facilitate increased collaboration between the innovation ecosystems of the U.S. and Australia to enable both ecosystems to leverage the skills and experiences of the other to in turn to drive mutual growth.
Access Spring 2016 17
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Podcast: Bringing Business to You
Cybercrime – Think Before you Click Interview with Glen Gooding, chief of IBM Security Centre and Angus Stewart, IBM’s cybercrime specialist
The AmCham Podcast is an ondemand talk radio show, hosted by Duff Watkins of ExecSearch International, which brings the most pioneering and infl uential minds of the business world to you. In this synopsis of the podcast, we touch on the very real threat of cyber criminals and the need for cyber security at all levels. Addressing this topic is Glen Gooding, the chief of the IBM Security Centre and Angus Stewart, IBM’s specialist in cybercrime. So what exactly is cybercrime and why is it such a growing problem? We have all heard the stories of people who have been hacked and have had credit cards broken into which is both distressing and time consuming, but the level of cybercrime we’re dealing with now is extreme and includes attempts on life savings, attempts to crash businesses and even attempts to bring down commercial or government infrastructure. “In a world that is becoming increasingly more digital and networked, more and more of our information and our transactions are online,” says Glen Gooding. “Data is available 24/7, creating invaluable convenience, but it also means that data is available for nefarious purposes and cybercriminals are exploiting that. The reality of a 24/7 network world means that criminals can, and do, strike from a distance so the limitations of time and space start to disappear. It’s far more difficult for the police to address as these exploits often occur from countries well outside their jurisdictions, and working across multi-borders has its own challenges.”
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“Cybercrime is evolving rapidly. For those who had computers in the 90’s one remembers maybe getting a piece of malware, or a virus, on your PC that might slow the system or make the mouse move upside down, it was annoying. But as we move more data, transactions and even banking online, those pieces of malware that were around five to ten years ago, have evolved to become far more dangerous in nature. There is real criminal intent, and they are being used to take money, and / or valuable information. Criminals are getting very specific about who they are targeting and why – this is called spear-phishing.” “Unlike known phishing attacks, whereby cybercriminals send out something to attack the general public with something non-specific, spear-phishing is the new reality of cybercrime where they identify and target an individual or particular group to research, and track exactly what their weaknesses are, and how to manipulate that information to gain access to important systems. The criminals are look for ways to exploit those individuals or companies that may be high net-worth or have access to sensitive data so that the impact of an attack is maximised.” “A more sinister aspect of this evolution of malware is that one can actually go into the net (and not the standard Google-search type environment), this is another part of the network termed ‘the Dark Web’ and you’ll find ‘establishments’ that offer crime as a service,” adds Gooding. So just as one can do business with legitimate organisations ‘online’, one can transact and subscribe to criminal-based services with varying levels of ‘support’. “The underbelly of the Internet is where a lot of these criminals rear their heads.
If you were so inclined and wanted to run a phishing campaign, or another targeted attack on a set of individuals or a particular organisation, you could subscribe to this service and have somebody do it for you.” “It has technically become a global supply chain,” says Angus Stewart. “One of the goals of the Internet was to democratise access to information. The criminals have taken advantage of that, and that’s exactly what they’re doing. They can buy malware and they can seek expertise. All the things that you can do in your business, they can do just as effectively in theirs. They use the Internet and the information on offer to become an expert in that field, to learn about the weaknesses of various systems that enterprise or government might be using, and they use it to launch an attack.“ “The opponents are well educated, wellfunded, and very, very intelligent. The attacks that we’re seeing are layered, meaning that they are using multiple strategies in sequence. An example of this, and one that is of particular concern for people using mobile applications and the gaming environment, is via a game such as Minecraft,” says Gooding. “In this game, there are a lot of hacks that enable the user to reach higher levels. One pulls down the hacks for the game, and unwittingly downloads the attached malware that infiltrates the back end of the device. The criminals then have access to all of the user credentials, and all of the online banking data done from the mobile device including user ID’s and passwords. When the user texts or speaks to somebody on another device the malware transfers to their device and the damage spreads.” “The mobile device is definitely the next generation of attack surface that we need to be aware of,” says Gooding. “People are using their phones as mini computers more and more, and as mentioned, the types of malware are increasingly more sophisticated. Once on your device, it will syphon off your personal identifiable information, and very quickly gets into identity theft scenarios. In addition to finding out a lot about you, the criminal
can travel on behalf of you, book tickets on behalf of you, open and close accounts or services, and even implicate you in criminal activity. Being cautious about putting the appropriate controls around your devices; at the very least making it hack and password protected, is critical.”
itself out from the corporate network into the individual stores and into the EFTPOS machines. The code was so sophisticated, it was able to pull credit card details out of memory from those EFTPOS machines and then distribute them back out. It was one of the largest breaches in history.”
Reiterating the dire need for caution, Stewart adds: “You can put all sorts of fancy equipment and controls in place, but in a lot of cases, all it takes is a mistake by an individual within an organisation. Criminals exploit the fact that they can access devices outside of an organisation, and outside of the organisation’s protections, which will then be taken into an enterprise, and then they are in. It’s not uncommon for cybercriminals to exploit the home networks of CEOs and executives, or even their children when they plug into a public WiFi network. Don’t underestimate what they might do.”
“Cyber criminals use normal, natural human behaviour to expedite their purposes, take the ‘candy-drop’ for instance. If somebody wanted to infiltrate a corporate network what they might do is rather than go in via the networks, they might put some malware onto USB sticks and scatter them around the corporate parking lot. Human nature dictates that one or more would be picked up and a. they might be happy they got a free USB stick that could be useful to them, or b. they could think: “Oh, there may be something exciting on here,” walk inside, stick it on the computer and then ‘boom’ the code is in and they’ve infiltrated the network.”
“And if you’re concerned that your anti-spam or anti-virus software may be inadequate, you’re probably right. Much of today’s protection is based on ‘signatures’, or known characteristics that identify a piece of malware. The challenge however, is that the pace of adaption is so quick that there are new forms of malware that can vary slightly from the original, and therefore, have different signatures that can’t be detected by corporate systems.” “Malware is also known to sometimes be inactive after the first infiltration,” adds Stewart. “It can lie dormant for months so any detection capabilities overlook and bypass them, and then all of a sudden it activates, reaches back out to the Internet and starts pulling down software before distributing itself through the enterprise and launching a strike.” “There have been a number of breaches of large retail organisations via this method,” says Stewart. “In one case, the initial penetration was done via an air-conditioning contractor with VPN access, who was doing remote maintenance on some of the heating systems in the stores. The malware lay dormant for a period of time, and then it distributed
“There have been some very high profile cyber-attacks that have been launched using the candy-drop. Beware. Don’t even pick it up.” “Another commonplace business risk is that of guests who may be in your office to do presentations,” says Gooding. “They’re using your laptop, and they’ve got their presentation on a USB stick. And once it’s in your computer, it doesn’t take much…Both of these strategies are clever ways of exploiting human nature and technology innovation.” “One of the biggest challenges that enterprise and government are facing, is that with the global supply chain and the easy availability of sophisticated tools and capabilities, it’s about 10,000 times more expensive to defend against the attacks than it is to launch one. The resources of the criminals far exceed our current capacity to defend and their growth in sophistication is exponential, whereas an organisation’s ability is rather linear.” “The most effective protection is prevention,” says Stewart. “If we are able to educate everyone to be wary of these sorts
of things, then that’s a good first step. It starts with us and the decisions we make – it’s the “I’m going to click on this link”, or “there’s a delivery for you in the mail room” type of thing. One click and you’re done, you’ve opened Pandora’s Box and you can’t just shut it. Whether you’re at home, in an airport, on a corporate intranet or on a Government network, wherever we happen to be, take that extra second to think before you click. “Be suspicious about giving out sensitive information in general, not just in the cyber domain – by SMS, email, phone, even in person. If criminals have proven one thing, it’s that they are resourceful and not afraid to try every channel. Change the default password on your modem regularly, and take the extra time to research or phone any company regarding unusual enquiries. Google it, there might some evidence on the Internet that this is a wider campaign. It might slow you down briefly, but it could save you a world of hurt.” Gooding goes on to say: “From a corporate perspective, ensure that the visibility of this problem is as high up within the organisation as possible. We talk a lot to the IT guys – they get it, we’re preaching to the converted, they’re equally as competent in this area as we are. Awareness of cyber-security needs to go all the way to board level, and then extend into public / private sector collaboration and the sharing of intelligence data. It’s important to anticipate and understand the unknowns – this is everybody’s responsibility. A few years ago this level of disruption would have been outside the realm of possibility, but with the recent Sony, Target, Anthem and stock exchange breaches, it’s obvious this can, and does happen.” The key is for everybody to just keep fighting a good fight. Seek the best advice and help that you can get, whether it’s your home or enterprise network, and as the retired General, Michael Hayden – former director of the CIA and National Security Agency, says: “Cyber security is not just about adequate defence, it’s about preserving the Internet for what it was created for in the first place.” Listen to all AmCham Podcasts by subscribing to iTunes or by visiting www.amcham.com.au
Access Spring 2016 21
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Committee Round Up
National Energy and Resources Committee
Aim Put simply, the Committee is seeking to expand the reach and influence of the charter it developed in 2014 and support those areas where recognition, both publicly and politically, is at times problematic.
Mining • The largest iron ore mines in the world • The Energy and Resources sector is a world leader in innovation, technology and invention including the widespread use of groundbreaking automated technologies being pioneered in the Australian mining industry: A top five gold mining province, largest miner and reserve of nickel and largest reserves of uranium globally • The world's largest producer of bauxite • Top six producer of copper • Largest or second largest producer of mineral sands -Massive exporter of black coal • A huge range of other minerals being mined
Situation Analysis Undoubtedly, the Energy and Resources sector is facing historic challenges. The end of the mining construction boom, coupled with the dramatic drop in commodity prices, has led to significant downward pressures.
Energy • Huge developments both onshore and offshore of the North West Shelf and Northern Territory in LNG • Newly opened CSG plants in Queensland • Future FLNG projects
Although the proposed mining tax was repealed, it still did lasting damage to long term investment.
The Future The mining construction boom may have waned, but in terms of production, Australia is now exporting more iron ore, LNG and coal than it ever has in its history.
Allan Drake-Brockman, Chair with Donna McDowall, Evan Nickolas, Deputy Chairs
The Energy and Resources Committee has strong support in Western Australia and Queensland, and growing support on the east coast. The enthusiastic committee members have worked on various proposals and initiatives in 2015-2016. We seek further support from within the industry sector to gain influence and have a positive impact on the public acceptance of the pivotal role our industry plays in Australia's future. Overall, the E&R sector nationally has less profile than in Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory. As a result, the sector's value to the nation is downplayed in other parts of the nation by influencers in governments, politics and the media, and the flow-on affects national public perceptions. Through AmCham's diverse membership, we feel that there is a real opportunity to reach an ‘external’ audience using an ‘internal’ voice. Education, taking action on
national initiatives and creating third party ambassadors for our industry, will help to strengthen the energy and resources sector in these regions. As well, there are close links and ties with AmCham's membership and business ties to the U.S.
However, all of that aside, what we are left with in the Energy and Resources sector is truly impressive by any standards.
Notwithstanding the current commodity prices, gold and lithium (and other rare earth minerals) are tracking well. The commodity prices cycle will right itself in time and the Australian Energy and Resources sector is ideally placed. As an example, at the recent international LNG18 conference many speakers spoke positively about the future of natural gas, as did the BP Energy Outlook paper. There are also exciting developments in environmental solutions in the E&R sector, which the Committee is intent on assisting in communicating. In addition, members of the Committee are keeping a close eye on developments in renewable energy. Acknowledgments to Wendy King (industry expertise) and Richard Taylor (communications)
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Snapshot: Trade and Government Patrick Fazzone, Chairman
The Trade and Government ‘TAG’ Committee has had a busy year thus far in 2016, with more activity and some interesting challenges coming up. In March, Niels Marquardt, Committee Chairman Patrick Fazzone and other committee members met with key Australian and U.S. Government officials in Canberra. The delegation focused on various key topics, including the government’s innovation agenda, international tax issues and, most importantly, the approval process for the Trans pacific Partnership ‘TPP’ trade agreement. The delegation was pleased to learn of the general optimism about the prospect of approval of the TPP by the Australian Government.
In June, Niels Marquardt headed another delegation of Committee and other AmCham members to participate in the annual Door Knock in Washington D.C. of various AmChams in the Asia Pacific region. The group met with key U.S. all agreed that the process for securing congressional approval of the final deal and of implementing legislation will be extremely challenging. AmCham Australia has committed to do whatever it can through its members to encourage key U.S. based companies to ‘weigh in’ in support of the final deal and implementing legislation. One of the Committee’s priorities now is to support AmCham in making good on this commitment. The Committee will be advising and assisting CEO Niels Marquardt on steps AmCham Australia can
be taking to help secure U.S. approval of this important trade agreement. Among its various ongoing activities, the Committee serves as AmCham’s principal point of contact with the Australian Government and Industry in connection with the Trusted Trade Initiative (through committee member Geoff Short). The Committee is currently planning a follow-up trip to Canberra. It has also added several new members this year, who will provide further expertise and breadth of experience. With the strong support of Niels Marquardt, Robert Hossary and Amie O’Mahony, the TAG Committee will continue to be AmCham’s main member forum for trade and investment issues and the development of policy positions in that area.
Tax Committee
The Tax Committee was launched approximately 18 months ago. The members of the committee include Tax Partners from the Big Four accounting firms, legal firms and industry including technology and pharma. Since its inception, the Tax Committee has prepared submissions on the
introduction of the Multinational Anti Avoidance Legislation and proposals arising in the Federal Budget including Anti Hybrid rules (we also had attendees at the Board of Tax Committee meetings) and diverted profits tax. We have also had members attend committee meetings on other tax reform matters arising out
of the OECD "BEPS" review. We will continue to consult on these matters and others as they arise. We believe it is important that AmCham has a voice on these matters as there is a direct impact on our members, in particular, ongoing investment and trade.
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Committee Round Up
Chair for WA Women in Leadership Committee: Lyn Beazley The Women in Leadership team is delighted by our progress. We have appreciated the opportunity to attend excellent breakfast events in the Leadership series. The most recent event featured a wonderful guest speaker, Diane Smith-Gander, Chairman of Broadspectrum Limited, non-executive director of Wesfarmers Limited, Chairman of Safe Work Australia, a board member of CEDA and President of Chief Executive Women. At the event we announced our series of financial literacy workshops for women entitled ‘Financial Toolbox’. The aim is to ensure women can better understand and
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take control of their finances. In a state with a 26% gender salary gap and women retiring with 45% less superannuation than men, there are clearly issues to address. As an extreme, 45% of all homeless people in Perth are women with most being in the older age group. Our initiative is a collaboration between the Chamber, the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. The launch was accompanied by a media release, was featured in two articles in the West Australian newspaper and was the
subject of an interview on ABC radio. Six modestly priced workshops are planned, three this year and three in the first half of 2017. The first workshop on July 25th with 88 places is already fully booked via an online website. The response reassures us that the need we identified is very real. We look forward to a successful series that will give women financial confidence, help them develop their careers and leadership potential as well as providing an excellent environment for networking.
New Zealand
AmCham New Zealand We recently held the 17 th annual AmCham DHL Express Success and Innovation Awards dinner for companies doing business with the U.S. We had a record number of entries reflecting the strong growth in bilateral trade with the U.S. Exports to the U.S. were up for the sixth consecutive year, and we continue to see a large growth in services. The winners were: Importer of the Year from the U.S: Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Ltd, www.ford.com
Investor of the Year to or from the U.S: Baxter Healthcare Ltd, www.baxter.com
Exporter of the Year – under NZ $1 million: Heilala Vanilla Ltd, www. Heilalavanilla.com
Our next major event is a visit by the AmCham Australia Board and delegation, 20-22nd October. Following the success of the inaugural AmCham Australia and AmCham New Zealand board meeting and reception in Sydney 2015, the board of AmCham New Zealand and U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand Mark Gilbert have invited the AmCham Australia board to New Zealand to further deepen the relationship and to continue to look at areas of collaboration going forward. We have been working with AmCham Australia CEO Niels Marquardt to deliver a strong programme. The New Zealand government is working on a number of new initiatives to attract FDI so this is an opportunity for U.S. and Australian companies that have business interests in New Zealand to interact with them. On 20th October we are holding a welcome reception sponsored by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development. Guests will include US Ambassador to NZ Mark Gilbert, the Australian delegation, Members of Parliament, U.S. companies operating in NZ and other key members. The following morning, 21st October, we are holding a breakfast with The Hon. Steven Joyce, Minister for Economic
Development, Minister for Science & Innovation, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Minister for Regulatory Reform, Minister responsible for Novopay, Associate Minister of Finance – speaking about the New Zealand economy, business environment and investment. Following the Minister, we will hold an economic, business and investment briefing panel. The Breakfast Panel is sponsored by Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The timing of the trip was set to coincide with the 3rd Bledislow Cup game at Eden Park on 22nd October, so if you are coming over for that, please join us for the above events. As we build up to the U.S. elections, we are working closely with the APCAC group www.apcac.org on a number of key strategies for the ratification of TPP in both domestic and U.S. markets. We are hopeful that TPP will be passed by Congress in the lame-duck session after the election. Strategies include op-ed pieces; outreach to local managing directors U.S. Fortune 500 companies; surveying members on support for TPP; and taking a delegation to Washington in December (4-7) for a specific TPP Doorknock.
Exporter of the Year – NZ $1 million: Aranz Medical Ltd, www.aranzmedical.com
Exporter of the Year – over NZ $10 million: Douglas Pharmaceuticals Ltd, www.douglas.co.nz
Trevor Eagle Memorial Award – AmCham Supporter of the Year: Everedge Global (NZ) Ltd, www.everidgeip.com
Eric & Kathy Hertz Award for Citizen Diplomacy: Bodeker Scientific Ltd, www.bodekerscientific.com
Supreme Award Winner: Douglas Pharmaceuticals Ltd, www.douglas.co.nz Access Spring 2016 27
State Round Up VIC Victoria has a varied calendar of events coming up in November. The 32nd Annual Golf Day will take place at Yarra Yarra Golf Club. Team events, competitions and a course accessible to all standards of golfer will be followed by drinks and a presentation dinner, providing a relaxed environment to mix with colleagues, clients and suppliers. November, of course, is also election season in the U.S. The U.S. Presidential Election Event, run in partnership with the U.S. Consulate, is a fun and exciting way to watch the polls unfold hour by hour, with expert political commentary and a celebration of democracy in action. Throughout the month, we will also feature JB HI-FI CEO Richard Murray and a special event on the evolving nature of cyber threats from Kevin Mitnick. Outside of the standard events calendar, Victoria is also continuing to build on the success of the AmCham Referral Network. Members have the opportunity to present to their peers about their company’s successes and have access to exclusive opportunities for increased exposure. This innovative program continues to grow and provides a new forum for interaction among our smaller members and a vehicle to introduce new companies to the benefits of AmCham membership.
WA Western Australia has an exciting series of events lined up for the final quarter of the year. In October, our Women in Leadership Committee presented a talk by Professor Deborah Terry AO, Vice Chancellor, Curtin University on Diversifying the WA Economy: The Role of Universities. We also had Michael Parker, Chairman and Managing Director, Alcoa of Australia giving a business briefing on Australia’s Role in the Global Aluminium Industry. In November we will deliver our first ever Perth Innovation Mission, a oneday event where our delegation will visit a variety of hubs around the city that are pioneering ground-breaking approaches to doing business. We will visit leading innovators such as Flux, Austal, Cisco Internet of Everything Innovation Centre at Curtin University, and more. To round off the year we have a signature event with ConocoPhillips’ President, Australia West Chris Wilson who will discuss the LNG Industry and Sustainable Development. NSW It has been a very busy time in NSW especially with the launch of our Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Chapter. AmCham is now delivering events all over GWS so that we provide access to new opportunities to all our members. We still have a great line-up of events to see the year out. In November we have Stephen Roche, CEO & Managing Director Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), Dr Martin Parkinson Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and much more.
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Premium members
Recent New Members include: Access Leadership Adobe Alex and Ani Australia/NZ Alliance SI Australian Screen Association Azrim Pty Ltd BSI Group Careers Excelled Carnarvon Petroleum Limited Crown Perth Limited Data Solutions Group Growth Science HIFX Australia Pty Ltd HSBC Australia iHandover Lighthouse Management Consultancy International Pty Ltd MAW Action Pty Ltd Murray Trento & Associates Pty Ltd Oregon Capital Pty Ltd PayPal Australia Pty Limited PicNet Pty Ltd Positive Lending Primus Hotel Sydney RGP Ryan Tax Schenker Australia Pty Ltd SPOKE Public Relations Sports BC Symtech International Pty Ltd Talent International The ANCA Group TikForce Limited Turning Point Victory Corporate Serviced Offices
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SOLVING THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST HEALTH CHALLENGES TAKES ALL OF US. AbbVie starts with research and innovation to develop and deliver new treatments to manage Our global pharmaceutical company builds our pipeline to provide solutions in therapeutic areas served by our proven expertise. To make new solutions available to patients, governments, and advocacy groups. When we work together, the result is a remarkable impact on patients’ lives and the healthcare systems which serve them. Learn more at abbvie.com.au
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