AmCham with Adelaide Business School ChangeMakers Series
Education Driving Economic Growth
Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training
Professor Peter Rathjen, Vice Chancellor, The University of Adelaide
Anthony Kittel, CEO & Owner, REDARC Electronics
International education is Australia’s third largest export and it continues to grow. Its multiplier effect on the local economy is significant. With the Federal Government’s $90 billion investment in defence shipbuilding and the research infrastructure spending in the 2018 budget, new opportunities are emerging for our education and training providers in South Australia.
Simon Birmingham has served as a Liberal Party Senator for South Australia since May 2007 and in September 2015 was appointed to position of Minister for Education and Training.
Simon grew up near Gawler in Adelaide's north on his family’s small horse agistment property. Simon was educated at government schools before going on to study at the University of Adelaide where he completed a Masters of Business Administration.
Prior to entering the Senate, Simon worked for a number of industry bodies, establishing particular experience in the wine, tourism and hospitality sectors – industries that are critical to South Australia's prosperity.
After less than three years in the Senate Simon was appointed to the Shadow Ministry, serving as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray-Darling Basin and the Environment until the 2013 election.
Following the change of government in 2013 Simon served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment, with responsibility for water policy, including the Murray-Darling Basin, National Parks and the Bureau of Meteorology. In 2014 Simon was appointed to serve as the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, with specific responsibility for vocational education, apprenticeships, training and skills. He is now Minister for Education and Training.
He is married to Courtney and has two young daughters, Matilda and Amelia. Simon is an active supporter of the Parliamentary Association for UNICEF and a proud, but sometimes frustrated, Adelaide Crows fan.
Professor Peter Rathjen commenced as the University of Adelaide’s 22nd Vice-Chancellor and President on 8 January 2018.
He is an Australian scientist and medical researcher internationally recognised in stem cell science.
Professor Rathjen studied as an undergraduate in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide. As a 1985 Rhodes Scholar Professor Rathjen undertook a DPhil at Oxford University.
Professor Rathjen returned to South Australia and the University of Adelaide, where he worked as a Lecturer in Biochemistry from 1990 to 1995, then became Head of the Department of Molecular Biosciences in 2000, and Foundation Executive Dean of the Faculty of Sciences in 2002, a role he held until 2006.
Professor Rathjen was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Melbourne in 2006; and from 2008 to 2011 he served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). In 2011, he was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Tasmania, a role he held until October 2017.
Anthony Kittel is the CEO and Owner of REDARC Electronics. REDARC is a Lonsdale based, advanced manufacturer employing 170 staff and also has an office at the Williamtown, NSW Aerospace Centre employing 10 staff. REDARC was established in 1979 and manufactures a range of portable power products for vehicle applications including battery management systems, power supplies, voltage converters, vehicle safety products and inverters. REDARC supplies products to the automotive, mining, defence, trucking, agricultural and marine industries.
At the 2015 and 2017 Australian Auto Aftermarket Excellence Awards, REDARC was awarded Gold – Excellence in Manufacturing over $10 million annual turnover. REDARC was awarded 2014 Telstra Australian SME Business of the Year and in 2017 was named a WESTPAC Top 20 Businesses of Tomorrow.
Born in Port Augusta South Australia, Anthony graduated as a qualified Mechanical Engineer at the South Australian Institute of Technology (now UniSA), and completed his MBA at the University of Adelaide.
In 2013, Anthony graduated from the three year Owners Presidents Management (OPM) program at Harvard Business School. In April 2018,
Anthony was conferred the Degree of Doctor of the University honoris causa, Flinders University. His Honorary Doctorate recognises his unrelenting focus on transformative workplace culture and new product development, as well and his investment in the business leaders of tomorrow through mentorship, professional development and career guidance.Anthony is the National Vice President & SA Branch Councillor of Australian Industry Group, a member of the Flinders University Engineering School Industry Advisory Board and a member of the Adelaide University Business School Industry Advisory Board. He is also the immediate past Chairperson of the South Australian Training and Skills Commission.
He is a Chartered Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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