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| Over 170 future leaders have now completed the 2020 AmCham Academy. As we all know, the COVID restrictions have had an outsized impact on up-and-coming professionals in the early stages of their career. Not being in a workplace regularly, missing out on informal mentoring opportunities, losing touch with acquaintances, as well as challenging work/life balances have all meant this year was extremely difficult for some. That’s why I’m especially gratified that the AmCham Academy was able to provide additional opportunities for next generation AmCham leaders. In adversity, opportunity shines: as well as the 10 state-based sessions the Academy participants were expecting, they were also able to participate in an additional 40 from other states via Zoom. And we were fortunate that all five of the Academies were able to hold their Opening Ceremonies in person, before COVID hit. Although closing ceremonies may be different to originally imagined, all 2020 alumni are invited to join three in person events anywhere in the country next year.
If you are a business leader and you have not yet nominated your next generation talent for the 2021 AmCham Academy, please click here to learn how the 2021 Academy can propel your high potential talent to the next level.
Of course there has also been quite a bit of other news over the past fortnight: the Melbourne Cup run without a crowd in the stands, a historic rate cut from the RBA, an extremely close US presidential election, and promising signs for a COVID vaccine. And with only 39 days until Christmas, everyone is sprinting to the finish line of this most unusual year. For our part, AmCham has been hosting in-person, virtual, and hybrid events across the country. Our members tell us they are finding great benefit in both the larger high-profile events as well as the small discussion-group sized gatherings. Our committees have been continuing to work on policy recommendations and are gearing up for their annual Canberra Doorknocks – albeit virtually this year. And we are on the verge of releasing a new report from the Bay Area Council on innovation opportunities for Silicon Valley and Australia. Looking ahead to 2021, we will have findings from our investment attraction task force to announce early in the year.
As we prepare an exciting new 2021 event program in the five states where we operate, we will be contacting member companies with a significant Australian footprint to discuss partnership opportunities. With our Industry Series, Business Leader Luncheons, AmCham Academy, Live from America Webinar Series, multiple conferences, and so much more on offer, members will have excellent options to increase their visibility, improve their community relations, support the professional development of their teams, and more.
Having been in NSW, ACT and SA in the past three weeks, I hope to be able to visit the other states very soon and see as many members in person as possible. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line to let me know what is on your mind and where AmCham can support your priorities.
Yours sincerely,
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April Palmerlee, Chief Executive Officer
American Chamber of Commerce in Australia
E [email protected]
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I’m delighted to welcome these new members and here are links to their websites:
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AmCham is uniquely placed to provide the best platform for companies of all sizes participating in space-related commerce. AmCham members span the gamut from industry giants looking to partner and invest, to innovate start-ups and scaleups looking to enter the international space ecosystem.
AmCham officially launched the new Space Committee at the Building Prosperity: The Importance of the United States to the Australian Space Sector event in Adelaide last month. The committee was formed to support the development of a vibrant Australian space sector that promotes innovation and delivers best practice for the benefit of members and the broader community.
Congratulations to Pamela Melroy who is working on President-Elect Biden's Transition Team, and to Enrico Palermo who will return to Australia from California to run the Australian Space Agency.
We are please to introduce the AmCham Space Committee Members below.
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This Remembrance Day, dozens of AmCham Australia members have pledged to
‘Give a Vet a Go’.
Former Australian Defence Force personnel bring a number of advantages to the private sector, including: world-class training, special skills, and in-demand qualifications. Many of these skills are highly transferrable including leadership, risk management, communication, problem solving and critical thinking.
The ‘Give a Vet a Go’ Pledge encourages all hiring organisations to consider the diverse capabilities and applicable experiences veterans can bring to the workforce.
According to Minister for Veterans’ Affairs the Hon Darren Chester MP, "Hiring a veteran is good for your business. Our veterans bring an extensive range of skills, abilities, behaviours and attributes to civilian workplaces. The Federal Government is committed to supporting veteran employment, with the continued funding of the Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Program, which is based on the premise that a job is key to a successful transition from the Australian Defence Force. The ‘Give a Vet a Go’ initiative will further support employment opportunities for our ex-service personnel and the wider veteran community, and I look forward to working with AmCham Australia and supporting their member companies that have pledged to grow the veteran workforce through employment support, skills recognition and mentoring.”
Further information can be found on our website here.
If you company is interested in being part of this initiative please contact Amie O'Mahony.
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Former Astronaut Pamela Melroy Part of Biden’s NASA Review Team
President-elect Joe Biden has announced the team that will bring him up to speed on all things NASA ahead of his January 2021 inauguration, and it includes AmCham South Australia Governor and for former NASA astronaut Pamela Melroy. The NASA "agency review team" is made up of five women and three men, including two former NASA chief scientists as well. All are serving on a volunteer basis.
Read more…
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Linda Brown
CEO, Laureate Australia & NZ
President, Torrens University Australia
Linda Brown is a distinguished and passionate leader within education. She is a staunch believer in challenging the status quo and ensuring all students have access to education that fits their needs and gives them a choice.
In 2014, Linda helped found Torrens University Australia, the first greenfield university in the Laureate International Universities network, and the first new university in Australia in 20 years. In her current role as CEO of Laureate Australia and New Zealand and President of Torrens University Australia, she has overseen substantial growth, consistently high student retention levels and a focus on return-on-investment for students and the employers that employ those students. Under her guidance, Torrens University Australia is now Australia’s fastest growing university, home to over 19,000 students from 115 different countries. She also currently oversees Think Education in Australia and the Media Design School in New Zealand.
Key to Linda’s effectiveness is an expansive corporate experience leading strategic transformation and leadership in challenging and agile environments in the UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Her role as CEO extends far beyond Australia and New Zealand, leading Laureate’s international mobility initiatives that enable students’ physical and virtual movement between Laureate institutions globally.
Find out more...
Favourite fictional character and why?
Wonder Woman, do you need to ask why ?
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Maximising others’ potential.
What historical event do you wish you were either a part of, or were able to experience?
Rosa Parks’ Bus Boycott during the civil rights movement. I wish I sat beside her on that bus.
Who do you most admire?
Savitribai Phule was a pioneer of women's education in India. She was also a Dalit (the lowest caste in India), so was doubly marginalised. She played an important role in improving women's rights and ending social prejudices in India during the British Rule. She was the first woman to light her husband's pyre in the history of India. Savitribai was a 'Vidya Jyoti' for all those who want to do something in the field of education.
Personal motto that helps you power through obstacles?
I’m mum to six highland cows
Best advice you ever received?
“Just keep swimming just keep swimming” - Dory from Finding Nemo
The biggest risk you took?
Moving from future stockbroking to education
Proudest moment so far?
Creating the Torrens University Team
Best advice you ever received?
Surround yourself with people smarter than you and then get out of their way
Animal that best matches your leadership style?
Tigger from Winnie the Pooh
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Macquarie takes double gold at global awards with Best Customer Experience and CEO of the Year
Macquarie Telecom Group
Macquarie Telecom Group (ASX: MAQ) has taken double gold at the annual World Communications Awards hosted virtually from London. The company received the award for the best Customer Experience and David Tudehope won CEO of the Year.
Macquarie received the Customer Experience (CX) Award for its Heartbeat program and outstanding customer experience measured by a world-leading +74 NPS. The Heartbeat program encourages Macquarie’s entire team to delight customers and literally do the opposite of industry counterparts.
Macquarie’s CEO David Tudehope was recognised for his 28-year career, championing the de-regulation of the telco industry, bucking the trend of poor customer service among competitors, and pioneering innovative technologies in Australia, including colocation data centres in the early 2000s and SD-WAN in 2016.
Macquarie’s antithetical approach to industry counterparts is illustrated in its share price growth – over the past three years it has risen 83% versus the overall decline of 18% across other telcos[1]. The company delivered its sixth consecutive year of profitable growth in its most recent FY20 results, which underscored a circa-$100m investment into sovereign government and enterprise data centres in Australia this year.
Presenting Mr. Tudehope with the award at the ceremony in London, Nokia UK and Ireland CEO Cormac Whelan said:
“For the CEO of the Year, we’re definitely looking for the X-Factor and we definitely found it here. The judges described the winner as the most customer experience focused CEO they’ve ever seen. Which has resulted in his company delivering a net promoter score at the same level as Apple and Amazon.”
Read the press release here…
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Jim McDowell to join Nova Group as
Group CEO
Nova Group
Nova Group is delighted to announce the appointment of Jim McDowell as its new Group CEO, effective Monday, 30 November.
Jim has 30 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors. Most recently, Jim was South Australia’s top public servant in the role of Chief Executive for the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
Prior to that he was the CEO of BAE Systems Australia and oversaw the purchase of Tenix Defence. Under his leadership, the company expanded to become Australia’s largest defence prime, with more than 6,500 employees and annual sales of approximately AUD $1.7 billion. He then moved to Saudi Arabia where he took up the role of in-country CEO for the $6 billion business. Jim also worked in legal, commercial and marketing roles with aerospace company Bombardier Shorts for 18 years after graduating from the University of Warwick (England).
Read more…
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MetLife Innovation Award for 360 Health
MetLife
MetLife has recieved the Product Innovation in Health and Wellness Award for 360Health at the Plan for Life Excellence Awards. The award recognises the work MetLife has done in building a leading end-to-end health offering that includes tools, resources and information for holistic health management.
The Plan For Life Excellence Awards celebrate achievements and recognise excellence in product design and innovation across life insurance, investment and retirement solutions. The Awards are based on an independent, objective and transparent research process using actuarial disciplines.
Commenting on the win, Chesne Stafford, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer said: “As a purpose driven organisation, the health of our customers is so important. We’re thrilled that MetLife’s 360Health has been recognised with a Plan for Life Excellence Award. MetLife’s 360Health is still relatively new but it’s really encouraging that our work has been noticed and acknowledged by the industry. We’re also getting positive feedback from our customers, so we know we’re offering up something valuable that is benefiting them.”
Read more...
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3M is one of the Top 100 Most Just Companies in the US
3M
Forbes and JUST Capital came out with their list of America’s Most Just Companies in 2021, and 3M was recognized as the top performer among all companies in the Industrial Goods sector in issues relating to giving back to their communities. 3M also moved up over 100 spots from last year to land at number 90 on the overall top 100 list.
To come up with the list, Forbes and JUST Capital evaluate the 1,000 largest public US companies on issues that matter most to the American public – like paying a fair wage, upholding human rights across the supply chain, investing in worker training, acting ethically and with integrity, cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace, protecting worker health and safety, providing good benefits and work-life balance, and more.
Read the full press release here…
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Professor Edward Holmes named as NSW Scientist of the Year
The University of Sydney
One of the world's top authorities on viruses has been busy this year studying the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. His work has been recognised with the state's top honour for scientists.
Professor Edward Holmes from the University of Sydney has been named as 2020 New South Wales Scientist of the Year in recognition of his research into emerging viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans.
As a global authority on viruses, Professor Holmes has been at the forefront of research into the novel coronavirus that emerged late last year in Wuhan, China. In January this year, he was the first person to publicly release the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2, enabling the rapid development of diagnostic tests.
Read more…
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Immigration Update: Coronavirus
Fragomen
The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on immigration policies and processes worldwide. In order to contain the spread of the virus, dozens of jurisdictions implement new measures or change existing ones each day.
Fragomen continues to closely monitor these developments. Our COVID-19 Pandemic - Immigration Situation Overview, summarizes the restrictions, requirements and concessions currently in place in over 150 jurisdictions.
Download the latest key COVID-19 global immigration impacts and resources here…
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Payment Times Reporting Legislation
KPMG
As we look towards the new calendar year, businesses will need to start preparing to comply with (among other things), the new Payment Times Reporting Legislation (PTR). PTR is likely to be one of the most significant changes to payment terms and working capital experienced in Australia to date and will require all large businesses with over $100 million in income to start reporting information about their payment times to their small business suppliers. This information will need to be lodged every 6 months with a newly established Payment Times Regulator and once submitted will then be made publicly available on a Government website. Many corporates may find these reporting requirements challenging for various reasons.
KPMG Australia is recommending that businesses start to prepare early given the scheme is set to commence on 1 January 2021. Vince Dimasi, Partner and Lead of KPMG’s Payment Times Reporting Service offer, is able to assist clients on this new topic and can help clients better understand, prepare for and best comply with the new requirements.
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Indo-Pacific Business Forum Highlights Commercial Ties
US Chamber of Commerce
On October 28-29, the U.S. and Vietnamese governments, with support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and regional business groups, hosted the third annual Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Hanoi. Inaugurated at the U.S. Chamber in 2018, the annual forum brings together senior government leaders to discuss market competition, job growth, and high-standard development across the Indo-Pacific Region. The virtual forum featured remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, alongside U.S. business leaders.
The State Department released a list of policy deliverables following the event. The document highlighted that since the first Indo-Pacific Business Forum in July 2018, the U.S. Department of Commerce, in partnership with other U.S. government agencies, has facilitated $37.6 billion in FDI from the region into the United States supporting an estimated 50,000 American jobs, and assisted 4,122 Indo-Pacific clients considering investments in the United States.
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COVID-19: Support for Australian Businesses
Australian Trade and Investment Commission
Austrade is open for business and our network of 1,100 staff is committed to helping you through this time.
As part of ‘Team Australia’, Austrade is working closely with the network of government departments and industry agencies to help Australian businesses overcome complex and fast-evolving COVID-19–related challenges.
This site provides updates on markets and logistics, and links through to the Government’s extensive business support programs.
Read more...
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Half-Price AmCham Discount for Excelsia Professional Development Units
Excelsia Professional Development
Whether you have been asked to assist with work outside your usual remit or you find yourself with more time to fill, upskilling makes sense as a strategy that will help you gain valuable new skills to add to your CV. For a limited time only, we are offering AMCHAM members 50% off all Excelsia Professional Development Units.
Use discount code AM50%off to retrieve this exclusive offer!
Find out more….
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Podcast- What Leaders Know
Trebuchet Pivot
Garth Callender has travelled a remarkable road. His leadership journey is marked by military deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and include surviving an insurgent bomb attack on the streets of Baghdad. Garth brings 20-plus years of experience with the Australian Defence Force to his Company, Trebuchet Pivot. He works with leadership teams in the corporate sector to identify, unpack and plan for the complex layers of risk that present in our contemporary business environment. This conversation takes us on a unique path, with great insights for people on leadership journeys.
Listen to the podcast here...
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Springfield aims to become world’s greenest city by 2038 under new strategy
Springfield City
More than three billion dollars will be invested into Springfield City on Brisbane’s doorstep, under an Australian-first strategy designed to make it the world’s most eco-friendly community by 2038.
Springfield City Group (SCG) Chairman Maha Sinnathamby today welcomed the 18-year plan, devised under a strategic alliance with ENGIE, a world leader in the global transition to clean, green resilient economies.
Mr Sinnathamby said the comprehensive blueprint would help the city – where the population is expected to triple to about 130,000 over the next two decades – “get to the stage where we are producing more energy than we consume” by 2038.
“We have one chance – and the responsibility to our residents both now and into the future – to get this right and be an ongoing example for others to follow,” Mr Sinnathamby said.
Read more…
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A $1.5 billion industrial estate is set to be developed in the next five years over 157 hectares at Crestmead within the City of Logan
Logan City Council
Colliers International and Cushman & Wakefield are pleased to present the Crestmead Logistics Estate - a prime industrial land opportunity located in an impeccable industrial precinct in Brisbane’s Logan Motorway corridor.
Situated to the immediate south of the successful industrial estates at Crestmead and South West 1 (Berrinba), the Crestmead Logistics Estate is in close proximity to the Logan Motorway, Gateway Motorway and Mt Lindesay Highway. Australia United States Free Trade Agreement 15 Years & Beyond.
Find out more…
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Towards a Theory of Leader Identity Formation and its Application in Executive Coaching- by Suzette Skinner
Roar People
This article presents a Leader Identity Formation Theory (LIFT) which illuminates the dynamic identity formation process of individuals across identity stages and life domains. The theory underscores the importance of leader identity in organizational leadership development and leadership effectiveness. The application of the principles of LIFT in executive coaching are suggested, including incorporating the influence of enabling and derailing factors in individual leader identity formation processes. Specific coaching questions are included to illustrate and support leader identity development within the coaching process. A recommendation for further research is also discussed.
Read it here…
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New AWS | Slalom Launch Center
Slalom
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and modern consulting firm, Slalom have opened Australia’s first
AWS | Slalom Launch Center (Launch Center) in Melbourne, a joint offering to help Australian organisations accelerate their cloud migration and modernise their IT services.
In December 2019, AWS and Slalom announced a multi-year, global, Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) to establish Launch Centers around the world. This Australian Launch Center is the first outside of the United States (Seattle, Chicago, and Atlanta) and strengthens Slalom’s existing relationship as an AWS Premier Consulting Partner.
The Launch Center uniquely combines AWS Professional Services, a global team of AWS experts who help customers reach their desired outcomes with the cloud, with Slalom’s business transformation, software engineering, and analytics capabilities to help customers achieve optimised, cloud-based operating models.
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About us
Crown Hotels Perth
Located on the banks of the picturesque Swan River, overlooking the Perth city skyline, Crown Perth is home to three iconic hotels surrounded by a variety of events and conference facilities, premium dining, retail boutiques and stylish bars. Wind down at the opulent Crown Spa and indulge in the ultimate in La Prairie spa treatments or take time out by the pool.
Experience the unsurpassed opulence of Crown Towers, the contemporary luxury of Crown Metropol, or the relaxed style of Crown Promenade.
Crown Perth is conveniently located near the International and Domestic airports, is only five minutes from Perth CBD and within walking distance of the new Perth Stadium.
Click here to find out more.
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Register Now for Space4InfrasMaxar
Maxar
This webinar aims at discussing key technologies enabling policy, planning, construction to monitoring of the Infrastructure development projects, leveraging imageries and solutions from Maxar.
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Join this webinar to learn more about the following:
- Advantages of Satellite based planning, implementation and remote monitoring of the Infrastructure projects
- Opportunities for Infrastructure sector and the role of Emerging Space based tools and geospatial capabilities like Big Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence
- Geospatial technological solutions for risk mitigation and disaster response
Date: 24 November 2020
Time: 11:30am to 12:45pm (Singapore time)
Register now…
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