April 2020

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We have been pleased to see such a strong turnout for our events program since we pivoted to online only a few weeks ago. Participation rates and geographic diversity has been building quickly, with over 500 attendees from the United States and Australia participating in our most recent event on Friday. From both personal comments and post-event surveys, it is clear that the AmCham community is deriving real value from the information we provide. All around us, we see businesses large and small, Australian and international, service and goods providers struggling to cope with unprecedented economic hardship. In this environment, AmCham Australia’s work is particularly critical. I have been heartened to hear that now, more than ever, businesses value their association with AmCham. Thank you to those who have been able to continue to support the Chamber through renewing corporate membership, providing expert speakers, and offering assistance to fellow members. We will come out of this crisis stronger, more agile, and ready to thrive.

 

Around the world, but especially in countries that have been successful or lucky or both, leaders are starting to plan for a gradual reopening of the economy. The road to recovery will be long as countries first stabilise their economies and then move to rebuild as fully and as rapidly as possible. This must run alongside a parallel track to an unrelenting defence against a rapid spread of the disease. We rely on you, the business community, to engage with governments on opportunities for public-private partnerships, to share best practices for the reopening and back-to-work processes, and to support those who have been impacted.

 

How are we thinking about the challenges that lie ahead? Some topics AmCham members have highlighted include:

 

Increasing resilience: using cloud, mobile working, hi-tech connections

Preventing cyber-crime: hardening systems against ransomware, hacking, disruptions

Overcoming obstacles: safeguarding employment, increasing resilience, controlling costs

Engaging policymakers: offering support, flexibility, good ideas

Diversifying supply chains: emphasizing self-sufficiency and resilience over speed and cost

Re-valuing healthcare: focusing on value and innovation instead of pricing alone

Encouraging localisation: decreasing globalisation, creating a stronger national industrial base

Communicating our contribution: specifying how a business supported its employees, customers, and country during the crisis.

 

What are you thinking about? and let me know.

Please stay safe and healthy,

April Palmerlee, Chief Executive Officer

American Chamber of Commerce in Australia

E

P 02 8031 9000

COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 MEMBER RESPONSES

 

Over the weeks to come, AmCham will be highlighting the way our Member companies are pulling together with the rest of the world to arrive at the best possible outcome for people and businesses everywhere.

 

COVID-19 BUSINESS RESOURCES

 

AmCham is constantly updating our business resource page with live links, webinars and information that our members can use to stay informed.

 

Send us an to let us know what your company is doing in the fight against COVID-19.

I’m delighted to welcome these new members and here are links to their websites:

Upcoming Events

WEBINAR

How to Create a Productive Remote Work Culture

WHEN.. Tuesday 21 April 2020, 12pm- 1pm AEST

WHERE..Online Event - Webinar

HOST.. Beaker & Flint

WEBINAR

The Three Stories Leaders Should Tell Now

WHEN.. Tuesday 28 April 2020, 12pm - 1pm AEST

WHERE..Online Event - Webinar

HOST.. Shawn Callahan, Anecdote

WEBINAR

Managing the Financial Impacts of COVID-19 on Employees and their Families

WHEN.. Thursday 30 April 2020, 11am - 12pm AEST

WHERE..Online Event - Webinar

HOST.. David Harvie, Shadforth Financial Group

Network News

The AmCham Academy has gone online for the next few months. Here are some of the great speakers our participants will engage with over the coming months.

 

If you are a CEO, MD or Country Head and you would like to nominate an individual for the program, please

 

Network News

Google

8 Tips for Getting it Done When Working From Home

With many businesses considering how best to keep teams connected when not everyone can be in the same location, Google has been asked by a number of customers for recommendations for staying productive and on task.

 

are some best practices for fostering collaboration when your teams find themselves working remotely.

 

 

MinterEllison

COVID-19 Implications. Insights. Impact.

The outbreak is unfolding daily with significant impact to the economy and business. MinterEllison experts share insights on how businesses can respond, manage and mitigate the risks.

 

Stay informed .

Swinburne University of Technology

AmCham Governor Named New Vice-Chancellor at Swinburne

Professor Pascale Quester will take up the reins as Swinburne’s next Vice-Chancellor in August.

 

Professor Quester will join Swinburne from the University of Adelaide, where she has been Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) since 2011.

 

Read more .

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

COVID-19 Global Dashboard

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched the Global Dashboard on COVID-19 Government Policies, which tracks pandemic-related changes in the international economic and regulatory landscape. The dashboard provides direct links to policy information across a growing number of countries and addresses issues such as fiscal programs, guidance on critical infrastructure and workers, export restrictions, and data protection authorities.

 

View the dashboard .

Steam Capital

Masters in Me Workshop

Steam Capital’s proprietary framework, Masters in Me™, is an intensive career management and Board readiness program relevant for individuals looking to advance or transition their careers and/or start their Board Directorship journey.

 

The regular cost of the program is $1,980 per person incl GST. The AmCham member discount is $330 per person. to see if you're eligible for this offer.

 

Find out more .

University of Technology Sydney

Illustrated Tribute to Sydney's Most Beautiful Buildings

The UTS Dr Chau Chak Wing Building is one of 29 famous Sydney buildings chosen for an illustrated tribute celebrating our city's unique architectural landscape.

 

Designed by world-renowned contemporary architect Frank Gehry, the building is home to the UTS Business School.

 

See the illustration and full list

The Hospital Research Foundation

Fight the Fund

Join The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) and support our brave doctors, nurses and researchers on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19.

 

THRF is being called upon to stand with our heroes and fund vital research into treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.

 

Join the fight and donate today at .

We are stronger together.

Adelaide Venue Management

Helping Local Communities

Adelaide Venue Management (AVM)– one of Australia’s largest venue management organisations – is helping local community catering organisations and repurposing its commercial kitchens to make healthy meals for organisations.

 

AVM is helping the effort to deliver food for the State’s most vulnerable, while also providing work to keep 60 of its full-time staff engaged. AVM is gearing up to produce up to 10,000 meals a day from its kitchen teams.

 

Find out more .

Member Spotlight

Alison Deitz | Managing Partner-elect

Norton Rose Fulbright

 

She is an experienced banking and finance lawyer with a background in regulatory and compliance advice, having been a partner at the firm since 1998. Prior to her appointment as managing partner-elect, she was part of the Australian executive for seven years, serving as leader of the business law practice group, encompassing the banking and finance, corporate M&A, real estate, financial restructuring and insolvency, financial services, tax and technology teams in Australia.

 

Alison's legal practice focused on banking regulatory compliance, including anti money laundering and consumer credit compliance, acting for major international and domestic financial institutions. She also has experience in liaising with regulators and conducting regulatory enforcement litigation. ...

 

Favourite fictional character and why?

 

Of course it has to be Jo March from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

 

"I think I shall write books, and get rich and famous, that would suit me, so that is my favorite dream."

 

Jo March was an independent young woman who refused to conform to the binding social constraints set up for women in Civil War era New England. Whilst many of the other women in the novel conformed with that period’s conventional expectations of woman being demure and not pursuing independence, she did not. She is a free-spirited character who achieves her dream of gaining literary success and she also finds a partner who loves and supports her for her individuality.

 

Driving force in your life?

 

My mother. She was a very clever woman who could have been anything, but because of the time she was born into and the interruption of her high school education caused by WWII, she was denied the opportunities of further education that women have today. She was a voracious reader, incredibly articulate and she always won an argument. In many respects her life was one of unfulfilled promise, and she did everything she could early to make sure that my brother and I had the educational opportunities she did not have. In this regard she was my first mentor. Unfortunately she eventually lost her brilliant mind to dementia. Watching her mind disintegrate was one of the hardest things I’ve experienced. She succumbed to the disease at the age of 91 immediately prior to the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic. With the benefit of hindsight, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise given the severe impact on the vulnerable in our society wrought by COVID-19.

 

Who do you most admire?

 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Jacinda Ardern scraped into power and became the leader of a coalition government but quickly demonstrated that she was going to be a force to be reckoned with. One of the youngest political leaders and only the second woman to give birth whilst in office, she became a beacon of light in a sea of darkness after the Christchurch mosque massacres. She demonstrated an authentic, pragmatic, empathic way forward with a backbone of feminist steel ready for New Zealand’s darkest day. Her unapologetic style and desire to protect her community resonated throughout a world jaded by insincere and jingoistic politicians. Her proactive and decisive response to the COVID-19 crisis again showed the reasons why she is probably the most admired global leader today.

 

Something that your social media followers don’t know about you?

 

When my daughter was a baby, I wrote a book about anti-money laundering or AML. In my case AML stood for All My Life because for nine months, I spent all my waking hours writing it. It was cutting edge at the time – new legislation being introduced across the world to stop illegal funds flowing freely across international borders.

 

The biggest risk you took?

 

In my 20s, I climbed Machu Picchu in Peru at the height of the Shining Path guerrilla terrorist campaign. Trekking through the Andes on the Inca Trail was a huge achievement and it was amazing to see the ruins of the ancient Inca civilisation rising out of the midst of the jungle. However, we had to have armed guards accompanying us because it was incredibly dangerous at that time with a number of tourists being robbed and murdered. You do silly things when you’re young!

VMware |

Cyber Security Critical During COVID-19 - VMware and Deloitte Launch New Cyber Smart Index

 

With increasing risks of cyber attacks, a new report commissioned by one of the world’s largest software companies VMware, highlights the economic threats and opportunities of cyber security in the Asia Pacific. The report ranks APAC economies and finds a Cyber Smart region could unlock US$145 billion in GDP.

 

The Cyber Smart Index outlines that “the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to increase the importance of cyber security. The likelihood and impact of cyber risks is increased with remote and mobile working. The challenge for both businesses and governments is to make sure they are protected, and prepared”.

 

The Cyber Smart: Enabling APAC Businesses Report establishes a new Cyber Smart Index - a unique index that assesses risk exposure and preparedness for cyber-attacks across the region. It is the first index to cover the inherent exposure to cyber-attack and to produce national rankings across 12 APAC economies.

 

Highlights from the report:

 

...• Digital businesses perform better, generate more revenue, export and innovate.

 

...• The Asia Pacific experiences the highest cyber losses globally as a proportion of gross regional product. Almost half of all businesses in the region experienced some kind of security attack in the past year.

 

... Deloitte estimates a cyber smart APAC would capture an additional US$145bn over ten years.

 

...• Cyber-crime is estimated to have cost $254m in APAC in 2018.

 

...• Cyber-attacks are one of the top five risks globally and will grow as more of our devices go online, increasing the surface area for cyber criminals.

 

Cyber Smart examines the tools and steps governments have at their disposal, including leading by example, regulatory harmonization, procurement, reporting and skills development. The report also includes VMware’s five core strategies for effective cyber security and the importance of cyber-hygiene. VMware hopes it is of interest to you at this difficult time when citizens, businesses and governments are online more than ever before.

 

The full report can be accessed .

Job Opportunities

Broadspectrum | Work with Us

 

Have you or someone you know recently been displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic? Broadspectrum have several priority roles based in QLD, NSW, VIC and SA and we want to hear from you. The current crisis has resulted in an increase in demand for people skilled in hospitality, catering and cleaning – essential services to keep our government and critical support infrastructure running.

Podcasts

Posted on 3/04/2018

How Business Really Works: Digital Journey with Moe Ali

What's new in technology and how can your business stay ahead of the game? Moe Ali, Group Vice President of Gartner ANZ, talks to Duff about cyber-security, the importance of incorporating technology insights and information to the core of business m

Listen now