Invitation to SME roundtable event

A message from the Associate Vice-Chancellor (NSW/ACT) Professor Marea Nicholson:

I would like to invite all staff, family and friends and their extensive networks to join ACU for a free SME roundtable event on Tuesday 17 April at Level 18, the Peter Cosgrove Centre, Tenison Wood House, North Sydney.

ACU's Peter Faber School of Business in collaboration with the University of San Diego and Australian family business owners and experts is pleased to facilitate a roundtable discussion entitled Family Business and SME Roundtable: People, Practices and Prosperity. Small businesses, many of which are family businesses, make a huge contribution to national prosperity. Currently there are more than 2.1 million actively trading small businesses in Australia, who employ 45 per cent of Australia’s workforce and contribute to a third of Australia’s GDP. However, small businesses have a survival rate of only 62 per cent. Opportunities to network and share information and knowledge has shown to increase business success and survival rates.

The Family Business and SME Roundtable features an interactive program designed to facilitate knowledge sharing and stimulate thinking and ideas on the challenges and opportunities facing small and family enterprises. Seven keynote experts will traverse the themes of People, Practices and Prosperity, and practitioner sessions will also share their business practices and experiences that enhance success and survival. Networking opportunities will be a significant aspect of the roundtable experience.

I am delighted to share with you some of the keynote speakers and panel members. Firstly, Dr Jaime Alonso Gómez who is the Dean of the Business School and Professor of Management at the University of San Diego. Notably, he was nominated as one of the best business professors of the year by the UK magazine The Economist and ranked as 14th in the world. We are pleased to welcome Dr Denise Dimon, who is the Associate Provost for International Affairs, Professor of Economics at the University of San Diego. She has consulted for private companies across four continents in a variety of industries including telecommunications, health care, tourism and manufacturing. We look forwarded to hearing from Sean Ashby, Managing Director of Apparel Eleven who created the company from his savings of $20,000 speak. Pippa Hallas, CEO of Ella Baché will share her vast knowledge of the strategic direction and operations of the company. Not to mention our other other expert panel members; Dr Hormoz Ahmadi, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship ACU, Joe Murphy, Managing Director of National Workplace and finally Joseph Hill, Director of Strategy at North Sydney Council.

We await with great anticipation to hear from all our keynote speakers and look forward to what will be an inspiring and enlightening day. I hope you can all join us.

For more information, including a program for the day and to register, please visit the event web page.