Inclusive Trade Webinar

ECA has worked in international trade and business for more than 60 years. We have also facilitated seminars, workshops and trade missions that have focused on inclusive trade – supporting startups and entrepreneurs such as the Women Trading Globally (WTG) initiative and the APEC: Growing Indigenous Businesses Through Trade (GrIT) projects.

Join us with incredible speakers, innovators, and entrepreneurs for a virtual panel on inclusive trade, that will also highlight what it is, and some lessons to consider inclusion, sustainability, and ethics in your business and international trade.

Speakers: 

• Amanda Essery - Founder of Kinside and ECA Advisory Group for Export Council of Australia
  • Amanda is an accomplished entrepreneur, recognised as the 2024 UoW Alumni Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship recipient.
    She founded Lovekins in 2016, pioneering natural baby and skincare products infused with Australian botanicals, such as Kakadu Plum and Quandong. Under her leadership, Lovekins evolved into a global lifestyle brand, expanding its product range to include vegan-certified nappies, period care, and cleaning products, generating over $20 million annually.
    Beyond business, Amanda has been a passionate advocate for Indigenous literacy, mental health, habitat restoration, and period equity, donating essential products to those in need. In 2022, she successfully exited Lovekins and, in 2024, launched Kinside, a skincare brand for tweens and teens, co-created with its users.
    Kinside is committed to sustainable beauty, integrating patented natural actives, upcycled ingredients, carbon-neutral manufacturing, and plastic-neutral partnerships. Amanda also champions teen mental well-being, collaborating with NGOs to combat screen addiction and promote balanced lifestyles. Her dedication to innovation, sustainability, and social impact continues to shape the future of ethical consumer brands

• Dianne Tipping - Chair of the Export Council of Australia
  • Dianne Tipping is the Founder & Managing Director of Excon International Pty Ltd., a respected export management consultancy supporting Australian exporters in navigating global markets.
  With over 35 years of experience in international trade, Dianne has successfully facilitated export transactions for major multinationals and Australian businesses. Since establishing Excon International in 1982, she has built long-term partnerships with leading global companies, driving sustainable and strategic export growth.
  Dianne has been an integral part of the Export Council of Australia (ECA) for over 20 years, championing policies that promote safe and effective global business practices. She currently serves as Chair of the ECA Education Committee, where she is dedicated to mentoring and educating Australian exporters, ensuring they are well-equipped to compete on the world stage.
  Dianne is a senior lecturer with extensive experience training exporters and government personnel, playing a key role in expanding Australia’s global trade potential through education and strategic insights.

• Jacob Davidson - Head of Strategy of Figjam & Co and ECA Advisory Group 
  • Jacob is an experienced professional in the Australian Food and Native Food Industries with a proven track record spanning over 12 years of growing a small single operator family business into an innovative industry leader.
    Previously, he held key positions such as Investments Analyst at IOOF, Site Engineer at Thiess where he built his corporate and professional rigor. Additionally, he served as delegate for ECA, in Brussels and Amsterdam contributing to European Agricultural Traceability Symposium.
    Jacob has represented the Australian Bushfoods Industry in the EU, US and ASEAN nations enhancing his reputation as a skilled public speaker and ability to convey key messages from numerous key stakeholders.
    He is known for being able to conceptualise issues prioritizing industry lead initiative to improve innovation, collaboration and data driven approaches to achieve impactful outcomes.
    Currently he is working on projects with organisations such as WIPO to set frameworks for Recognition of ICIP in Bushfood Markets for export with DFAT. He is also a board member of Watarrka Foundation, which builds community connections in Central Australia through engagement of Sport and Storytelling festivals.
    He holds a degree in International Business and Engineering, with specialized skills, strategies, acumen, and being able to connect key stake holders in the Australian Bushfood Industry.

• Ben Pecotich - Director/Founder of Design & Innovation, Dynamic4 
  • Ben Pecotich is a designer, coach, and the founder of Dynamic4 – a social enterprise and B Corp focused on leadership, design, and innovation for happier communities.
    Ben plays at the place where design, regenerative innovation, and wellbeing meet… and spends his time coaching leaders to solve problems that matter in more empathic and innovative ways to create great outcomes for people, communities, and our planet while being financially successful and increasing their wellbeing.
    Since starting in financial services in 1993, he’s been focused on taking a human-centred approach to designing and leading strategic change in Australia, NZ, the UK, and Europe – bringing together strategy, design, technology, consulting, and program management. He co-founded his first startup in 1994, and has been working on startups and social enterprises ever since.
    Ben’s also the author of Solve Problems That Matter: Design, Build & Launch Your Social Enterprise Idea, co-founder of the Sydney Design Thinking meetup, and was a founding board member of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA).
    

Date:

Friday, 4 April 2025

Time:

11 AM - 12 PM (AEDT)

Location:

Online