Climate change, heightened inflation & economic pressures, capacity & resource constraints are all major challenges for businesses, as are constantly changing customers, markets, and rapidly evolving technologies. Forward-looking businesses with innovative cultures and strategic & dynamic capabilities are better able to adapt, and improve & maximise productivity, competitiveness, sustainability and long-run success in complex environments and a global and digitally-connected marketplace.

To help your business take advantage of new technologies, methodologies and networks, AusIndustry has brought together influential speakers and knowledge about the support available to help your business turn uncertainty into opportunity and realise its full potential through business innovation, automation, decarbonisation and digitalisation.

Learn how to transform & future proof your business and answer the call when opportunity knocks by attending this valuable event!

Transform Disruption & Uncertainty into Opportunity

Innovate, Automate, Decarbonise & Digitise to Thrive

Through this event you will:

Be Motivated! – Hear an inspirational keynote on building for the future through disruptive innovation, radical thinking & reinvention – Motivational speaker - Brad Twynham
Be Informed! – Learn about:
- The benefits of collaboration & knowledge-sharing in fostering innovation and driving progress – Future Food Systems CRC – Dr James Krahe
- How to do things smarter & more sustainably by embracing complementary Industry 4.0 methodologies & ESG principles to build success – Ai Group – Mel Ireland
- A practical approach to the power of digital capability & A.I.– The Digital Guide – Tracy Sheen
Be Inspired! - An enlightening Industry Panel session amplifying the journeys & successful outcomes of exemplary local companies & projects
Be Enabled! – Become aware of & connected to support to take implementation steps:
- An overview of AusIndustry & other grants and support for business innovation, growth & digitalisation – AusIndustry – Rowena Ryan
- An overview of local ecosystem support providers with capability uplift assistance – various Agencies

Who should attend?

This event is targeted at entrepreneurs, small and SME businesses – including founders, CEOs, Production, Training & Marketing Managers

This event will provide you with expert advice, connections, and support to enable you to take action and implement dynamic capabilities in your business.

Attend & connect with the local ecosystem of business support providers for ongoing support
Attend & provide feedback to directly influence future targeted support offerings

For more information, contact RDA Northern Rivers P: 02 66224011 or AusIndustry E: rowena.ryan@industry.gov .au

Our SPEAKERS

Brad Twynham – Brad Twynham Consulting

Brad has a Global Consulting Practice in leadership, resilience and innovation, where he shares his powerful lived experiences to build radical leadership capabilities and catalyse change. As the Co-Founder of three enterprise startups, Brad has been on the leading edge of technology and change for over 25 years.

He has co-founded 3 high-growth international technology startups and guided C-level Executives through significant business transformation programs in some of the biggest corporations in the world, including UBS, Visa, Swisscom and CBA and is also currently engaged as the Entrepreneur in Residence at Western Sydney University.

Brad's Radical Leadership Programs are being adopted by organisations such as Queensland Health, Rio Tinto, Endeavour Group, and the Australian National Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). He also mentors several high-profile technology founders in Silicon Valley. In his spare time, you can find Brad raising three future Jedi knights on the Central Coast of NSW.

https://bradtwynham.com/

James Krahe - Future Food Systems Co-operative Research Centre (CRC)

Formerly the Innovation Manager at Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL), Dr Krahe has strong knowledge and connections within government, industry, and research, and is experienced in food and nutritional science, holding a PhD in Food Science, and a Bachelor of Human Nutrition (Hons), from the University of Newcastle.

https://www.futurefoodsystems.com.au/

Mel Ireland – Australian Industry Group

Mel has over 10 years of experience in both Sales and Operational Management as well as compliance and Environmental Management. Mel has a passion for connecting businesses, Government and Research Institutes to find solutions to enhance business capabilities. She is a strong advocate for the effective adoption of Industry 4.0 Principles and Circular Economy practices within business. Mel actively promotes the need for identifying and developing skills to increase productivity and diversification in the workforce.

Prior to joining Ai Group in 2016, Mel worked in both State based and Global companies.

Mel is an experienced event/panel facilitator and industry presenter and has been the lead on the Women in Manufacturing, Energy Efficiencies for Qld Manufacturers and Introduction to Industry 4.0 events and workshops around Queensland.

https://www.aigroup.com.au/

Toni Peggrem - Queensland AI Hub

Toni Peggrem is the Executive Manager of the Queensland AI Hub. Toni has been supporting the growth of the Queensland AI Hub and the AI community for the past year and has over 30 years’ experience in strategic planning and successfully leading organisational reform programs that have enabled services to navigate complex operating environments and realize improved performance outcomes. Toni brings her executive management and staff mentoring skills to the Queensland AI Hub and is able to build strong collaborative relationships across organisational boundaries with stakeholders of all levels within an organisation as well as the wider community. Toni is committed to evidence-based policy development that leads to digitally enabled evidence-based practice with continuous improvement.

https://qldaihub.com/

Councillor Michael Lyon - Byron Shire Mayor

Michael Lyon - Mayor of Byron Shire

Michael has been a Byron Shire Councillor for the last 7 years, including 2 years as Deputy Mayor. He has completed degrees in Law and Commerce and a postgraduate CIMA qualification in accounting and business strategy. Michael is providing an opening address and a brief update on the development of Council’s new Business, Industry and Visitor Economy Strategy and how it aligns with the event’s intent to help the business community to build back stronger from adversity and disruption by seeing opportunity instead and taking action to future proof their business and encourage future growth avenues.

https://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/

Tracy Sheen - The Digital Guide - Unfortunately, Tracy is no longer able to attend

Tracy is about training small businesses to embrace and leverage tech. Tracy Sheen, known as ‘The Digital Guide’, is a highly accomplished author and speaker in the fields of technology, small business, and marketing. She won the Australian Business Book of the Year Awards 2021 and Best Technology Book for her book The End of Technophobia, and featured in the 2021 Inside Small Business Top 50 Small Business Leaders. Tracy is a regular tech commentator on "Kochie's Business Builders," and is also regularly featured by the media about small business tech trends. Also, as one of 23 Entrepreneurship Facilitators appointed by the Australian Federal Government, she has worked to upskill small business communities with a focus on regional and rural areas. Tracy has facilitated thousands of workshops and webinars on a wide range of digital topics and is a sought-after speaker for small business audiences across Australia.

https://www.thedigitalguide.com.au/

Additionally, exemplary Northern Rivers business leaders will also feature as part of an enlightening Industry Panel session, amplifying their journeys & successful outcomes.

This event is being delivered in partnership with:

This event is supported by: