Spotlight on Scaling Up

The recently-returned government wants to make Australia a manufacturing powerhouse and to diversify the economy: an urgent challenge as demand for certain key commodity exports eases. We are poorly-positioned, recently ranking 105th in the world for economic complexity, behind Botswana.

There is an acknowledged need to lift manufacturing’s small contribution to Australia’s economy, currently at 5.9 per cent of GDP.

There are many capable companies, but the shortage of medium- and large-sized manufacturers means a lot of unrealised benefit in the form of jobs, prosperity, the ability to withstand crises, and elsewhere.

The large number of small businesses is an issue that’s been noted by policymakers and others, and is being addressed in different ways.

As the former Industry Innovation and Science Australia Chair, Andrew Stevens, once said: “Australia’s industry structure and business size composition – our mix of small, medium and large companies – is the elephant in the room. Australia has a ‘shrinking middle’ in its industry structure. We have a scale-up problem, not a start-up problem.”

Recent attempts to help promising Australian businesses expand have targeted the insufficient investor appetite, especially when it comes to the patient capital that manufacturing requires. These include the public/private Australian Business Growth Fund (launched late-2019), the federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (which made its first investment last year) and the Victorian government’s Breakthrough Victoria fund.

So what’s the story of scale-up manufacturers?

Spotlight on Scaling Up is an event by @AuManufacturing and sponsored by BDO, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, and the Australian Business Growth Fund. Join us at UTS Building 8, 14–28 Ultimo Road to learn what’s at stake, how world-class local enterprises have grown out of the small business category and beyond, and how you can apply their lessons.

There will be experts from industry, investment, advisory and other backgrounds, each bringing their expertise to the problem. And of course, there will be plenty of leaders from companies who’ve beaten the world through Australian ingenuity, providing inspiration and proof that it can be done.

Speakers and a program are below.

The recently-returned government wants to make Australia a manufacturing powerhouse and to diversify the economy: an urgent challenge as demand for certain key commodity exports eases. We are poorly-positioned, recently ranking 105th in the world for economic complexity, behind Botswana.   

There is an acknowledged need to lift manufacturing’s small contribution to Australia’s economy, currently at 5.9 per cent.

Australia has many capable companies, but the shortage of medium- and large-sized manufacturers means a lot of unrealised benefit in the form of jobs, prosperity, and resiliency in crises. 

It’s a problem that’s been noted by policymakers and others, and is being addressed in different ways.

As the former Industry Innovation and Science Australia Chair, Andrew Stevens, once said: “Australia’s industry structure and business size composition – our mix of small, medium and large companies – is the elephant in the room. Australia has a ‘shrinking middle’ in its industry structure. We have a scale-up problem, not a start-up problem.” 

Recent attempts to help promising Australian businesses expand include the public/private Australian Business Growth Fund (launched late-2019), the federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (which made its first investment last year) and the Victorian government’s Breakthrough Victoria fund.

So what’s the story of scale-up manufacturers? 

Spotlight on Scaling Up is an event by @AuManufacturing and sponsored by BDO, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, and the Australian Business Growth Fund. Attendees can learn what’s at stake, how world-class Australian enterprises have outgrown the small business category and beyond, and how you can apply their lessons. 

There will be experts from industry, investment, advisory and other backgrounds, each bringing their expertise to the problem. And of course, there will be plenty of leaders from companies who’ve beaten the world through Australian ingenuity, providing inspiration and proof that it can be done.

Speakers and a program are below. More speakers will be announced in the lead-up to the event.
Program

6:30 – Guests begin to arrive, register, mingle, enjoy coffee and refreshments

7:00 – introductory remarks, guests welcomed, sponsors thanked.  

7:05 – Keynote from Alf and Nadia Taylor from TNA Solutions

7:40 – Finding funding (panel)

8:15 – Presentation by Chris Shaw from Advanced Navigation

8:35 – Intermission, refreshments and networking

9:10 – Patient capital (panel)

9:45 – Presentation by BDO

10:00 – Addressing the missing middle (panel)

10:35 – The clean tech companies of tomorrow (panel)

11:10 – It can happen here (panel)

Room: CB08.02.005

Map: http://maps.uts.edu.au/map.cfm

Panel discussions

Patient capital: how long tech takes at times

A panel discussion featuring three high-tech businesses, each of which took many years to develop and prove their technology through to eventual adoption, and each of which remains strongly focussed on R&D. Featuring BluGlass, Calix, and Microbiogen. Moderated by BDO.

The clean tech companies of tomorrow

A roundtable of high-potential startups working in the clean tech genre, long identified by investors, government and others as an area of high potential. Featuring HB11 Energy, Allegro Energy, and IonDrive. Moderator TBC.

Finding funding

Investment is critical to take any promising idea through to something a customer will pay for, and then, ideally, to industrialisation. What are funds looking for when they’re identifying companies that can scale up? Guests include Breakthrough Victoria, the NRF Corporation, and the Australian Business Growth Fund. Moderated by BDO.

It can happen here

A discussion featuring established manufacturing companies that have grown handsomely through international leadership within their respective niches. How have they changed their industry? How do they continue to stay relevant? And how do they address the challenges of doing this from Australia? Guests include Finisar, Lovells Automotive, and ANCA Machine Tools. Moderated by David Martin from the Australian Industry Group.

Addressing the missing middle

To be moderated by Dr Jens Goennemann, AMGC Managing Director. 

Presenters (in alphabetical order)

Geoff Bell, CEO, MicroBioGen 

Geoff Bell is the CEO of MicroBioGen, a biotechnology company focused on enhancing the industrial capabilities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the world’s most widely used microorganism. Under his leadership, MicroBioGen has grown from a specialist research organisation into a global commercial success. Over two decades, Geoff expanded the company’s scope beyond fundamental yeast research to develop and commercialise advanced S. cerevisiae strains for biofuels, single-cell protein, yeast extracts, wine production, and food applications.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Economics and Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University. Geoff’s multidisciplinary background bridges science, economics, and global markets. He was a Senior Analyst at Prudential-Bache Securities and BNP Paribas Equities, ultimately becoming Head of Asia Pacific Research. For over a decade, Geoff was ranked as a top analyst, receiving multiple industry accolades for his insight.

Geoff also served for over seven years as Australia’s representative to the International Energy Agency’s Task 42, contributing to international research and policy on biorefining and the circular economy.

Today, Geoff leads MicroBioGen’s mission to deliver high-performance microbial solutions that enhance sustainability and productivity in industrial fermentation, supporting global efforts in food security, renewable energy, and climate resilience.

Jon Bulman, Senior Director of Manufacturing, Finisar 

Jon Bulman, the Senior Director of Manufacturing at Finisar. He has over 30 years of experience in leadership of innovative engineering and manufacturing, and has played a pivotal role in the formation and subsequent growth of successful high-tech businesses in England and Australia. Having joined Finisar as a start-up in 2006, Jon established and grew the manufacturing capability to become a global leader in its field with facilities located in China, Korea and Sydney producing photonic devices used in optical communication networks. Exports from its Sydney facility exceed $2 billion USD with over half of the worlds’ internet traffic passing through products based on Finisar’s technology. In his role, Jon leads the supply chain and production activities as well as the development of advanced automation for the precision assembly of optical components. 

Jon is a B Sc Hons. Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded 24 patents in areas of product and process technology, and is a member of the UNSW School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering Industry Advisory Board.

Rod Bristow, CEO, Breakthrough Victoria

Rod has over 30 years’ experience encompassing the stockbroking, asset management, wealth management, agribusiness and not-for-profit sectors. 

His previous roles include CEO of Sydney and Singapore-based VC firm Investible, CEO of ASX-listed Clime Investment Management Limited, MD of Infocus Wealth Management Ltd, CEO of environmental NGO Greening Australia and Chief Operating Officer and alternate MD of Australia’s largest retail stockbroker, CommSec.  He also cofounded a business in the environmental management and carbon offsets space, delivering Queensland's first carbon trade in 2001.

Rod holds a BSc (Forestry) from the ANU and has completed post-graduate studies at the Australian Graduate School of Management and INSEAD.

Simon Crane, CEO, Lovells Group

Simon Crane has been CEO and majority shareholder in the Lovells Group of Companies for the last 20 years. 

Simon began his working life in1978 as a young graduate Mechanical Engineer at Gilbarco

Ltd, Exxon’s petroleum handling subsidiary, then retrained as a Mechatronics Engineer in his late twenties. He has spent his entire career in manufacturing in Australia, and has watched it slowly disappear over that time, but is very proud that Lovells Group has survived and thrived. 

Lovells manufacture and distribute suspension and towing systems and components globally. He is one of the very few remaining private operators of a substantial manufacturing operation in this country, and as Lovells approaches its 95 th birthday, is determined that it should carry on beyond his tenure.

Simon’s passions are sailing and motorsport, in which he has competed for 50 years, along with bushwalking with his large extended family.

Paul Childers, Partner, Deal Advisory, BDO

Paul is a Partner in the Deal Advisory team in BDO in Sydney, with more than 30 years of professional experience in deal advisory and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Paul specialises in M&A advisory services including buy-side, sell-side and debt and equity capital raisings.

Paul has worked with numerous privately held medium to large businesses and private equity. He has experience covering completed transactions across various industries, including industrials, technology, healthcare, automotive and transport and logistics.

Dr Ebbe Dommisse, CEO, Iondrive

Dr Ebbe Dommisse has over 25 years of leadership experience across operations, manufacturing, and commercial strategy. As CEO of Iondrive, he has overseen a critical phase of growth, advancing the company’s proprietary battery recycling technology from lab to pilot-scale readiness. Under his leadership, Iondrive has completed a successful Pre-Feasibility Study and secured a range of strategic partnerships to support technical development and commercialisation.

Before joining Iondrive, Dr Dommisse was Chief Operating Officer at Circa Group, where he played a central role in scaling up a breakthrough green chemical platform. He also held senior roles at ASX-listed Pact Group, including Regional General Manager for Plastop in Indonesia and the Philippines. His deep operational expertise and commercial acumen have positioned Iondrive to advance toward becoming a leader in critical mineral recovery.

David Gall, Chief Executive Officer, National Reconstruction Fund Corporation

David Gall is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC), leading the organisation’s strategic investments to strengthen Australia’s industrial capabilities and drive long-term economic growth.
David brings over 35 years of experience in banking, investment strategy, and risk management. Prior to joining NRFC, he held executive leadership roles at National Australia Bank (NAB), including Group Executive for Corporate & Institutional Banking and Group Chief Risk Officer. In these roles, he led large-scale customer businesses, investment initiatives, complex risk frameworks, and strategic partnerships that supported business growth and economic development across key sectors.
David holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne, a Bachelor of Business from Monash University, and an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management. David is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA).

Kelly Godeau, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre

Kelly is Chief Operating Officer at AMGC. She joined the organisation in 2016 and is on its board of directors.

Kelly brings 20 years of international experience having worked at global technology company Microsoft covering its North America marketing services, and then transferring to Paris to oversee Microsoft’s Intellectual Property Protection across Europe, Middle East, and Africa. She has also worked at the cyber security firm, Symantec, and advised government officials in Brussels.

Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre

Jens has been Managing Director since AMGC’s inception. He brings extensive experience from overseeing large manufacturing operations in Australia and Europe. Jens served as Managing Director of Airbus Group Australia Pacific and Airbus Helicopters. Before his eight-year appointment to Australia, Jens spent six years in Germany with the former European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), today known as Airbus Group. He was Head of the CEO’s office in Germany, and before that in charge of Soldier and Parafoil Systems within the Defence Division. Previously, Jens spent two years in Athens where he established and managed the Eurofighter Office of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, one of the three founding partner companies of EADS. He began his career with Daimler-Benz AG in January 1996.

Phil Hodgson, CEO and Managing Director, Calix

Phil joined Calix as CEO in 2013, was appointed a Director in 2014, and is a member of Calix’s Technology Committee.

Under Phil’s leadership, Calix has become a globally recognised leader in industrial decarbonisation and sustainability.  Through rigorous technology development and the establishment of global partnerships, Calix is applying its core platform technology to the cement, steel, alumina and critical minerals industries, as well as the direct air capture of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and the production of sustainable environmental products. Calix’s technology has received numerous awards, including being awarded the global Net-Zero Industry Award for Outstanding Project at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Phil has a technical and commercial background from a successful career with Shell, where for over 14 years he developed significant depth of experience across all key sectors of the downstream oil industry including refining and supply, marketing and sales, pricing strategy, risk management, corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions.

From 2007 to 2013, Phil ran his own consultancy providing project development, commercial, M&A and management expertise to a number of sectors, including LNG, biofuel, clean coal, geothermal energy, building products, logistics and fast-moving consumer goods.

Phil holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering with Honours (University of Sydney) and a PhD in Chemical Engineering (University of NSW).

Jack Lin, Investment Director, Australian Business Growth Fund

Jack Lin is the Investment Director at the Australian Business Growth Fund (ABGF), an independently managed private equity fund backed by the Federal Government and six leading banks, dedicated to providing long-term growth capital to Australian SMEs. He joined ABGF after a decade at AUA Private Equity Partners in New York, specialising in investments in founder-led businesses. Jack previously worked in investment banking, consulting, and corporate law in Australia. He holds a Commerce/Law degree from the University of Sydney and studied at Cornell Law School. Jack is passionate about entrepreneurship, innovation, and supporting local business growth. In addition to leading ABGF, Anthony serves on the boards of Bank Australia and Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, reflecting his commitment to ethical banking, financial inclusion, and social impact.

David Martin, Director of Emerging Industries and Innovation, Australian Industry Group

David is Ai Group's Director of Emerging Industries and Innovation. David has been part of Australia’s Innovation Ecosystem for over twenty years and has worked at the executive level across multiple industries including large and small organisations to facilitate innovative solutions to complex and wicked problems.

David has maximised opportunities for Australian industry in $88 billion dollars of major projects, delivered financial assistance of over $22 million dollars to innovative SMEs and pulled together over 150 commercially astute bleeding edge research/industry collaborations that have resulted in novel technology and jobs of the future.

Most recently David provided Ai Group’s response to the Strategic Review of R&D which can be found here.

Dr Warren McKenzie, CEO, HB11 Energy

Dr Warren McKenzie is an Australian scientist and entrepreneur.

His experience spans the fields of nanotechnology, semiconductors, metallurgy, gene therapy and now fusion energy with each venture holding the possibility of being world changing.

As an entrepreneur, Dr McKenzie has founded several companies based on scientific breakthroughs. He has been listed as one of Australia’s top 100 Innovators and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Dr McKenzie founded HB11 Energy with one of the global pioneers of laser fusion, Professor Heinrich Hora.

Dr Thomas Nann, CEO, Allegro Energy

Dr Thomas Nann is a former professor of chemistry, nano technologist and the CEO and co-founder of Allegro Energy, an Australian startup revolutionising long-duration energy storage (LDES) with his patented invention of a modular microemulsion electrolyte platform for energy storage, using a water-based, non-flammable chemistry that dramatically improves performance. Dr. Nann leads Allegro's mission with a deep commitment to sustainability, to make fossil fuels obsolete by developing scalable, non-flammable, and recyclable LDES systems that outperform traditional lithium-based batteries.

Ryan Pollett, Partner, Audit & Assurance, National Leader, Manufacturing & Wholesale, BDO

Ryan is a Partner in the Audit & Assurance team in BDO in Sydney, with over 20 years of experience within the profession. He has significant experience providing audit, assurance and advisory services across several ASX listed and large proprietary companies with global operations across a broad range of sectors including manufacturing.

Ryan is also BDO’s National leader for the Manufacturing and Wholesale sector and has extensive experience providing audit and assurance services to a number of multi-national manufacturing businesses.

Martin U. Ripple, CEO, ANCA Group

Martin U. Ripple is a visionary business leader and global CEO of ANCA Group, a world-renowned innovator in CNC grinding technology. With a distinguished career spanning Aerospace, Defence, IT, and Advanced Manufacturing, Martin brings over 30 years of international experience leading transformation, commercialising advanced technologies, and driving strategic growth.

His leadership at ANCA has elevated the company’s global presence, strengthened its customer-centric innovation capabilities, and positioned it as a recognised export champion and employer of choice. A strong advocate for Industry 4.0, automation, and AI-driven manufacturing, Martin is at the forefront of reshaping precision engineering for the future.

Martin’s career includes senior executive roles at Thales, Airbus, and Mercedes-Benz, where he led large multinational teams and complex technology programs. A mechanical and aeronautical engineer, he is deeply committed to technology commercialisation and global competitiveness.

A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and an experienced board member, Martin provides strategic governance to organisations navigating complex industry environments.

Having lived and worked across Australia, Europe, Canada, and Asia, Martin brings a global perspective and deep cultural fluency to every role. Outside the boardroom, he is a passionate aviator, holding a private pilot’s licence and enjoying time in the skies.

Chris Shaw, CEO, Advanced Navigation

Chris Shaw is the CEO and co-founder of Advanced Navigation, a global leader in autonomous systems and navigation technology.

He holds First Class Honours degrees in business and electronic engineering from the University of Western Australia. During this time, he was a research and development engineer at Entecho, a company focused on developing air taxis and aerial vehicles. Following this, he joined Cyber Technology, a company specialising in autonomous vehicles.

Upon discovering a gap in the market for small robust high performance autonomous navigation solutions, Chris co-founded Advanced Navigation with business partner Xavier Orr. Since 2012, the company has experienced great success and has progressed into several deep technology fields, including advancements in AI, robotics, underwater acoustics, inertial sensors, GNSS antennas and receivers, photonics, and quantum sensing.

Nadia Taylor, Co-founder and Director, TNA Solutions Pty Ltd.

After migrating to Australia from Egypt in the 1960s, Nadia founded TNA with her husband and business partner, Alf Taylor, in 1982. Nadia’s drive and determination were instrumental in developing TNA from a packaging pioneer, into a highly successful, global food processing business with 600+ employees, more than 30 sales and support offices around the world, over 14,000 systems installed across 120 countries.

With over four decades of experience in the food industry, Nadia is actively engaged in the strategic development and operations of the business that provides end-to-end expertise to global food manufacturers. Along with Alf, she has fostered a customer-centric culture that drives TNA’s philosophy to deliver high-performing solutions with a responsible ethos. 

TNA’s success is evident in the many recognitions that Nadia has garnered over the years. Within a decade of starting the business, in 1992 Nadia was acknowledged for her commitment to excellence as a finalist at the prestigious Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ Awards. This was further endorsed in 2018 when Nadia along with her husband Alf, was presented with the Ethnic Business Award; one of the country’s longest running and coveted business awards, by the former Prime Minister of Australia, Hon. Scott Morrison, MP. 

Alf Taylor, Co-founder and Managing Director, TNA Solutions Pty Ltd

Alf’s passionate involvement and wealth of experience in the snack food industry paved the way for TNA, which he co-founded with his wife Nadia, in 1982. Together they turned their dream, that started out from their kitchen table, into a highly successful food technology company, with over 25 sales and support offices around the world.

TNA went on to redefine performance standards in Vertical Form Fill & Seal (VFFS) packaging systems with the launch of its first bagmaker with patented technology; the tna robag®. Today, the tna robag® is the leading VFFS system in the world. 

In the last decade TNA acquired capabilities in food processing technology, and is today recognised as the only single-source partner for integrated food processing, including starch moulding, and packaging solutions globally. The company has installed over 16,000 systems in more than 120 countries.

Alf’s significant contribution to the industry have earned him many recognitions, including the prestigious ‘International Award for Achievement’ by the Processing & Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA) in U.K, and the ‘Circle of Honor’ presented by SNAC International. A strong believer of inclusive growth, Alf’s contribution to society under TNA’s philanthropic initiatives were applauded in 2019 year when he received the Order of Australia (AM), for meritorious service to the community.

James Walker, Chair, BluGlass Limited

James is an experienced technology commercialisation leader, and is currently Executive Chair of BluGlass (ASX: BLG) and Native Mineral Resources (ASX: NMR) as well as Executive Director of Scalare Partners (ASX: SCP).

James has over 25 years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant and company secretary of various high growth private companies. He has successfully completed the ASX-IPO of thedocyard (ASX: TDY) and DroneShield (ASX:DRO) and before that was the CFO of Seeing Machines Ltd (AIM: SEE), an AIM-listed company that utilises advanced algorithms for detection of driver fatigue and distraction.

James thrives on commercialising technology and building new global markets, with extensive experience across a wide range of international high growth businesses, including data-driven customer experience, sensor systems, mining technology services, automotive, aviation, biotechnology, hotel telemarketing, drone detection and security sectors. Through his roles Mr. Walker has completed M&A transactions, IPO listings, follow-on share placements and other capital raisings for private companies as well as ASX and UK AIM listed companies.