CEO report exciting upcoming initiatives

John H C Colvin is looking forward to Company Directors’ new initiatives for business owners and the location of its next annual conference.

Company Directors always seeks to maximise the value we offer to members and that is why I am particularly excited by the launch of new initiatives for those of you who are business owners.

Private enterprise is an integral part of the Australian economy, employing 3.2 million people and contributing $425 billion to the local economy.

A growing proportion of our membership is part of this vital sector and our recently-launched initiatives aim to provide a wide range of resources that will help business owners make sound strategic and management decisions.

Firstly, a new section in the Director Resource Centre on our website provides a wealth of information about topics pertinent to business owners that will be regularly updated so it remains both relevant and current.

The second element is called the Directing Growth Program and is a joint-initiative with professional services firm KPMG.

This subscription-only service is a year-long program that will provide, for example, four seminars that will be run in each state, informal networking opportunities, a members-only portal and interactive discussions in closed social media groups.

For more information on both elements of this initiative, please visit the Director Resource Centre on our website.

We recognise that the nature of mid-market enterprise is sometimes markedly different to the environment encountered by directors of large companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and can also vary widely to the environment in which not-for-profit boards operate.

I am confident that each of our members in this sector will find both elements of the new initiatives worthy of their interest and participation.

Our aim is not just to promote excellence in governance and performance in mid-market enterprise, but also to ensure that the people who contribute so much to investment and jobs creation have the business tools relevant to their unique position and challenges.

Australia owes a lot to our business owners and Company Directors wishes to support them in their endeavours to the benefit of the nation as a whole.

A PERSONAL INVITATION
As you may be aware, we have recently chosen Kuala Lumpur, the vibrant Malaysian capital, as the location for our annual conference in 2015.

Malaysia is at the heart of one of the fastest growing and dynamic regions economically in the world and one that is vital to Australia. That makes it an ideal location for our conference as its theme will revolve around working with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and doing business in a region that is vitally important to directors, companies and our nation generally.

The conference is scheduled for 20-23 May and will be held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, so please mark the date in your diaries.

The program for the conference is already shaping as another excellent line-up of Australian and international speakers, panel discussions and forums which will focus on vital issues for directors and the challenges of doing business in the “Asian Century”.

Our relationship with Malaysia and the region is especially important in 2015, with the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community and Malaysia playing a key role as its inaugural chair.

However, Malaysia is not just a key trade, economic and strategic partner of Australia, but a friend – a friend which now needs our clear support after two tragic events involving its national carrier, Malaysia Airlines.

We appreciate that some of our members may be concerned about travel arrangements in the wake of these tragedies. I would like to reassure you that a number of different options are available.

At the date of writing, there is one direct Qantas/Emirates flight every day from Melbourne. Air Asia also flies direct twice daily from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

There are also a number of alternative non-direct flights on other airlines from all capital cities. Malaysia Airlines has three direct flights per day from Sydney and Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur, and one per day from Perth and Brisbane.

All of these alternatives should enable our members in other states to choose a connecting flight that best suits their individual circumstances.

Our decision to hold the conference in Malaysia has been warmly welcomed by the federal government, which is strongly committed to further expanding the trade and investment relationship with Malaysia and ASEAN.

The Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Peter Varghese, says the government is committed to further expand the trade and investment relationship with Malaysia, with the private sector taking the lead.

We look forward with great anticipation to next year’s event and hope that as many of you as possible will join us in Kuala Lumpur.