Manufacturers are typically proud of their business yet feel that the general public and students do not value manufacturing as highly as they should. Our research shows Australians do recognise the economic importance of manufacturing and are optimistic about its future. Join us for a conversation on the strength of the industry and how you can raise your voice to change misperceptions of the Australian manufacturing industry.

Panelists:

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Ty Hermans, Managing Director, Evolve Group

Ty is the Managing Director of the Evolve Group – Australia’s pre-eminent hardware accelerator and product commercialisation facility. Ty is passionate about ‘no nonsense’ product development with a laser focus on commercialisation, and he is leading the charge in bringing manufacturing back to Australia. Currently Evolve is manufacturing here in Australia more cost effectively than offshore suppliers for their vast customer base.

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Peter Hook, General Manager, Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions

Peter has 25 years of experience leading electronics, instrumentation and automation companies in around the world and across industry sectors. Joining Bosch in early 2018 Peter with responsibility for Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions (BAMS) sales, marketing and business development across Oceania.  Appointment to the role of General Manager in 2019 extended his responsibility to the design, engineering & manufacturing teams.  As General Manager, Peter has focussed on expanding BOSCH’s industry leading reputation into BAMS’ key markets of Advanced Manufacturing, Medtech and FMCG

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Michael Grogan, State Director Victoria and Tasmania, National Director Skills and Training, AMGC

Michael commenced as State Director, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania in May 2016, and is based near Melbourne. Michael joined AMGC having led Sutton Tools for almost two decades as CEO. Under his leadership, Sutton Tools employed 350 workers across three locations in Victoria.  Michael champions skill development and collaboration across the VET and Tertiary education sectors, and is active in training packages development.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Good leadership is needed to ensure changes stick and it underpins all the ways towards advanced manufacturing outlined in the 10 Ways to Succeed. Leadership is needed whether you are the business owner, CEO, or a manager within a larger organisation. Join us for a conversation on the practical steps you can take to become a more effective leader.

Panelists:

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Garry Beard, Chairman and Managing Director, A.H. Beard

Garry has been involved in the business for over 40 years. Over this time, Garry has seen this family owned business grow from a $3 million turnover employing 32 people in one factory at Sans Souci, New South Wales, Australia to now a $140 million turnover, employing over 430 people across 7 factories in Australia and New Zealand and producing up to 10,000 mattresses each week. Also now exporting to China, Sth Korea, Thailand & Papua New Guinea. Five generations of the A.H. Beard family have been committed to continuous innovation to ensure they remain leaders in their field.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Darren Naumann, Industry Facilitator, AMGC

Darren joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre as Industry Facilitator in May 2020. He works closely with industry to secure Australian PPE supply chains and local manufacturing capability. Darren served for over 30 years as an engineer in the Australian Army. His roles included a range of leadership, military engineering and infrastructure management appointments including command of the Army’s 19th Chief Engineer Works, and exchange postings with the RAAF, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the UK Ministry of Defence.  In his last appointment with Defence he managed the national Defence capital infrastructure program. Following retirement from Defence, Darren led the recovery program after the 2015 NSW Hunter Valley and Central Coast floods. He currently provides strategic infrastructure, governance, emergency management, procurement, and Defence advisory services to public and private sector clients.

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Proactive planning can help manufacturing business grow and take advantage of opportunities, rather than be reactive. It can be hard to know where to start and how to find the time to work ‘on’ the business, not ‘in’ the business. Learn how small, practical steps can make a big difference in your business.

Panelists:

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Leanne Preston, Group CEO, Wild Child Laboratories

Leanne recognised the need for a natural head lice treatment back in 1997. She has since steered the company from humble beginnings in her kitchen to a company that has marketed products in more than 30,000 stores worldwide. Leanne’s vison and market insight has kept Wild Child on the cutting edge of cosmeceutical technology. Starting in the south west of Western Australia Leanne’s original product Quit Nits sold throughout Australia, New Zealand, the USA and the EU. Overseas clients included CVS, Walgreen, Kruidvat and Rite Aid.

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Paul Cooper, Owner and Executive Chair, Rinstrum

Paul has over 25 years’ manufacturing industry experience as owner and Executive Chair of Rinstrum, an industrial electronics manufacturing company. Rinstrum is based in Brisbane and actively exports to global markets with subsidiaries in the United States, Germany, India and Sri Lanka. Paul was appointed to the AMGC Board in 2015 and is tasked with overseeing the implementation of AMGC’s strategy and its alignment with the overall Federal Government’s Growth Centre Initiative.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Angela Doyle, State Director Western Australia, AMGC

Angela joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2018 as State Director, Western Australia. In the previous eight years, Angela worked with over 150 businesses in her role as a Business Adviser with AusIndustry’s Entrepreneurs’ Programme. Through comprehensive business management analyses, she helped these companies to improve their business performance and to grow. Previously, Angela spent 17 years in senior management roles including General Manager of Issey Sunshade Systems, CEO of SIDS and Kids WA and leading a team of science and technology educators at Scitech Discovery Centre.

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Did you know collaboration can make firms more profitable and innovative by sharing ideas, discovering opportunities, and spreading risk? You can reap these benefits by mining personal networks, seeking out established networking programs and putting aside zero-sun thinking. Hear how you can get involved and how manufacturers are using networking and collaboration to develop and improve their product offerings.

Panelists:

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Penny Crawford, Founder, Crawford Boots

Penny is the founder of Crawford Boots, a product that has been described as the Nike of the gumboot industry. Working as a podiatrist for 27 years in regional NSW, Penny has designed and developed a footwear solution that answers the fit, comfort, stability & safety problems associated with the gumboots currently available. The Crawford difference includes a patented system which allows the wearer to tailor the fit of the boot to the individual’s foot shape and size improving risk management, wearer satisfaction and value for money. With the methodology backed by proven results and a win in 2019 in the NSW Minerals Council Health Innovation Award, Crawford Boots are paving the way in waterproof PPE footwear.

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Phil West, Project Manager and Director, Siren Cameras

Phil is a high-achieving Project Management professional who, after graduating from University, has spent over 16 years within Energy industries, responsible for multi-team management and delivery of project portfolio budgets in excess of $100M AUD annually.  Successfully working for industry Majors throughout his career, Phil has consistently demonstrated and developed broad Project and People management skill-sets, while leveraging the value of stakeholder collaboration.

Brought-up by the water in North-East Scotland, Phil’s association with the ocean and life-long passion for fishing was developed at an early age and has only strengthened throughout his life travels. Now an Australian citizen and residing in Brisbane, Phil’s early experiences teaching himself how to fish Australian waters led to the Siren Camera concept with the startup now powered by Phils increasing passion for better understanding and protection of marine environments.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Angela Doyle, State Director Western Australia, AMGC

Angela joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2018 as State Director, Western Australia. In the previous eight years, Angela worked with over 150 businesses in her role as a Business Adviser with AusIndustry’s Entrepreneurs’ Programme. Through comprehensive business management analyses, she helped these companies to improve their business performance and to grow. Previously, Angela spent 17 years in senior management roles including General Manager of Issey Sunshade Systems, CEO of SIDS and Kids WA and leading a team of science and technology educators at Scitech Discovery Centre.

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Collaboration with researchers is a hallmark of Australia’s most advanced manufacturing companies. New tools, new awareness of the benefits, and new recognition of the need to remove institutional barriers are making it easier for future collaborations. Join us for a conversation on how research institutions collaborate with industry and how to identify the right researcher.

Panelists:

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Michaela Murphy, Business Development Officer NSW. APR.Intern

Michaela joined APR.Intern in 2020 as a Business Development Officer in NSW. She works with universities and businesses across NSW to help facilitate short-term PhD-Industry internships to help organisations complete short-term innovative projects, allowing businesses to continue to stay agile and competitive in this uncertain world.

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Piers Lincoln, Manager, IPAS Institute

Piers has been Institute Manager of the Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at the University of Adelaide since July 2009. He leads the commercialisation activity of the Institute and works with the scientific teams to help them develop their products, identify industrial partners and funding streams. Past roles have included Business and Marketing Manager for Acambis PLC a developer of vaccines based in Cambridge UK and the US.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Michael Haddy, State Director South Australia, National Director Defence and Space, AMGC

Michael commenced as Director – South Australia in April 2018, and is based in Adelaide. Michael has a three-decade-long background in business, commercialisation and software engineering. He founded Innovation Science in 1999, a company that has developed and deployed combat system simulation and specialist systems,and provided engineering expertise in Australia, the UK and Canada. He has served different senior roles at Rapid Prototyping Development and Evaluation Program, an initiative that delivers guidance and prototype solutions for Defence projects, between 2010 and 2017.

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New technologies can deliver significant productivity gains and make companies more responsive to customers and competitive changes. Many manufacturers are being held back by lack of information and a sense they need to make ‘all-or-nothing’ changes. Hear how getting expert advice, making a plan, learning from others, and starting small can help you to implement the right technology for your needs.

Panelists:

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Nicole Davidson,  Marketing Manager, Davidson Engineering

Nicole has 25 years of experience running a small steel fabrication business and a farm with her husband in rural Victoria.  After the invention of Davo’s Fencing Clip in 2017, Nicole took on the marketing role with no experience. Looking to social media, Nicole has taken Davo’s Fencing Clip from concept to sales of $250,000 in just 2 years. Now, taking international orders, Davidson’s are investing in state of the art wire bending technology, and have tapped into alternative internet technology to solve communication problems in a rural setting, while still keeping her customer interactions personal and tailored.

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Jo Hugman, Industry 4.0 Team Leader, REDARC

Jo Hugman is a Process Engineer and MBA graduate with 20 years experience in Advanced Manufacturing.  Jo has worked in Aluminium Smelting, Photovoltaic Solar Cell Manufacturing, Oil and Gas Production and Electronics manufacturing.  Jo is also an Industry Leaders Fund scholar.  She is currently working as Industry 4.0 Team Leader at REDARC electronics where she is accountable for implementing the Industry 4.0 strategy for the Supply Chain and Production areas of the Company.

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Alfredo Martinez-Coll, Director, Business Relationships (Biomedical), University of Technology Sydney

Alfredo has joined UTS as a Director, Business Relationships (Biomedical Engineering) and is focused on increasing the level of industry engagement / investment into FEIT around Biomedical capabilities. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Registered Technology Transfer Professional and a member of the National Advisory Group of AusMedTech (Medical Devices Group of AusBiotech). Alfredo is passionate about engaging with researchers, investors, and industry in the life sciences / medtech sector assisting with the translation of research discoveries into social impact; with particular expertise around Australian Government industry-focused granting schemes.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Michael Haddy, State Director South Australia, National Director Defence and Space, AMGC

Michael commenced as Director – South Australia in April 2018, and is based in Adelaide. Michael has a three-decade-long background in business, commercialisation and software engineering. He founded Innovation Science in 1999, a company that has developed and deployed combat system simulation and specialist systems,and provided engineering expertise in Australia, the UK and Canada. He has served different senior roles at Rapid Prototyping Development and Evaluation Program, an initiative that delivers guidance and prototype solutions for Defence projects, between 2010 and 2017.

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Access to capital is a perennial problem for smaller business, and particularly for manufacturers looking to invest in advanced technology. Preparing loan applications, financial modelling and navigating grant processes require different skills than those used for the day-to-day running of a manufacturing business. Learn about practical steps you can take to increase your chances of securing funding and how manufacturers have accessed capital for their own businesses.

Panelists:

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Adam Gilmour, CEO and Co-founder, Gilmour Space Technologies

Adam Gilmour is the CEO and Co-founder of Gilmour Space Technologies, a venture-funded rocket company in Queensland that is developing more affordable launch vehicles for small satellite/payload customers. A lifelong space fan, Adam believes that rockets can be made smaller, cheaper, faster, and that the New Space industry, and Australia, would benefit greatly from having more dedicated access to space.

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Michael Reznikov, Associate Director for SME, NSW & ACT, Export Finance Australia

As Associate Director for SME, NSW and ACT, Michael is responsible for implementing and executing Export Finance Australia’s origination strategy for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in NSW and the ACT. Working closely with clients, banks and other industry contacts, Michael provides tailored financial solutions to support a company’s growth aspirations when expanding offshore and winning export or export-related contracts.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Mark Peters, State Director Queensland and Northern Territory, National Director Projects, AMGC

Mark joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 as State Director, Queensland and Northern Territory. Mark’s role is to support Queensland and Northern Territory manufacturers to transform their business to become more globally competitive. Previously, Mark worked as a Business Advisor as part of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme. He has worked with hundreds of firms covering diverse industries, such as, manufacturing, resources, agriculture, medical and transport. Mark has a commercial background as a CEO with companies in the process control and motion control industries.

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Hiring the right people can be difficult, but it is crucial for long-term success. Australia has a talent pool, as well as international hires, who could be a good fit for roles across the value chain. Reaching talented people can require thought about how and where a company should advertise. Learn how you can use Australian manufacturing’s strength to reach the right person for your role.

Panelists:

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David Fox, General Manager, LA Services

David began his working life as an apprentice fitter machinist in 1988. He joined LA Services in 2006 as a Project Manager, he became involved in larger projects supplying custom engineered equipment for oil & gas majors in Australia.  These experiences highlighted the impacts and opportunities such manufacturing had on LA Services business. In 2012 David return to UTS undertaking a Master of Engineering by research part time focusing on project management in the SME engineered-to-order space. In 2016 his role fully transitioned into management responsibilities and the planning of LA Services future.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Michael Grogan, State Director Victoria and Tasmania, National Director Skills and Training, AMGC

Michael commenced as State Director, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania in May 2016, and is based near Melbourne. Michael joined AMGC having led Sutton Tools for almost two decades as CEO. Under his leadership, Sutton Tools employed 350 workers across three locations in Victoria.  Michael champions skill development and collaboration across the VET and Tertiary education sectors, and is active in training packages development.

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Many skills gaps can be filled by developing the abilities of existing employees. Company culture has a big effect on employee retention and many successful manufacturers make it a priority. Join us for a conversation on how a collaborative culture that prioritises communication and invites employees to speak up can make businesses more productive and innovative.

Panelists:

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Darren Naumann, Industry Facilitator, AMGC

Darren joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre as Industry Facilitator in May 2020. He works closely with industry to secure Australian PPE supply chains and local manufacturing capability. Darren served for over 30 years as an engineer in the Australian Army. His roles included a range of leadership, military engineering and infrastructure management appointments including command of the Army’s 19th Chief Engineer Works, and exchange postings with the RAAF, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the UK Ministry of Defence.  In his last appointment with Defence he managed the national Defence capital infrastructure program. Following retirement from Defence, Darren led the recovery program after the 2015 NSW Hunter Valley and Central Coast floods. He currently provides strategic infrastructure, governance, emergency management, procurement, and Defence advisory services to public and private sector clients.

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Companies that export can transform their growth trajectory and profitability. Export opportunities are often ‘out of sight, out of mind’, and easily missed. Hear how other manufacturers have extended their market reach and how you can increase the likelihood of finding the right overseas partner.

Panelists:

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Matt Bromwich, CEO, IntelliDesign

Matt has over 15 years experience in the design and manufacture of complex electronic devices across a range of industries including medical, defence, industrial and consumer. He has helped IntelliDesign to become the largest electronics manufacturer in Queensland with a growing portfolio of national and international customers. IntelliDesign is focused on working with it’s customers in creating innovative, game-changing products by providing a true end-to-end design and manufacture model with ongoing support for the life of the product.

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Michael Sharpe, National Director Industry, AMGC

Michael joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 and is the National Director – Industry. Michael has vast industrial experience including nearly three decades at Sharpe Bros (Australia), one of the nation’s leading road companies. From 2004 -2014, he served as Managing Director of the family business. From 2012 – 2016, he was on the board of HunterNet, a successful industry clustering initiative in the Hunter and Central Coast region and served as Chairman for a one-year period.

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Mark Peters, State Director Queensland and Northern Territory, National Director Projects, AMGC

Mark joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2017 as State Director, Queensland and Northern Territory. Mark’s role is to support Queensland and Northern Territory manufacturers to transform their business to become more globally competitive. Previously, Mark worked as a Business Advisor as part of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme. He has worked with hundreds of firms covering diverse industries, such as, manufacturing, resources, agriculture, medical and transport. Mark has a commercial background as a CEO with companies in the process control and motion control industries.

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