Window on the ATBC No. 10

Dear Members and Friends,

Post COVID, we have seen rapid changes in the business environment and the global financial climate. Inflation is running rampant and higher interest rates are on the horizon. A new geo-political order is also taking shape, bringing with it supply chain disruptions and other problems. This presents opportunities as well as challenges in terms of scaling up your business.

ATBC greatly appreciates the ongoing support of Austrade, Australian Office, Taipei, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia, and Investment NSW. I would also like to specially thank Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Brisbane (TECO, Brisbane) for their kind support, particularly when ATBC held events in Brisbane between 2019 to December 2021 over the pandemic.

We have successfully participated in and completed all the events listed below as part of ATBC’s moving-forward policy, which focuses on addressing economic and technological trends as well as responding to emerging global policies such as “Zero-Covid” and “Net Zero Emissions”, discovering and cultivating the NextGen for sustainability and exploring the impacts on the Australia-Taiwan arena in the first half of 2022:

1. Tuesday, 15^th February – “Exploring future of battery industry supply chain and business opportunities in Australia-Taiwan” https://atbc.asn.au/past-video-events/ webinar, co-hosted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan and TAITRA;
2. Tuesday, 15^th March – Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce, Taiwan (CNAIC) 70^th Anniversary “Forward-thinking Forum – 2022 Global Economic Outlook and Regional Economic Integrations” Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (cnaic.org).  Vice Chair Hon Gary Hardgrave represented ATBC to participate in the Panel Discussion;
3. Australia-Taiwan Emerging Business Leaders Program (the Program)

https://atbc.asn.au/emerging-business-leaders-program-2/

The Program is supported by the Australian government –  National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, Investment NSW and Sparke Helmore, as well as our Taiwan counterpart – ROCABC/CIECA.

• Leaders Program Announcement – Thursday, 28th April (Hybrid format in Sydney and Taipei)

The Program generated great interest from highly qualified candidates in many fields from both Taiwan and around Australia. The 16 successful candidates bring with them a wide range of skills and experience. It is hoped that through the events, workshops and conferences of the Australia-Taiwan Emerging Business Leaders Program, they will be able to learn from each other and from the prominent stakeholders in the Australia-Taiwan relationship who are contributing to the Program. It will be an amazing chance to brainstorm new ideas, establish relationships, and find new connections to further vitalize the business interactions between Australia and Taiwan.

• Leaders Program Workshop – Wednesday, 18th May 2022 (virtual)

The 16 participants were divided into four teams, each with a mix of skills and experience. Each team was given an icebreaker topic to work on, and the results were presented at the online Workshop, which was open to the public. This provided a chance for this talented group of people to show how, working together, they can generate bigger and better ideas that will benefit the commercial space between Australia and Taiwan. Setting the tone for the Workshop was keynote speaker Dr David Howard-Jones, a partner in Marsh McLennan’s finance and risk practice and Director, Oliver Wyman Australia. The event included a live poll for the best-performing team.

• Leaders Program Networking Event – Wednesday, 15th June 2022

The session was an online escape room for Leaders’ networking only. (This event was not open to the public.)

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR NEXT SIX MONTHS:

1. Luncheon in Honour of Ms Jenny Bloomfield, Representative of Australian Office, Taipei – Wednesday, 29^th June 2022 in Brisbane Invitation only – Ms Bloomfield is on her mid-term break and has returned to Australia for the first time since she took up the position in Taipei on 1 February 2021.
2. ATBC AGM 2022 – Monday, 1^st August 2022ATBC is grateful to the Macquarie Group for once again hosting this year’s AGM at 11:10 AEST followed by the Business Luncheon at their Sydney HQ. The guest of honour at the lunch will be the Hon Tony Abbott AC. Please note that while there are limited places for the lunch (on a first-come, first-served basis and by invitation only), all members are encouraged to participate at the AGM either in person or online and rsvp for attending both is essential which I will share the link and AGM details early July.
3. Leaders Program Public Forum – Friday, 26th August 2022The public forum will allow the 16 Leaders to showcase how their ideas have developed, presenting their own individual pitch. This event is open to the public online and will include a Q&A session with an expert panel, comprised of:
   • Professor Caitlin Byrne, Pro Vice Chancellor (Business), Griffith University;
   • Mr Brent Moore, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Deputy Representative, Australian Office Taipei, Commercial Section;
   • Mr Mark Dorney FAICD, Managing Director, Chevalier Capital Pty Ltd (ATBC Former Vice Chair).

   Public interest in this event is welcome and further details will be provided shortly.  It will be a great chance to see how young professionals and entrepreneurs envisage the development and growth of commercial relations between Australia and Taiwan.

4. 35^th Joint Conference of ATBC and ROCABC We are looking forward to the 35^th Joint Conference, which will take place in late October or early November (TBC) and will be an in-person event held in Sydney. ATBC would like to express its appreciation to our main sponsor, Investment NSW and others.  We will keep you posted about further developments – stay tuned for the announcement of this major joint event by ATBC and ROCABC.

WORTH A MENTION

Board Member

We are very pleased to announce that Mr Rowan Callick OBE has just joined the ATBC board.  Rowan is an Australian/British journalist, author and speaker, whose work and interests focus primarily on China and the rest of Asia, as well as on Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands. He is a member of many academic and other boards focused on development issues and is a follower of the arts who has won many awards.

New Website

ATBC is also excited to announce our brand new website www.atbc.asn.au. Check it out and follow our social media:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/australia-taiwan-business-council-ltd/
https://twitter.com/atbcltd
https://www.facebook.com/AustraliaTaiwanBusinessCouncil
https://www.instagram.com/atbcltd/

Last but not least, ATBC wouldn’t be where it is today without your support and participation. Your continued support and feedback are greatly appreciated.

Ching-Mei Maddock
Chief Executive Officer
15 June 2022