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Business Events Sydney's Future Leaders Program

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) is firmly focused on continued business events success and is paving the way with the launch of the new Future Leaders program.

The aim of the Future Leaders program is to facilitate relationships with some of the State’s brightest minds to uncover valuable information, stay ahead of emerging trends, develop more bid opportunities and profile the next generation of bid leaders.

Future Leaders will receive grants to attend global business events relating to their fields of expertise to develop networks, identify bid opportunities and to explore the structure and purposes of conferences and congresses. Leaders will provide valuable perspective, insights and ideas to help BESydney to keep its finger on the pulse of the ever-changing architecture of meetings.

The program is an extension to the BESydney Ambassador program. Eight Future Leaders have been accepted into the program from academic teams from universities. Establishing and building these relationships is important to the success of the business events industry. These universities are home to many industry leaders and world–class research facilities.

Meet BESydney's Future Leaders

Dr Yvette Blount

Yvette Blount is a lecturer in Information Systems at Macquarie University and the Research Coordinator for the Australia Anywhere Working Research Network (AAWRN). The Centre for Workforce Futures, Faculty of Business and Economics at Macquarie University provides coordination for the AAWRN, which comprises a network of researchers from the university sector (national and international), research institutions and agencies such as CSIRO and organisations interested in research. The rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) will have an impact on how we work, live and play, including facilitating flexible ways of working and changing how organisations interact with customers. The AAWRN network’s research projects address the issues that arise from this ‘Anywhere Working’ - working from locations other than a central office, for example, telework and co-working spaces.

Ms Kate Fairlie

Kate is an Environment Officer at the Office of Environment and Heritage, and is extremely well-respected within the local and international surveying community. In the lead up to Sydney’s successful bid for the XXIV International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Congress in 2010, Kate acted as a FIG 2010 Young Ambassador, promoting Sydney as the ideal host city. Following her involvement in the event, she chaired the Inaugural Young Surveyor’s International Conference in Rome in May 2012 and is currently the Chair of the FIG Young Surveyors Network. In honour of her contribution and passion for the field, Kate was awarded the 2012 NSW Surveyor General’s International Fellowship in Surveying.

Dr Andrew Hutchinson

Andrew Hutchinson is the Chancellor's Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the School of Medical and Molecular Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney and an Associate Member of the ithree Institute. Andrew was identified as a Future Leader for his impressive achievements including his involvement in the small team that developed a therapeutic monoclonal antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma (currently in a Phase II clinical trial), as well as his investigations into the role of free immunoglobulin light chains in normal and malignant plasma cells, which led to two patent applications for the treatment of multiple myeloma and autoimmune disease. Since joining the ithree Institute in 2009, Andrew has been employed as a postdoctoral researcher studying the unique immunomodulatory properties of helminth (parasitic worm) derived compounds.

Dr Amanda Kennedy

Amanda Kennedy is the Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law at the University of New England. Amanda was identified as a Future Leader for her extensive experience in law-based multidisciplinary research, particularly in incorporating the social sciences. Amanda’s research has been shaped by her interest in contract law and dispute resolution and since joining the Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law in 2008, Amanda has focused upon instruments and institutions for effective natural resource governance.

Associate Professor Richard Payne

Richard Payne graduated from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand in 2002. In 2003 he was awarded a Gates Scholarship to undertake his PhD at the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge (Downing College). After his PhD, Richard moved to The Scripps Research Institute under the auspices of a Lindemann Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 2008 he moved to his current position as Lecturer of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology at the School of Chemistry at the University of Sydney. In 2011 he was promoted to Senior lecturer and in 2013 to Associate Professor. Richard was identified as a Future Leader due to his dedication to research in the field of chemistry and chemical biology. His research focuses on utilising the tools of chemistry to address problems of biochemical and medicinal significance. Projects are multidisciplinary in nature, involving a combination of solution and solid-phase organic synthesis, computer-aided drug discovery and compound screening technologies. His group currently focuses on new treatments for cancer tuberculosis, malaria, African sleeping sickness and inflammatory disorders In recognition of his work, Richard has been the recipient of a number of awards including the 2008 Biota Medal for Medicinal Chemistry, a 2010 Young Tall Poppy Science Award, the 2011 Rennie Memorial Medal and the 2012 Athel Beckwith Lectureship to name a few.

Dr Jochen Schweitzer

Jochen Schweitzer is a Senior Lecturer in Strategy at the University of Technology, Sydney Business School. Jochen’s work on creative innovation and strategy saw him selected for the program. His research focuses on questions of strategic management, collaboration, crowd sourcing, entrepreneurship and innovation, with a special interest in design thinking and social enterprise. He is also the co-founder of u.lab, a multidisciplinary innovation hub at UTS.

Dr Penelope Serow

Dr Penelope Serow is a Senior Lecturer at the University of New England working in the area of pre-service and post-graduate mathematics education. Research and consultancy projects have targeted areas such as ICT in the mathematics classroom, Indigenous numeracy outcomes, mathematics teachers’ background knowledge, education for sustainability in the mathematics classroom, assessment for learning techniques, and mathematics curriculum development and professional development in the Pacific. Penelope’s work utilises available technological tools to enhance the teaching of mathematics through student-centred approaches which challenge students to develop their own mathematical ideas. In relation to Indigenous student outcomes, Penelope has focused on community involvement, educational experiences, mentoring, school retention rates, the need to increase the number of Indigenous students considering the teaching profession, and support to maintain and reach this goal. Penelope is currently working on building educational partnerships amongst Australia and Pacific nations with the aim of capacity building through culturally responsive education strategies and local mentoring to improve educational outcomes in schools.

Dr Pia Winberg

Pia Winberg is the Director of the Shoalhaven Marine and Freshwater Centre at the University of Wollongong. Pia’s was identified as a Future Leader for her research interest and strategic focus on sustainable marine food production systems, integrated with the coastal and marine environment and her role as a driving force of Seaweeds Australia, a new national network of research and industry partners to coordinate and drive the development of vertically integrated seaweed industries. Pia is in fact one step ahead in the Future Leader program, already being the bid leader for the 5th Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology 2014.