As the only conference in the Southern Hemisphere dedicated to family business, the Family Business Conference: Asia-Pacific 2024 is a rare opportunity to come together with family businesses from across Australia and New Zealand, and delve into all aspects of business, with a family business lens.
Every speaker, masterclass, keynote and breakout session is tailored to address the unique opportunities and challenges facing family businesses, to support you, your family and your business to achieve sustained harmony and growth.
Our lineup of speakers are industry leaders and family business experts, including family members from the Wagner Corporation, Foti International Fireworks and Bundaberg Brewed Drinks. They will share their stories of success, as well as their key learnings to provide you with tangible tools and takeaways to implement in your business.
Join us this year in Cairns from 30 April - 3 May and learn from the best in the sector with tailored sessions, inspirational keynotes and memorable social events, all while being surrounded by a community who truly understands.
Our Family Business Speakers
Introducing distinguished speakers from three Australian family businesses, each representing a unique facet of family business success:
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Denis Wagner |
The Wagner Family: From Concrete Roots to Paving the Way to Growth and SuccessDiscover the remarkable success story of the Wagner family, starting with a small concrete operation in Toowoomba in 1989 to multi million-dollar ventures and projects. The Wagner family are known for big achievements like creating the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport and delivering real change and economic growth, both for people in the Toowoomba region and throughout the state. Denis Wagner will share insights into how the family navigates the triumphs, obstacles, and challenges inherent in the rapid expansion of their business empire. |
The Foti family DYNAMICS!!
Did you know a local family business is behind the New Year's Eve Sydney Harbour fireworks?
When the Foti family began crafting fireworks in the medieval city of Messina in northern Sicily back in 1793, little did they know their modest family venture would endure for eight generations, traverse continents and stand as the creative force behind one of the world's most iconic pyrotechnic displays.
To sustain their family business, the Fotis have had to continuously navigate a myriad of technological advancements and evolving industry trends together with pressures surrounding their family business expanding from their entrepreneurial beginnings.
Father and daughter, Tino and Georgia will share what binds the family together, fueling their enduring passion for the family business, and the strategies the family employed to sustain their business in the ever-evolving fireworks industry.
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Tino Foti |
Georgia Foti |
Board and Governance Strategy for Brewing Success
Bundaberg Brewed Drinks stands out as a remarkable success in the regional Queensland business landscape — a fourth-generation family venture that originated locally and has now achieved a global presence, exporting to around 60 countries.
Founded in 1968, this family business has demonstrated impressive growth, with profits soaring more than 20-fold over a 24-year span. Pivotal to this success has been the capacity to re-evaluate board performance and the willingness to undergo a comprehensive board overhaul when necessary.
Director Rae-Lee Fleming, her husband and CEO, John McLean, and Board Director, Glenn Cooper AM, will discuss the transformative impact of governance on organisational growth, the motivations behind the shift from operating with non-family managers to creating a formal Board, and address the challenges that governance helped overcome, including the reasons for the Board overhaul.
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Rae-Lee Fleming |
John McLean |
Glenn Cooper AM |
Explore the full program
Thank you to all our Conference Sponsors
Gold Sponsor
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Longest Lunch Sponsor
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Emerging Generation Longest Lunch Sponsor
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Meeting Place Sponsor
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Conference Supporter
