Biographies of the Asialink Leaders Program participants 2017 Brisbane Leaders Geoff Bianchi Manager, Communication and Intelligence - Global Engagement The University of Queensland Geoff Bianchi is currently the Manager, Communications and Intelligence (Global Engagement) at the University of Queensland (UQ) where he is responsible for reporting on UQ s international engagement including students, publications, research collaborations, research funding, alumni, philanthropy, agreements and staff. Geoff s team is responsible for the development of regional, country and partner engagement briefs for the University s Senior Executive and to support the University s Global strategy. A core part of the role is the management of the University s two international dashboards the Partner Engagement Framework and Country Engagement Framework. Geoff is a CPA with over 20 years experience and over 10 years in higher education including senior finance positions at UQ as the Finance Manager for the Faculty of Business, Economics & Law and Senior Financial Analyst in Finance and Business Services. Responsibilities included student modelling and income forecasts, budgeting, quarterly forecasting, yearly reporting and business process improvement. Outside of work, Geoff finished the New York Marathon in 2009 and the Melbourne Ironman in 2013. Geoff is now giving his body a well-deserved break and spending time with his young family. Kelvin Choy Senior Associate Herbert Smith Freehills Kelvin Choy is a senior banking and finance lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills. He specialises in advising private equity, corporate borrowers and banks on acquisition and leveraged finance and debt restructuring transactions. He has over fifteen years of experience as a lawyer in Australia and the UK, both in private practice and as in-house counsel. This includes a role as a senior executive of legal and business affairs at a film, television and entertainment investment company in London. Kelvin holds a Bachelor of Business (International Business) / Bachelor of Laws with first class honours from the Queensland University of Technology. He is admitted to practise law in Australia and in England and Wales.
Sarah Fitzsimmons Relationship Manager Key Accounts Chartered Accountants ANZ I am a Key Account Relationship Manager with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. I have worked with CA for 8+ years with my focus being on member engagement activities throughout Queensland. It has been an imperative of mine to have a continual communication channel between as many members as possible whilst managing the added difficulty of distance as well as varied member need - it has been a fun challenge over the years to balance this. I grew up in Hong Kong in the 70's & 80's and as such have a passion for diversity and international business. Outside of work I am a mum to 3 brilliant kids, I am a marriage celebrant and JP and volunteer for the Smith Family's mentoring program. Emma Hansford General Manager - Office of the CEO QIC I am the General Manager - Strategy, Marketing and Communications at QIC. QIC is a global diversified alternative investment firm offering infrastructure, private equity, liquid strategies and multi-asset investments. It is one of the largest institutional investors in Australia with approximately $79.5 billion in funds under management. In my role I develop the enterprise strategy across asset classes and lead the marketing and communications team. I have spent the last 9 years working for QIC in a range of roles across change management, project management, strategy implementation and most recently in leading the Office of the Chief Executive. My background is in business strategy, communication and change management. I have a Master of Business Administration in strategy and a business degree in communications. I was fortunate enough to attend the Harvard Women's Leadership Course in 2016 on a scholarship. I have worked in a variety of industries including consulting, arts management and government. I am passionate about strategy execution and leading high performing teams.
Roger Kaus Principal Trade & Investment Officer Trade & Investment Queensland Roger has been employed with agricultural industries for over four decades serving in both the public and private sectors in the Maranoa, South East, Central West and Northern regions of Queensland. Currently based in Townsville, Roger's focus for Trade and Investment includes direct foreign investment and export services in the priority sectors of food and agribusiness, international education, mining and resources and urban infrastructure and knowledge industries. Since 1995, Roger has been associated with connecting foreign business to Queensland companies by both activities that included the management of inward and outbound business missions. Project work included market development within the agribusiness export sector and during this time he developed a network of international, national and statewide clients while travelling to Asia, North Africa and South America. He has experience in primary industry sectors including beef and dairy, livestock processing and marketing and animal health services. He attended the Hawkesbury Agricultural College and Longreach Rural Training College. In his current role, Roger works to promote Queensland's export products and services as well as seeking to identifying foreign investment. Young-Mi Kim Senior Trade and Investment Officer Trade & Investment Queensland Young-Mi has over many years in depth experience in international trade. Young-Mi works in Urban Infrastructure and Knowledge Industries team, Trade and Investment Queensland, the export and investment promotion agency of the Queensland Government. Young Mi was A/Business Manager of North Asia in Trade and Investment Queensland, In this role, Young-Mi was responsible for developing export opportunities for Queensland businesses in the North Asia region which covers Japan and Korea. Previously, Young-Mi was the Business Development Manager of Trade and Investment Queensland Korea Office for two years providing assistance to Queensland companies and attracting Korean investment into Queensland. Young-Mi also worked at Economic Section at the Australian Embassy for seven years before she moved to Sydney for studying at the University of Sydney. Young-Mi also worked in Seoul for Western Australia Trade and Investment Office. As part of her role in Trade and Investment Queensland, Young-Mi provides market advice to Queensland companies and works with international companies for investment attraction. Young-Mi had a MA (Education) at the University of Sydney and a MA (English Linguistics) at Korea University. Young-Mi was also teaching Korean languages at Language Teaching Research Institute and University of Maryland based in Seoul.
Amanda Mather Director of Sustainability and Strategic Relations Hear and Say Qualified with a strong business education and a diverse career in government, commercial and healthcare sectors, Amanda is a change leader and business developer focussed on the achievement of social outcomes. Amanda s previous work included overseeing a $2B healthcare budget across Queensland managing hospital planning, finance, capital works and communications. Amanda also developed the Health Service Plan which underpinned the capital development of the Lady Cilento Children s Hospital at South Brisbane. Today, Amanda works at Hear and Say playing a pivotal role in enhancing its long term vision, particularly in relation to ensuring no child is limited by hearing loss. Zohar Spatz Executive Producer Australian Performing Arts Market Brisbane Powerhouse Zohar Spatz is a theatre and events producer, working within a multi-disciplinary context encompassing cultural arts programs in Australia and overseas for over 15 years. She has an extensive background in the not-for-profit arts and culture sector including project management and cross-cultural development. Zohar is currently the Executive Producer of the Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM), the leading internationally focused industry event for the export of Australian performing arts. She is responsible for the executive leadership and strategic planning of APAM to increase the international and national touring opportunities for Australian contemporary performing artists and companies. This builds on her substantial and highly developed Operations and Logistics expertise.
Simon Wright Assistant Director, Learning and Public Engagement QAGOMA Simon Wright has held public programming, exhibition, curatorial and management positions in private, commercial, public gallery and museum realms since 1993 after graduating with a B.A from The University of Queensland. Currently Assistant Director (Learning + Public Engagement) at Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), he is a former Director of Griffith Artworks + Griffith University Art Gallery, Exhibitions Manager at Brisbane City Gallery, curatorial consultant to private collections and Gallery Manager at Bellas Gallery. He has worked on over 250 exhibition and publication projects and received a Museums Australia Gallery and Museum Individual Achievement Award in 2004-5, and a National Australia Bank Partnering Award [QLD] at the Australia Business Arts Foundation Awards in 2006. After joining in 2007, he became a Fellow and then Founder Benefactor of the QAGOMA Foundation in 2014. In 2009 he was appointed to The Commissioner's Council for Australia for the 53rd Venice Biennale and has served as a member of the 54th and 55th Venice Biennale Champion Programs for Australia. In 2012 he was a member of the selection committee for The Premier of Queensland s International Sculpture Commission and in 2013 was elected to the Board of The Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane.