CPA Virtual Congress brings together an informative and engaging program covering a wide breadth of topics, real-life case studies and practical solutions. A powerful line-up of finance and business leaders and high-profile speakers will address the highly topical and relevant issues impacting all strategic business leaders.
Speaker: Chris Richardson, Partner, Deloitte Access Economics
Session Details:
Withdrawal of public sector stimulus plus conservative consumer spending leaves key nations recovering slowly from the global financial crisis. As a major trading partner for emerging economies such as China and India, resource-rich Australia has a more optimistic outlook than other mature economies. Chris will discuss how Australia’s economic growth is projected to continue at a solid rate in 2011 and beyond, and how its relative strength comes at the cost of rising interest rates and a high Australian dollar.
Speaker: Will Whitehorn, Chairman of Loewy Group and former President of Virgin Galactic
Session Details:
As President of Virgin Galactic, Will Whitehorn was at the hub of one of the most exciting business and technology ventures of the twenty first century: commercial space travel. He took the project from being the nascent dream of Will's boss, Sir Richard Branson, to a project with real spacecraft, test flights and a spaceport.
Will steered Virgin Galactic from concept to reality, convincing investors, overseeing technical plans, and moving to a position where daily flights to one hundred miles above the Earth's surface was a genuine possibility. Few can claim to be involved in such a breakthrough project.
Will also served as the Virgin Group's Brand Development & Corporate Affairs Director. He was seen as Branson's right-hand man, having closely worked with him for over twenty years.
It is remarkable to think that commercial flights could begin as early as the end of 2012 and there are already over 350 people who have booked their seats on a flight, paying around £200k for the privilege. This impressive piece of marketing being achieved with little or no money being spent on actual marketing and all through effective PR activity and word of mouth.
In this session he will also explain the importance of online industry PR and innovation and how they can be used to create a competitive edge in business and how future space technology, including digital communications, will influence our lives.
Complimentary member resources
Speaker: Major-General Michael Jeffery AC, AO (Mil), CVO, MC; Former Governor-General and Former Governor of WA, Founder of Future Directions International (FDI); and Chairman, Royal Flying Doctors, FDI and Outcomes Australia
Session Details:
With the booming economy, Western Australia is entering an unprecedented period of growth, wealth and development. To be sustainable, however, the challenges and opportunities faced by West Australians will need to be understood on a national, regional and global level.
In this session you will gain insights on:
Speakers: Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke, Founders, sass & bide; Facilitator: Kellie Hush, Editor, GRAZIA Magazine
Session Details:
sass & bide is one of Australia’s most iconic fashion brands. Sarah-Jane and Heidi will share their story of starting out, going global, building a strong iconic brand and choosing the right time to sell; having recently sold a 65 per cent stake of the business to department store giant Myer. As business owners they will discuss the power of their partnership in juggling the challenges of business and family life.
Speaker: Peter Thompson, Broadcaster; Director, Centre for Leadership; Fellow, The Australia and New Zealand School of Government
Session Details:
Leadership, strategy and communication are indivisible parts of the effective public sector organisation. Communicating strategically involves positioning your organisation in the public mind, defending your reputation, and sharing information and knowledge with both your immediate stakeholders and the public. In reality, there is often a messy compromise between principle and practice. This interactive session is designed for anyone interested in promoting and defending the organisation's strategy.
Speaker: Mr Daud Vicary Abdullah, President and Chief Executive Officer, INCEIF – The Global University of Islamic Finance
Session Details:
This session will inspire you to harness the power of your experiences to achieve great things in your career and your life. Drawing on his own experiences and his understanding of how the people, the places and the events in his life have shaped him as a person and as a leader, Daud Vicary Abdullah will share his story, illustrating the truism that we are and who we are because of where we have been.
Speaker: Eddie Wang, Senior Adviser – Asia Pacific, McKinsey; and Former President, China Minsheng Banking Corporation
Session Details:
As China rises to become the world’s second-largest economy, its market access has also improved, giving more opportunities to foreign investors. However, investor’s confidence in mainland-based enterprises have been eroded due to China’s lax intellectual property enforcement, weak corporate governance and accounting scandals of its new initial public offerings. What are some of the strategic industries in China that foreign investors can consider, and what pitfalls should they avoid? The speaker will also give you practical advice for setting up your business in China.
Speaker: Dr Keith Suter, Foreign & International Affairs Editor and Expert on Channel 7's Sunrise
Session Details:
Dr Suter will discuss the nature of change in the People’s Republic of China over the past three decades. He will host a lively debate on the significance of these changes in terms of China’s growing role in the world; and for governments and companies seeking effective ways to deal with this geopolitical and economic phenomenon, which simultaneously represents both huge opportunities for global development and serious challenges to the status quo.
Speaker: Katie Lahey, Managing Director, Australasia, Korn/Ferry International
Session Details:
CEO succession is all too often overlooked. Most companies shy away from discussing executive succession when all is well. Internal instability, loss of talent and workplace sensitivities can sway solid foundations and a scramble for damage control often takes priority.
Since the ASX Corporate Governance Council announced in December 2009 that it would amend the Principles and Recommendations to require companies to report on gender at board and senior executive levels, there has been a frenzy to secure female directors. Yet, in March 2011 there were still 90 companies in the ASX200 with no female director.
Speaking from the experiences of a career that has spanned running Tourism Victoria, the City of Sydney, the NSW Chamber of Commerce, and ten years at the Business Council of Australia, Katie Lahey is spirited about her views on the need to promote women into the senior ranks of Australian business. Join Katie Lahey and Alex Malley in a candid discussion about what motivates the desire to succeed and how good companies can be better.
Speaker: Liz Davenport OAM, Founder, Davenport Group (multiple award winner including West Australian of the Year 2011)
Session Details:
Starting a business is difficult. Starting a business and having it recognised and awarded as a national brand is even harder. Liz Davenport is a fashion designer who looked to a different market to create an iconic Australian brand.
In this session, Liz shares her insights on:
Speaker: Anders Sorman-Nilsson, Business Futurist and Trend Spotter
Session Details:
The future begins now. In this fascinating session you will glimpse the future of technology as Anders considers what is hype, reality or science fiction. For professionals that both think and create next generation financial solutions, it is crucial to scenario plan and imagine alternative technological futures based on these developments.
Attend this session to discover:
Speaker: Professor Paul Barnes, Director, International Fraud Prevention Research Centre, United Kingdom
Session Details:
Securities fraud is as old as shares themselves and comes in many forms including boiler room operations, insider trading and Ponzi schemes. All are made easier today by modern communications, but regulators in the United Kingdom have struck back with multiple arrests. In this session, Paul will explain how these crimes were committed, investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.
Complimentary member resources
