November 2023 Newsletter

New Management Committee elected

Some new faces were elected at the Committee for Brisbane’s Annual General Meeting on 16 November.

President Kylie Blucher, retiring after many years on the Committee, announced the new Management Committee line-up as:

• President: Kristan Conlon, McCullough Robertson Lawyers
• Vice-Presidents: Alan Patching, Bond University and Mike Kissane, Deloitte
• Secretary: Meredith Hartigan, Tract
• Treasurer: Tony Young, BDO
• Ordinary Members: Caroline Riot, Griffith University; David Benett, Enigma; Gene Moyle, QUT; Matt Adams, The Star Entertainment Group; Shannon Willoughby, The University of Queensland; Dai Gwynne-Jones, Portfolio; Jacob Anson, Brisbane Lions; Peter Edwards, Archipelago; Paul Coory, COHA Group.

New Life Members

The President-elect, Kristan Conlon, had a very pleasant duty at the AGM – to award Life Memberships to two retiring Management Committee members.

Kristan advised the AGM that the Committee had a proud tradition of recognising Members who had demonstrated outstanding commitment to the principles and objectives of the Committee for Brisbane.

Life Memberships were awarded to:

• Kylie Blucher, Management Committee member since 2018, Vice-President from 2019 to 2021, and President from 2021 to 2023, and
• Paul Gallagher, Treasurer since 2018.

First Nations Board Observer Project launched

The Committee was pleased to recently launch a significant project to look at ways to help grow the pool of interested (young) First Nations residents in SEQ who might like to consider Advisory Council and/or Corporate and NFP board roles.

Developed out of discussions with our First Nations Advisory Group, the project is a partnership between Committee, the FNAG, Deloitte and CareerTrackers.

Deloitte hosted a planning workshop in early 2023 to map out a process to develop the concept, with a view to a permanent project developing in 2024.

The pilot project ultimately confirmed seven Corporate Partners: Aurecon, Brisbane Portrait Prize, Committee for Brisbane, Deloitte, Healthy Land & Water, the Preston Campbell Foundation and QIC. Nine CareerTrackers Alumni were selected to participate in the Board Observer project, with some of the Corporate Partners agreeing to host two Alumni.

CFB’s intent is to provide an initial pathway for First Nations people, particularly the younger generation, to be exposed to, experience and (ultimately) consider participating in corporate boards and on advisory bodies.

Ensuring First Nations voices are “inside” organisations, rather than external stakeholders, should help to change the dynamic.

Industry voices to Brisbane 2032

In October, the CEO was appointed by the Premier as a founding member of the Q2032 Industry Advisory Group (IAG) that has been established to advise and inform the Brisbane 2032 Coordination Office.

The Coordination Office has responsibility for coordinating delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and will oversee many aspects of the Games including infrastructure, First Nations, environment, legacy, and security.

The Committee for Brisbane CEO is one of a number of industry and community group representatives on the IAG that will meet at least four times a year.

The IAG will be the voice of business and industry to the Games authority, providing a direct channel to share some of the enormous experience of this State’s individuals and organisations to benefit our city, region and State.

Inner city vitality – the 2023 report

The Committee’s final event for 2023 will be the release of its sixth annual Inner City Vitality Report –a snapshot of inner-Brisbane’s health and vitality.

The Report will present data on the performance of the CBD, Fortitude Valley, Spring Hill, South Brisbane/West End, Woolloongabba and, for the first time, Kangaroo Point, across five key economic sectors.

Sponsored by The Star Entertainment Group, the 29 November lunchtime event at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre will hear from a panel of industry experts across the five economic areas:

• Residential: Matthew Hurley, Director of Development, Aria Property
• Higher education: Prof Caitlin Byrne, Pro Vice Chancellor (Business), Griffith University
• Tourism: Brett Fraser, CEO, Qld Tourism Industry Council
• Commercial: Gavin Moore, Director of Agency, McGees
• Retail: Lindsay Carroll, Deputy CEO, National Retail Association

Tickets are available here: Inner City Vitality Report

Affiliates and friends EOY catch up

The Committee celebrated the end (nearly) of another year with its annual Affiliates and Friends networking event in the Barrel Hall at Howard Smith Wharves.

About 40 Affiliates and friends joined us for the catch up, some great food and cold drinks.

The Committees’ Affiliates (CFB Affiliates) are a critical part of the CFB family, providing us with links to significant organisations across most parts of the SEQ economy.

New members

The Committee recently welcome seven new members and one Affiliate.

Corporate Leader

• Enigma

Corporate Member

• Cred Consulting

Associate

• Sam Symes
• Cassandra Koutouridis
• Saumya Nagar
• Jeff Popp
• Mia Bannister

Affiliate

• Netball Queensland