Program
8:00am Registration and exhibition opens
Welcome to the 2022 Association Leaders Symposium
Claire Hewat, Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
VIDEO PRESENTATION: Associations for a more competitive Australia
Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
Newly appointed Assistant Minister for Competition, Dr Leigh, will talk about the role of associations in education, training and research to increase productivity and hence support a more competitive Australian economy.
Welcome from ICC Sydney - Conferences Rebounding
Geoff Donaghy, Chief Executive Officer, International Convention Centre, Sydney
Geoff has been an events industry senior leader with his time as President of International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) and Chair of Business Events Council of Australia (BECA).
Geoff will discuss:
- Role and importance of associations to their respective sector and member community
- Value of conventions to associations - both financially and in facilitating the exchange and synergy of ideas
- Value of association conventions to ICC Sydney
- Current ICC Sydney and business events industry situation summary and forward outlook
Managing an Association in the Critical Food and Grocery Sector
Tanya Barden, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Food and Grocery Council
The pandemic highlighted the importance of industry sectors that may have been taken for granted. The Australian Food and Grocery council needed to rapidly act along with its members to secure Australia’s food chain. Tanya will discuss:
- The need for associations to provide a strong value proposition and advocacy
- Understanding the needs of your member segments
- Meeting members’ changing expectations
- From advocacy to using the association’s leadership to drive collective action
Reflections of Associations as a Senior Public Servant
Michael Tidball, Secretary, NSW Department of Communities & Justice and former CEO, Law Society of NSW and Law Council of Australia
Michael will talk on association leadership and share knowledge from his long experience with the Law Society of NSW and Law Council of Australia, and now from the different perspective of being the head of a government department.
Getting Governance Right at RACP
Peter McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Peter is an experienced association CEO who moved from running Engineers Australia to taking the hot seat at Royal Australasian College of Physicians. This major medical training college had been the subject of significant internal turmoil in recent years. Peter will present on:
- The RACP’s journey into poor governance and back
- ACNC intervention and the Voluntary Compliance Agreement
- Risks and issues relating to poor governance
- Lessons learned and what good governance looks like: an ongoing journey
Eight Irresistible Member Benefits Every Association Should Have in 2022
Robert Barnes, Country Manager APAC, Higher Logic
2022 is the year for associations to bounce back from the pandemic stronger than ever with a comprehensive retention and growth strategy. The effectiveness of your association’s growth strategy depends on your organisation’s willingness to adapt, innovate, and implement data-backed solutions that produce maximum member value.
Charting Effective Leadership from Business Association Experience
Yasser El-Ansary, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Services Institute of Australasia
From a career in taxation as a Chartered Accountant, Yasser has become an experienced association CEO. He will share the lessons he has learnt along his way through his journey from PwC to CAANZ, onto AIC and now with FINSIA. Yasser’s presentation will cover key themes including:
- Career transition from a leading professional services firm into significant membership bodies
- Commitment to helping members achieve their goals
- The ‘three thirds’ of association leadership
- Understanding the importance of meaningful engagement with government and regulators
- How to build cohesion across the Board and alignment with strategic direction
- The ‘FINSIA Story’ so far; from selling the education business to rebuilding it from the ground up.
Skills Required for Association Leadership
Jonathan Smithers, Chief Executive Officer, Arthritis Australia
Jonathan's career has seen him elected as President of the Law Society of England and Wales and appointed as CEO of Law Council of Australia and Arthritis Australia. With these experiences as chair of the Board of a major association of professionals and CEO of federations of both a prominent lawyers association and a health charity, Jonathan is well placed to share thoughts on association leadership. Considerations in his presentation include:
- Strategic skills to implement a plan without burnout
- Managing others to bring out the best in them
- Utilising the skills of passionate people
- Understanding the technicalities of your cause
- Balancing diplomacy and frankness when interacting with Board Directors
- The realities of working in a federation of State and Territory bodies
- Addressing challenged associations or charities
As the World builds back, are you reviewing your Value Proposition?
Lyn Lewis-Smith, Chief Executive Officer, BESydney
It’s time to strip right down to foundations and review your value proposition – your core DNA and purpose, to ensure your activities are aligned to what your members and delegates want today. Where can you create social and economic benefits for local and global communities, lighten your environmental impact, work more closely with event host destinations, facilitate talent acquisition and collaboration. Lyn will:
- Share insights from business events benefits research spanning more than 10 years
- Reflect on lessons learned from building collaborative networks to ensure Sydney and Australia continue to be vibrant and prosperous
- Discuss how associations can advance objectives by connecting with industry, government and academia around shared value.
Interactive session: Association Leaders’ Triumphs and Tribulations
This will be an interactive breakout session sharing experiences on how to deal with difficult Directors and challenging CEOs and how to maintain a balanced relationship between the two roles.
In Conversation - Lessons Learned in Leading Associations
Sean Rooney, Transformation Executive Officer, Aged & Community Care Providers Association and former CEO of LASA
- Insights from leading member-based organisations in challenging times
- Managing unifications and mergers of associations
- Translating strategic intent into tangible results
- Getting the best out of you and your team
Talent Management in the Great Reorganisation – the Role of Associations
Isabelle Phillips, Consulting Partner, Mackerel Sky - Leadership Matters
Isabelle will share knowledge and experience on:
- The global drivers of talent disruption - using disruption for talent attraction, retention and ‘care-factor’
- Five employer branding mistakes to avoid – it’s not just optics
- Joining companies and leaving bosses – upskilling your member organisations to attract and retain essential talent
Closing comments
Bernard Rupasinghe, Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
5:00pm Close of Symposium and networking drinks
Please note this program is subject to change.
8:00am Registration and exhibition opens
Welcome to the 2022 Association Leaders Symposium
Claire Hewat, Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
VIDEO PRESENTATION: Associations for a more competitive Australia
Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
Newly appointed Assistant Minister for Competition, Dr Leigh, will talk about the role of associations in education, training and research to increase productivity and hence support a more competitive Australian economy.
Welcome from ICC Sydney - Conferences Rebounding
Geoff Donaghy, Chief Executive Officer, International Convention Centre, Sydney
Geoff has been an events industry senior leader with his time as President of International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) and Chair of Business Events Council of Australia (BECA).
Geoff will discuss:
- Role and importance of associations to their respective sector and member community
- Value of conventions to associations - both financially and in facilitating the exchange and synergy of ideas
- Value of association conventions to ICC Sydney
- Current ICC Sydney and business events industry situation summary and forward outlook
Managing an Association in the Critical Food and Grocery Sector
Tanya Barden, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Food and Grocery Council
The pandemic highlighted the importance of industry sectors that may have been taken for granted. The Australian Food and Grocery council needed to rapidly act along with its members to secure Australia’s food chain. Tanya will discuss:
- The need for associations to provide a strong value proposition and advocacy
- Understanding the needs of your member segments
- Meeting members’ changing expectations
- From advocacy to using the association’s leadership to drive collective action
Reflections of Associations as a Senior Public Servant
Michael Tidball, Secretary, NSW Department of Communities & Justice and former CEO, Law Society of NSW and Law Council of Australia
Michael will talk on association leadership and share knowledge from his long experience with the Law Society of NSW and Law Council of Australia, and now from the different perspective of being the head of a government department.
Getting Governance Right at RACP
Peter McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Peter is an experienced association CEO who moved from running Engineers Australia to taking the hot seat at Royal Australasian College of Physicians. This major medical training college had been the subject of significant internal turmoil in recent years. Peter will present on:
- The RACP’s journey into poor governance and back
- ACNC intervention and the Voluntary Compliance Agreement
- Risks and issues relating to poor governance
- Lessons learned and what good governance looks like: an ongoing journey
Eight Irresistible Member Benefits Every Association Should Have in 2022
Robert Barnes, Country Manager APAC, Higher Logic
2022 is the year for associations to bounce back from the pandemic stronger than ever with a comprehensive retention and growth strategy. The effectiveness of your association’s growth strategy depends on your organisation’s willingness to adapt, innovate, and implement data-backed solutions that produce maximum member value.
Charting Effective Leadership from Business Association Experience
Yasser El-Ansary, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Services Institute of Australasia
From a career in taxation as a Chartered Accountant, Yasser has become an experienced association CEO. He will share the lessons he has learnt along his way through his journey from PwC to CAANZ, onto AIC and now with FINSIA. Yasser’s presentation will cover key themes including:
- Career transition from a leading professional services firm into significant membership bodies
- Commitment to helping members achieve their goals
- The ‘three thirds’ of association leadership
- Understanding the importance of meaningful engagement with government and regulators
- How to build cohesion across the Board and alignment with strategic direction
- The ‘FINSIA Story’ so far; from selling the education business to rebuilding it from the ground up.
Skills Required for Association Leadership
Jonathan Smithers, Chief Executive Officer, Arthritis Australia
Jonathan's career has seen him elected as President of the Law Society of England and Wales and appointed as CEO of Law Council of Australia and Arthritis Australia. With these experiences as chair of the Board of a major association of professionals and CEO of federations of both a prominent lawyers association and a health charity, Jonathan is well placed to share thoughts on association leadership. Considerations in his presentation include:
- Strategic skills to implement a plan without burnout
- Managing others to bring out the best in them
- Utilising the skills of passionate people
- Understanding the technicalities of your cause
- Balancing diplomacy and frankness when interacting with Board Directors
- The realities of working in a federation of State and Territory bodies
- Addressing challenged associations or charities
As the World builds back, are you reviewing your Value Proposition?
Lyn Lewis-Smith, Chief Executive Officer, BESydney
It’s time to strip right down to foundations and review your value proposition – your core DNA and purpose, to ensure your activities are aligned to what your members and delegates want today. Where can you create social and economic benefits for local and global communities, lighten your environmental impact, work more closely with event host destinations, facilitate talent acquisition and collaboration. Lyn will:
- Share insights from business events benefits research spanning more than 10 years
- Reflect on lessons learned from building collaborative networks to ensure Sydney and Australia continue to be vibrant and prosperous
- Discuss how associations can advance objectives by connecting with industry, government and academia around shared value.
Interactive session: Association Leaders’ Triumphs and Tribulations
This will be an interactive breakout session sharing experiences on how to deal with difficult Directors and challenging CEOs and how to maintain a balanced relationship between the two roles.
In Conversation - Lessons Learned in Leading Associations
Sean Rooney, Transformation Executive Officer, Aged & Community Care Providers Association and former CEO of LASA
- Insights from leading member-based organisations in challenging times
- Managing unifications and mergers of associations
- Translating strategic intent into tangible results
- Getting the best out of you and your team
Talent Management in the Great Reorganisation – the Role of Associations
Isabelle Phillips, Consulting Partner, Mackerel Sky - Leadership Matters
Isabelle will share knowledge and experience on:
- The global drivers of talent disruption - using disruption for talent attraction, retention and ‘care-factor’
- Five employer branding mistakes to avoid – it’s not just optics
- Joining companies and leaving bosses – upskilling your member organisations to attract and retain essential talent
Closing comments
Bernard Rupasinghe, Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
5:00pm Close of Symposium and networking drinks
Please note this program is subject to change.
Thank you to our Sponsors