The partners at KPMG Wollongong have hosted Coopers Brewery chairman Glenn Cooper at a dinner at City Beach Function Centre, the first of many as KPMG Wollongong plans to bring speakers capable of delivering different perspectives to local business.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Warwick Shanks said what he took away from Mr Cooper's address was the importance of understanding your advantages and playing to your strengths, recognising the power of positive messages from your customers and clients and sharing them, not forgetting or underestimating your own personal impact on the culture and values of a business and being proud of your company whenever you have any opportunity to represent it.
"What we wanted to do tonight is launch what we see as a new concept for the region," Mr Shanks said.
"It is a different type of networking event."
What the KPMG partners are proposing is a club for private businesses likely to be called the PB Club. It would meet once a quarter with the overall aim of helping private businesses help each other.
Unlocking business
The Illawarra Business Chamber is hosting an executive lunch at City Beach on August 22 on Improving Illawarra's Transport Connectivity.
The chamber sees improving connectivity to Sydney as a top priority for businesses and the broader community, with a potential to unlock economic opportunities.
It is inviting people to join in the discussion about how the Illawarra could benefit from improvements and how we might all be able to work together to clearly identify a strategic list of infrastructure projects.
PricewaterhouseCoopers partner Mark Streeting is providing an overview of the findings of a recent study comparing the quality and access of the Illawarra's connectivity to Sydney to other comparable cities in Australia and overseas.
Integrated vision
The SMART Infrastructure Facility has developed an integrated planning tool called Vision Illawarra as part of the Global Challenges project 'Our Region, Our Future: Building a Collective Vision for the Illawarra'.
The development of the tool followed recognition that an integrated approach was needed to consolidate the many planning tools used across the region. SMART research director Prof Pascal Perez wants the July 25 round-table to demonstrate the model, seek input and discuss how local businesses and organisations could benefit from such a dynamic planning tool.
Street for success
Businesses in Wentworth Street, Port Kembla have plenty to celebrate before winners of the 2014 Illawarra and South Coast Local Business Awards are announced in August.
There have been nine businesses from the street named as finalists.
They are Something Special, All Occasion Florist, Broken Glass hair salon, Paws at Port, Bowdens Discount Chemist, Beautiful Invitations, Delennyks, Cheeboom Bridal and Just Bridesmaids and Formals.
Opening windows
eCareers Academy founder Brian Horan is guest speaker at the next Illawarra Women in Business networking lunch at The Grandstand on July 25.
Mr Horan is the principal counsellor at the careers counselling consultancy, but in 2010 founded the international corporate training organisation Empowering Training Solutions and has also published a personal development novel called New Windows of Opportunity that aims to inspire teenagers and young adults to find their passion and purpose in life and to fulfil their potential.
Governance tips
Interest in the Australian Institute of Company Directors' educational program in Wollongong keeps growing.
The Risk Analysis, Investigation and Oversight workshop on September 10 is already fully booked and another program will be delivered for the first time in Wollongong on the same day.
It is an intensive course focused on the role of a chairman that helps fine tune leadership and governance skills.
Useful guides
The Faculty of Business at the University of Wollongong is launching a book called Being Practical with Theory: A Window into Business Research in the Panizzi Room at the UOW Library on July 22.
The straight forward guides show theories used in of management and organisation studies.
Masquerade magic
The 2014 Denny Foundation Masquerade Ball has been described as a huge success by the Purcell family and committee members Simon Davie, Brendan Bermingham, Jenny Hirst, Chris Laraghy and Jim Christensen.
Valuable help came from Stockland Shellharbour, Outback Steak House Fairy Meadow, Walter Immoos and the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, Jody Dunning and Shellharbour Village Beach House, Paul Pennell Photography and Funbooth, Simon Kersten of Colliers International, patron Glen Saville, Alfredo Mousinho-Esteves, the Fraternity Club, Frank Stanizzo, All Occasion Flowers and Homemaid Residential Cleaning.
