2024 Speakers
The 2024 AEDA Business Summit presents a day filled with thought-provoking speakers and panel conversations about the future of Adelaide's economy.
Key
themes for this year include Adelaide’s economic position within Australia,
the luxury retail sector and its economic impact potential, advancements in AI and the role it plays in supporting the city's economy, market outlook on the city's property sector, sustainability in tourism and the visitor economy, enhancing Adelaide’s Cultural Boulevard, entrepreneurial strategies for global
expansion with Adelaide as an innovation hub, and more.
Alex Robson
Deputy Chair, Australian Productivity Commission
Alex Robson is the Deputy Chair of the Australian Productivity Commission and currently serves as a Professor of Economics at Griffith University.
He boasts a vast background that spans academia, government, and the private sector, most recently contributing his expertise as an Associate Partner at Ernst and Young.
Previously, Alex served as Senior Economic Adviser and Chief Economist to the former Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull; Director at Deloitte Access Economics; and Director of the Economic Policy Analysis Program at Griffith University.
Philip Corne
Former CEO of Louis Vuitton Australia and New Zealand
Philip Corne is a former senior executive at Louis Vuitton, part of the LVMH Group, comprising 75 of the world's leading luxury brands with sales in excess of 86 billion euro.
With extensive experience in the luxury goods market, his expertise spans retail and business management, brand building, and developing long-term client relationships.
Currently, he serves on various Boards and Advisory Boards, including Camilla Australia, SkyBuys, Laava, Solbari, and InSitchu, offering guidance on brand development, client and employee engagement, and financial and operational management.
Jaclyn Thorne
Managing Director, The Tourism Collective Company Director, McGregor Tan
Jaclyn is a passionate contributor to the South Australian business community as co-owner of one of Australia’s leading boutique market research agencies, McGregor Tan Research, and bespoke visitor economy consultancy The Tourism Collective.
Throughout her career, Jaclyn has worked in the private and public sectors in destination management, economic development, market research and community engagement. She is a highly qualified researcher and believes that all good marketing and strategy requires deep understanding and listening.
Rebecca White
Founder & Managing Director, The Tourism Collective
With over 20 years in the tourism industry, Rebecca co-directs The Tourism Collective, previously known as Tourism eSchool, which has been pivotal in supporting all levels of government and industry across Australia with visitor economy planning, industry capability building and destination marketing.
Known for her commitment and to sustainable and community-focused initiatives, Rebecca drives change with a values-led approach promoting responsible and environmentally regenerative practices in tourism, ensuring economic viability while benefiting local communities.
Michael Harvey
Director, Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia
Michael joined the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia as Director in 2021, bringing 20 years of experience in the museum, culture and science sector to the role. His particular focus has been on the development of public experience in museums of science and natural history.
Michael has held leadership positions in the Australian Museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney, and at the Natural History Museum in London.
Most recently, Michael worked as Assistant Director and Chief Experience Officer at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Dr David Gaimster
Chief Executive, South Australian Museum
As the Chief Executive of the South Australian Museum, David brings a distinguished career in museum leadership and archaeology to Adelaide. Before this, he revitalised the Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum over six years with an award-winning transformation.
With a PhD in Historical Archaeology from University College London, his experience includes curatorial positions at the British Museum, policy advisory roles within the UK's Department for Culture, Media and Sport, leadership at the Society of Antiquities of London, and directing The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow.
Rhana Devenport ONZM
Director, Art Gallery of South Australia
Rhana has served as the Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia since 2018, making significant contributions to the field. Prior to this, she directed two of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading institutions: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. Her extensive career encompasses roles as a curator, writer, and cultural producer across prestigious art museums, biennales, and arts festivals.
Rhana's expertise has been instrumental in various capacities, including significant positions at the Biennale of Sydney, Sydney Festival, and the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art. Her contributions to the arts were formally recognized in 2018 when she was honoured with The New Zealand Order of Merit by Her Majesty the Queen, affirming her impactful role in arts governance.
Tim Stollznow
CEO & Founder, MyVenue
Tim leads MyVenue, an innovative company headquartered at Lot Fourteen, which specialises in developing and exporting cutting-edge point-of-sale solutions to stadiums and hospitality venues worldwide.
A seasoned professional with 30 years of experience as a director, investor, CEO, and software engineer, Tim has steered multiple businesses to win numerous innovation and export awards. Notably, MyVenue was honoured as the national Emerging Exporter of the Year in 2022 and the Small Business Exporter of the Year in November of the same year.
Tim's academic background includes an Honours Degree in Engineering from the University of Adelaide, a Postgraduate Diploma in Technology Management, and he is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dr Simon Lucey
Director, Australian Institute for Machine Learning
Dr Simon Lucey is the Director of the Australian Institute for Machine Learning at the University of Adelaide, which stands as Australia’s largest machine learning research group. His career includes prior roles at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute, Argo AI, and CSIRO, where his groundbreaking work spanned from 2009 to 2014.
A recipient of an ARC Future Fellowship (2009-2013), Simon has contributed over 300 published articles to the field of AI, amassing more than 17,940 citations and maintaining an h-index of 60. His innovation extends to 11 patents in computer vision.
Simon's research delves into computer vision, machine learning, and robotics, drawing inspiration from past AI researchers to explore computational and mathematical models that enhance our understanding of visual perception.
Dr Adrian Johnston
Head of Artificial Intelligence, MMapt Robotics
Dr Adrian Johnston is a key figure in academia and industry innovation. He lectures in the AI for Business and Tech eChallenge courses at Adelaide Business School and shares his expertise as the Tech Expert at ThincLab at the University of Adelaide.
His background includes co-founding Xamin, an AI startup aimed at enhancing AI adoption within businesses, and leading engineering teams at GamerAI and LifeWhisperer, where he developed AI solutions for E-Sports and IVF outcomes, respectively.
Adrian earned his PhD from the Australian Institute for Machine Learning at the University of Adelaide, supported by the Data2Decisions CRC and the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision, where he conducted pioneering research in Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence
Associate Professor Devika Kannan
Deputy Director, Centre for Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Resilience
With an impressive academic tenure that began as an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark in 2021, Devika's contributions to the field have been substantial.
Devika is recognised as a Highly Cited Researcher in 'Engineering' by Thomson-Reuters/Clarivate Analytics. She has published over 85 articles in international journals with more than 16,900 citations, and her work is frequently featured in top-tier journals such as Nature and the European Journal of Operational Research.
Devika's research spans sustainable and circular supply chain methods, procurement, and entrepreneurship. She is also an active Editorial Board Member of several international journals, shaping the future of research in her field.
David Mackenzie
Managing Principal, Digital, Aurecon
David leads Aurecon’s digital transformation initiatives and has been instrumental in advancing Aurecon's digital pursuits. With over 18 years of expertise in digital strategy, artificial intelligence, machine learning, visualisation, software development, and Agile project delivery.
He has a profound passion for integrating emerging technologies with practical challenges to drive innovation and growth. David's client interactions are aimed at building strong, trust-based partnerships, where he provides tailored digital solutions that address their unique challenges and deliver substantial value.
David believes strongly that the success of a company is a reflection of the quality of its people. His leadership style is focused on fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and respectful workplace, where the skills and ideas of every team member are valued and nurtured.
Ben Parkinson
Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets, JLL
Ben leads the development and growth of the South Australian JLL business and is recognised as one of the nation’s premier agents specialising in the sale of institutional-grade investment assets across office and retail spaces.
With over 24 years in the commercial property market, Ben has built a notable career focusing on consultancy, feasibility, and capital transactions of retail, commercial, and development properties.
Since January 2023, Ben has also been contributing his expertise to the South Australian Division Council of the Property Council of Australia.
Tracey Whiting AM
Chair of the Board of the Adelaide Festival Corporation
Tracey currently serves as the Chair of the Adelaide Festival Corporation and is a distinguished member of the Board of Directors at Solstice Media. She also contributes her expertise as a Council Member at the National Museum of Australia.
Her past roles include Chair of the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) from 2014 to 2020, and also served on the board of the South Australian Museum.
Her leadership across various cultural institutions reflects her deep passion and commitment to enhancing South Australia’s cultural landscape. With a specialised focus in strategic marketing tailored to major events and large-scale exhibitions, Tracey brings invaluable experience and a profound understanding of the cultural industry to her roles.