NSW Investment’s ASEAN Export Capability Building Workshop

This week we were pleased to have ECA’s Chair Dianne Tipping moderate an engaging panel discussion as part of NSW Investment’s ASEAN Export Capability Building Workshop.

Karla Lampe, Director of International Engagement & Market Development opened the event and Andrew Parker, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for ASEAN shared market insights such as the importance of understanding the differences between markets within ASEAN (including researching growth trajectories).

The panel discussion with NSW exporters shared valuable tips with the next wave of potential exporters to ASEAN. We heard about the decisions they faced when selecting the right market entry method, labelling and packaging considerations, and the importance of building and maintaining relationships in person and the doors this can open. They also noted the time it can take to build traction – patience is key.

Thank you to the expert panellists:

• Alf De La Harpe, General Manager and Director, Durst Industries (Australia) Pty Ltd
• Avit Bhindi, CEO & Founder, JIVA PRODUCTS
• Samea Maakrun, Founder & MD, Sasy n Savy Pty Ltd – Skincare manufacturer – sasynsavy.com
• Steve Hoy, CEO, Enosi
• Dean Curotta, General Manager, PharmaCare Laboratorie

We appreciated the participation of so many NSW businesses and look forward to supporting future exporters to enter ASEAN markets.

International Women’s Day 2024 Discussion

To celebrate International Women’s Day, the ECA held an online discussion this week with women entrepreneurs in international trade.

The discussion highlighted the importance of:

• Connections and networks – it can be a challenging and lonely journey as an entrepreneur, so find the right “cheer squad” and mentors – people you can bounce ideas off and people who support you in ways that others don’t. Ensure you are “nurturing connections” – network and meet new people, and also maintain relationships with your existing network. By connecting with people from other cultures and industries, you can be inspired to adopt new approaches in your way of working, including a more collaborative mindset.
• Having a compelling story – your storytelling should include issues that resonate with your stakeholders, including partners and buyers. This may be your commitment to environmental sustainability, or the provenance of your product, or the people you impact. Understand your “why” and articulate this clearly. Collaboration opportunities can take place when stakeholders notice your brand and share your values.
• Bringing others with you on the journey – as you succeed and move forward, bring along others in the community – including other women. Share your gains and benefits with those in your networks. Providing opportunities for flexible employment that enables a better work and home balance can go a long way.

These are foundations that will then address other challenges such as access to finance and finding buyers.

We wish to thank our wonderful panel who generously shared their experience, including common challenges and advice for women in business:

• (Moderator) Ms Angela Wright, Senior Manager (Trade and International Development), Export Council of Australia (Australia)
• Ms Dianne Tipping, Chair, Export Council of Australia; Founder and Managing Director, Excon International Pty Ltd (Australia)
• Ms Fiona McKenzie, CEO, My Fit Pro(Australia)
• Ms Jenny W., Director, CFOutsource (Australia)
• Ms Liandra Gaykamangu, Founder, Liandra Swim (Australia)
• Ms Octaviana Rombe, Founder, kopi ketjil (Indonesia)
• Ms Hobisoa Francia RASOANAIVO Rasoanaivo, Owner and Business Development, RARIALA (Madagascar)
• Ms Charindra Wijemanne, Co-Founder & CTO, Maturify (Sri Lanka)

We look forward to continuing our engagement with women entrepreneurs internationally.

Future of manufacturing in Australia Roundtable Discussion

Australia’s manufacturing sector employs one in every 16 Australian workers. Australia’s commitment to expanding our manufacturing capabilities can enhance our economic complexity and global innovation and competitiveness.

As a practical contribution to this objective, we (ECA and BDO) recently held a roundtable discussion in Sydney on the future of manufacturing in Australia.

A special thanks to Ryan Pollett, Daniel Coote and the specialist team at BDO Sydney who hosted the discussion which highlighted key points to consider for future success including:

• The importance of incorporating environmental considerations in processes and operations, in order to meet investor and consumer expectations, as well as meeting market access and regulatory requirements;
• The increasing competition between markets through industrial policies and/or subsidies offered by various world governments;
• Manufacturing locations are also being influenced by geopolitics in the region, including managing of supply chain risks in anticipation of potential crises.

Other issues flagged included mergers and acquisitions, and the costs associated with shipping and labour inputs.

ECA Chair Dianne Tipping moderated the discussion and wishes to thank participants for their excellent contribution, including:

• Brian Young – Manager – AES Environmental
• Paula Obeid-Green – Senior Director – Resmed
• Jeff Cottee – Sales and Marketing – Cottee Group Pty Ltd
• Mathew Mornington-West – Chief Operating Officer – Audinate
• Cass Spies – CEO – Twisted Healthy Treats
• Su Zhang – CEO – StarCombo
• Lynn Yeh – CEO – Homart Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd
• Benjamin Liu – Global Sales Manager – Homart Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd
• Michael Zaki – Global Development Manager – Commex Commodities
• Alf De La Harpe– CEO and Founder – Durst Industries (Australia) Pty Ltd

If you would like to know more on the topics discussed please do not hesitate to reach out on info@export.org.au.

ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne

As a bloc, ASEAN (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Viet Nam) is projected to be the 4th largest economy in the world by 2030. It would therefore make sense for Australia to explore the considerable commercial prospects among our near neighbours.

At the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, which celebrates 50 years of partnership between Australia and ASEAN, discussions highlighted the efforts on both sides to enhance the relationship. Notable initiatives raised included support for agricultural traceability, advancement of First Nations exports, and promotion of environment sustainability. The ECA was there at the Summit echoing the need for improved trade and investment in the region, and helping strengthen connections between business and government.

International Trade Outlook webinar: Navigating Challenges in 2024

Thank you to everyone who attended yesterday’s International Trade Outlook webinar: Navigating Challenges in 2024.

An extremely informative event. Key take-aways include:

1. Industrial policy continues to shape structures of supply chains.
2. While the EU is pushing very strongly on environmental measures, the upcoming election may result in a less than green parliament.
3. Key emerging issues continue to be focused on AI, blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT).
4. Intellectual Property can increase export volumes and values.

Throughout the webinar we asked participants to share their views on what they see as the biggest risk to global trade in 2024, and whether Australia should pursue its own kind of industrial policy to remain competitive.

Do you agree or disagree with the survey results?

We are pleased to have partnered with IP Australia in hosting this webinar on global risks and trading conditions. Thank you to all panellists for their invaluable contributions.

Cameron Mitchell Emma Lo Russo Ivana Damjanovic Michael Falk Matt Heffernan Clarissa Thorpe Arnold Jorge Stefanie Harter

Opening New Opportunities for Two-way Trade between Australia and Vietnam

OPENING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR TWO-WAY TRADE BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND VIETNAM

The Export Council of Australia recently delivered Export-Ready Training in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam.

The initiative helps build the capability of Vietnamese entrepreneurs and producers of organic goods to engage in international trade.

We are proud to contribute to international development efforts that improve the livelihoods of Australia’s trading partners, and enhance Australia’s brand overseas.

The events attracted significant level of participation, and garnered positive media attention in Vietnam.

We now look forward to welcoming a Vietnamese business delegation visiting Australia in March.

If you are interested in connecting with Vietnamese producers of organic agricultural produce including hashtag#tea, hashtag#spices, hashtag#coconuts and hashtag#rice, please contact us on info@export.org.au.

Thank you to our key partners: Mekong Organics Van Kien Nguyen DFAT (Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy) USSH-VNUHCM I Trường Đại học Khoa học Xã hội và Nhân văn – Đại học Quốc gia TP.HCM Vietnam Organic – VOAA

Thanks also to: Australian Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate in HCM City NASAA Organic Arrow Foods Regeneration International Rotary Club of Hall in Canberra