Business innovators to speak on key challenges facing entrepreneurs

28 May 2007

Four of Australia’s top experts on innovation and entrepreneurship will participate in an AGSM forum to discuss ways to build successful businesses. They will explore the transition from turning a good idea into a convincing business model, and ways of gaining support for the initiative.

Patrick Mooney (Asia Pacific Growth Partnerships), James Stevens (Roses Only), Peter Williams (Deloitte) and Gary Zamel (private equity investor) will take part in the panel discussion, which is sponsored by global business services firm Deloitte.

Associate Professor Peter Murmann, Head of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Australian School of Business at UNSW, will moderate the forum.

The panelists will explore methods of generating funding options and strategies for building a business. They will also discuss cultural differences between Australia and other nations, and impacts of cultural differences when launching new ideas.

The panel discussion is part of AGSM’s Lifelong Learning Series. The series keeps AGSM alumni abreast of current business issues and provides them with networking opportunities.

Details of Lifelong Learning Event:
Event title: “Developing new ventures: from opportunity identification, determination of the business model, through to persuading others to back your idea.”
Date: 5th June, 2007.
Time: 6pm.
Venue: Deloitte, Level 9, Grosvenor Place, 225 George St, Sydney.

Background information about the panelists:
Peter Murmann:
Peter Murmann is Associate Professor of Strategic Management and Head of the newly formed School of Strategy and Entrepreneurship in the Faculty of Business, UNSW.

Patrick Mooney:
Patrick Mooney is the founder and Director of Asia Pacific Growth Partnerships, a network of senior executives providing interim management and fundraising support to high potential SMEs. His background includes 20 years in marketing, sales and technology commercialization and 10 years in Federal technology and industry policy.

Roles have included Director of Business Development and Partnering at Emagine, Commercial Manager ICT at the CSIRO, Cofounder and Senior Partner of the Macquarie Marketing Group and Asia Pacific Manager ICT at BIS Shrapnel. He lectures at the AGSM in Entrepreneurship & Strategy and is an advisor and shareholder in several early stage technology businesses.

James Stevens:
Studying Commerce at University gave insight to business numbers and the importance of accounting, but it was the 25 years of what he calls ‘street education’ at his family owned florist in Sydney’s Town Hall that helped James Stevens create Australia’s #1 online flower business. After a successful 12 years as the Founder and Managing Director of Roses Only, Stevens is a man with a level of passion, enthusiasm and attention to quality that rivals any new kid in the business world - characteristics that have helped shape the way Australians indulge in quality gift-giving.

Peter Williams:
Peter Williams is a Partner with Deloitte, CEO of the newly formed Deloitte Digital, and until recently, was CEO of Australia’s largest Online Mobile and Emerging Technology firm, Eclipse. Prior to his time at Deloitte Digital & Eclipse, Peter founded Deloitte’s e-business consulting group in Australia in 1996.
Peter is one of Australia’s thought leaders on Innovation and online, mobile & emerging technology. He has worked with many high profile organisations such as Telstra, Lonely Planet, CSIRO, Holden, Victorian & Federal Governments and Meat & Livestock Australia. Peter is a sought after commentator on web and technology trends and in 2006 & 2007 has been featured in articles in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, BRW and Fast Thinking Magazine.
Peter’s other roles include:
- Chairman of the Deloitte Innovation Council
- Advisory Board Swinburne University, School for Business Innovation
- Board member of Circus Oz.
- Institute of Chartered Accountants – Future of the Profession Thought Leadership Committee.

Gary Zamel:
Gary Zamel operates a private equity investment company, establishing and investing in start-up technology businesses to take early stage research through commercialization to access global technology markets.