2025 SBAA INTERNATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS SUMMIT

Dr. Patricia von Matuschka is a German economist and professor specializing in international finance and related SME policy-making. With global academic and consulting experience, she bridges research and practice to foster sustainable transformation, particularly in rural regions.

Phillip Di Bella, founder of Di Bella Coffee, grew a $5,000 startup into Australia’s top specialty coffee brand. After its 2017 sale, he launched The Coffee Commune. A global entrepreneur, mentor, and award-winner, he empowers others through leadership, legacy, and innovation across Australia, Asia, and the international coffee industry.

Dr. P. Roberto Garcia is the Young-Jin Kim Clinical Professor of International Business in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, USA. He also serves as Faculty Director for the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER). He currently teaches various International Business courses.

Trena Blair is a globally recognised business leader and multi-award-winning entrepreneur, serving as CEO of FD Global Connections and founder of FD Global Academy. With over 20 years of experience in international business expansion, she has guided numerous Australian companies into the U.S. market. A former executive at American Express, Trena is also a Non-Executive Director, GAICD, and author of the #1 Amazon bestseller Decoding Global Growth. She is a sought-after speaker and advocate for female entrepreneurship.

Guido is an entrepreneur with the lived experience: a sustainability mindset makes a business more successful. To do that is neither hard nor expensive, if you know how. So he co-founded Brownee.io, the tool that allows even the smallest of businesses to use sustainability to their advantage.

Susan Sheehan is a high-performance coach, 3x bestselling author, and international speaker with 30+ years’ experience. She empowers individuals using neuroscience-based strategies to enhance clarity, resilience, and results. Susan has built businesses in three countries and shared global stages with celebrities, bringing practical insights on mindset, well-being, and performance.

Kristian K. Fredheim is the Founder of Wabba, a Norwegian Better-for-You brand providing nutritious and delicious treats based on natural fava beans.

Fredheim left his old job and mortgaged everything he owned to chase his dream, now his healthy snacks are available in nine countries and at over 500 luxury destinations.

Ash Raina is a Brisbane-based Founder and CEO of the software development company called Knowledge Partner Professionals (KPPro). He is also the Co-Founder and CTO of RaiseDM, which owns a WHS product called SafeTAG CEC. Additionally, he serves as the Trustee and Secretary of Samarth, a Not For Profit organisation working with disadvantaged and economically weaker students of the society in India by providing FREE education. He was awarded the NRI Achievers Award in 2025 in Karnataka (India), and also received the Vitasta Putra Award in 2025 for his social/community work in Chennai (India).

Eric Allgood, CEO of SBAAS and Advanced Business Institute, champions IR reform, AI-driven competitiveness, and ESG accountability. With over 20 years’ experience, he advocates for practical education and training pathways that empower small businesses to thrive, aligning with the Small Business Charter’s vision for fairness, innovation, and sustainable growth.

Dr. Brett Freudenberg is an Associate Professor at Curtin University. Brett is known for his expertise with the tax issues facing small business, as evidenced by his Fulbright and publications. He was awarded the ATTA-Hill medal in recognition of outstanding contribution to tax policy. View his research at SSRN: ssrn.com/author=498263

Tamara Simon, Speaker Author and Coach, is the ‘Bob the Builder for Small Business’.
For over 25 years, she’s helped owners navigate challenges by

• Solving frustrating problems
• Simplifying overwhelming systems
• Supporting them in times of confusion and uncertainty

so they build simple profitable small businesses they actually love.

Glen Day is the Director of Aruba Pty Ltd and has 37 years’ experience as owner/operator of 6 restaurants on the Gold Coast, located at Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh, and Coolangatta. He is appointed to the Small Business Association of Australia Advisory Board, he is Qld State Council Member for Restaurant & Catering Association Australia, and he is the Past President of the Gold Coast Restaurant & Catering Association.

Tim Dive is the founder of The HR Cartel and a leading voice for small and medium businesses. With 20 years of IR and HR expertise, he advocates for pragmatic, employer-focused solutions in Australia’s complex industrial relations landscape.

Dane has spent his career driving digital transformation for enterprise customers across Australia and APAC – including Japan, Korea, India, and ASEAN. With deep experience in AR technology, smart warehouse solutions, and IT/OT integrations, he helps organisations streamline operations and unlock efficiency through innovative technology. As a Technical Project Manager, Dane leads complex deployments across diverse regions, ensuring practical solutions that enhance productivity and empower frontline teams in an increasingly connected world.

Prof. Ian Eddie is the Director of Research at Excelsia University College and an expert in accounting, corporate governance and financial planning and analysis. Ian has served on the Federal Government Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee, the Asian Development Bank and is a board member and consultant to companies and not-for-profit organizations.

Victoria Coster is a trailblazer in the credit repair industry, dedicated to transforming lives by empowering Australians to take back control of their financial futures. As the CEO of Credit Fix Solutions, Victoria has successfully resolved nearly 9,000 credit repair cases since 2014, helping clients achieve their dreams of homeownership, business growth, and financial freedom.

Elena Gosse OAM is a dynamic leader who turned personal adversity into a powerful journey of reinvention. From Russian performer to Australian manufacturing CEO, she now inspires others with her story of courage, authenticity, and resilience. Elena empowers audiences to embrace vulnerability, lead with heart, and create lasting impact.

Renée Chaplin has led marketing and commercial teams in the Asia Pacific region over the last 20 years. With a particular focus on B2B tech companies, Renée’s experience stems from start-ups to multinational SaaS organisations such as Constant Contact, LivePerson and CSG International.

Based in Brisbane, Australia, Renée is the Vice President – Asia Pacific for leading digital marketing company, Constant Contact. A passionate marketer driven by customer experience and commercials.

Makoto Kanda is a Professor Emeritus at Meiji Gakuin University and a regional revitalisation expert in the Japan Productivity Centre. His research focuses on the corporate strategy of long-lived Japanese firms promoting sustainable competencies. Additionally, he has studied and theorised the globalisation of domestically successful small and medium-sized enterprises with limited resources.

Senator Malcolm Roberts champions freedom, responsibility, and reduced government intervention. He advocates for economic productivity, tax reform, transparency and data driven policy. His practical, people-focused approach and historical insight drive his mission to restore Australia’s identity as ‘the lucky country.’

Bill Withers, SME Owner-Leader from 1987 to present (August 2025), embarked on a 38-year journey that shaped his understanding of the challenges of leading SMEs. Throughout this period, he led three distinct SMEs, each with its unique visions and purposes. Bill discovered that long-term success is centered in building a business that can run without the Founder. Bill authored Succession Thinking in 2023 which communicates the need for SME Owners to have a stewardship system that delivers what they really want.

Udara has a diverse background in real estate, digital marketing, and maritime logistics. She is the Deputy General Manager at SAGT and was previously President of the Sri Lanka, Australia, and New Zealand Business Council. She advocates for gender diversity in business and the development of young entrepreneurs.

Dr. Clarence Tan is a futurist, investor, and co-founder of SmartAIConnect and Cybella.ai. He has invested in over 65 startups and speaks globally on AI’s power to help small businesses innovate and grow. Passionate about positive impact, he develops technologies that advance humanity and improve mental wellbeing.

Joanne Brooks, MBA, is the Circle Builder and founder of Navig8 Biz. Having launched 17 companies and mentored countless women, she now champions circles as the foundation of business growth. Joanne helps female entrepreneurs scale sustainably, blending strategy with soulful leadership to create clarity, connection, and community in business.

Angie was elected to federal parliament in 2019. She held the position of Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education & Youth 2022-2025 and currently holds the position of Shadow Minister for the Environment & Youth. Before politics Ange worked as a workplace trainer and assessor and retail consultant for leadings brands. She was a small business development specialist and is the author of a marketing booth that has helped many businesses reinvent their business models.

Entrepreneurship Academic, Business Consulting Expert, Award-Winning Educator, Global Work Integrated Learning Educator empowering future innovators. With a background as a small business owner, successful entrepreneur and a proven academic leader, Dr Halvorson bridges the worlds of business practice and higher education to equip the next generation of founders and innovators.

Bruce Billson commenced his role as Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) in March 2021. Bruce brings experience and knowledge to the role of Ombudsman, and an understanding of the issues facing small business, having started his own advisory business in 2016.

The Ombudsman is an independent advocate for small and family businesses. ASBFEO understands the challenges facing small and family business and provides advice and research to improve policies, access to dispute resolution services and mental health support should the need arise.

Vajira Jayasooriya is a distinguished Senior Accountant with over a decade of experience in accounting. Vajira was honoured with the prestigious Accountant of the Year award by the Institute of Public Accountants in 2022. Under Vajira’s leadership, Austral Accountants was honoured with the Public Accountants 2023 Practice of the Year Award.

ASIC Commissioner, Kate O’Rourke, has more than 25 years’ experience in law and regulation across financial services, markets, and corporations.

Kate joined ASIC from Treasury, where she held senior leadership positions with responsibility for data and digital economic reforms, COVID economic policy responses, small business policy and regulatory frameworks governing market conduct.

Former Senator with 25 years in Finance, working in Accounting & Business Services and Corporate Finance in both ASX Listed and Multinational Corporations. Industry sectors include Banking, Property, Transport, Agriculture, Small Business and Media. Is committed to reforming the Taxation, Monetary and Regulatory practices in Australia.

Karen Dickinson is General Manager of TAFE Queensland Gold Coast, with over eight years in the role. She is a strong advocate for sustainability in education and led the development of the award-winning Robina Campus, recognised internationally for its innovative and environmentally conscious design.

Dr. Natalie McKenna is Executive Director of Education and Training at TAFE Queensland. A senior academic leader with a background in education and small business, she leads strategic reform across vocational and higher education. Her PhD explored how digital self-marketing strategies enhance career development for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Jennifer Clement focuses on value creation for clients. In her current role at CLA, Jennifer collaborates on strategy with executives of global manufacturing companies to accelerate results. Prior to CLA, she lived and worked in Asia from 2015-2019. Today she leads CLA’s Tariff Task Force and helps executives reduce tariff exposure.

Anthony Bastic is a pioneering Executive Creative Director who was instrumental in establishing Vivid Sydney, serving as Curator and Festival Director of Light for a decade. Renowned for conceptualising and producing major public events in Australia and Overseas, some of his achievements include Parrtjima – A Festival in Light, Dhai Dubai Light Festival, Beauty Rich and Rare, Josephine’s Garden, Noël Sydney (2023), and ELEVATE Sydney (2022).

For more than a generation, Pauline Hanson has been one of Australia’s most prominent and recognisable political leaders. Pauline exploded on the national political scene with her maiden speech to Parliament in 1996, and ever since she and her One Nation party have always stood for the strong conservative values that made Australia great.

Mary Buchzeiger is CEO of Lucerne International and Lucerne Global Solutions, leading-edge providers of advanced manufacturing and integrated warehousing and distribution. She champions innovation-driven growth, helping global customers leverage U.S. capabilities in manufacturing, logistics, and trade to strengthen competitiveness in today’s dynamic economy.

Amanda Soo is a cyber security and technology specialist who helps Australian businesses understand and manage technology threats and risks. She provides tailored strategies and actions to improve their security capabilities and business outcomes.

John is the leader of EY’s Government and Public Sector Business Development teams and is responsible for all business development and relationships with the Queensland Government. With an international career over 40 years in engineering surveying, IT, Sales and Senior Leadership roles, he has experience working with complex stakeholder engagements and large-scale organisational transformations sometimes in either harsh field conditions or complex, multi-country enterprises. John began his careers as a surveyor as has worked for Ok Tedi Mining, Newmont, AMS, IBM and now EY.

Brendan Forwood helps business leaders and teams grow, lift performance and align work goals with personal aspirations. With 20 years’ experience, he delivers practical solutions to increase leadership impact, build high-performing teams and maximise focus and effectiveness.

Brendan partners with owners and leaders, offering bespoke coaching, team development and leadership performance solutions.