BRISBANE Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has announced one of the most versatile lists of business innovators in the country as finalists in this year’s Lord Mayor’s Business Awards.

The list of finalists in the Channel 7 Business Person of the Year category illustrates the case. It includes Red Frogs founder and director Andrew Gourley, Mantle Group managing director Godfrey Mantle, digital startup entrepreneur and Josephmark CEO Jess Huddart, SponsoredLinX CEO Ben Bradshaw and CEO and founder of Australia’s leading trampoline manufacturer, Vuly Trampolines, Joe Andon. 

Cr Quirk said the 51 finalists from 10 categories recognised in the prestigious awards ranged from small to medium business to some of Brisbane’s largest companies. Cr Quirk said the calibre and diversity of this year’s nominees was impressive and demonstrated the vibrancy of Brisbane’s business economy.

"The 2016 LMBA finalists highlight the amazing depth of Brisbane's business community. They cover areas including hospitality, tourism, law, health services, transport, IT, digital, food, education and manufacturing," Cr Quirk said. 

“The Lord Mayor’s Business Awards continue to demonstrate why decision-makers worldwide are choosing Brisbane for business, investment, study and conventions.

“Every year these awards have highlighted some of the city’s greatest success stories, and this year’s awards will be no different.”

“The finalists are raising the bar when it comes to innovation, collaboration, research and development. They are also representing Brisbane on the world stage.”

The winners will be chosen by independent judging panels for each of the 10 categories, with the finalists announced at a Gala Dinner at City Hall on Friday October 28, where they will join past winners.

The Lord Mayor’s Business Awards are staged by Brisbane Marketing and are the only awards in Brisbane to include businesses and individuals across all industries and sectors.

2016 LORD MAYOR'S BUSINESS AWARDS FINALISTS

ANZ Made in Brisbane Award for High-Growth Business Start-up

• Conweigh
• Entersoft
• Happen
• Haystack Australia
• Like a Photon Creative
• PetCloud
• Prettygreat
• RedEye

HSBC Award for Doing Business in Asia

• Australian Country Choice
• Brisbane Airport Corporation
• Charlton Brown
• Domino’s Pizza Enterprises

Brisbane Times Award for Business Innovation

• Domino’s Pizza Enterprises
• EM Solutions
• Like a Photon Creative
• Scooter Tutor
• Shelter Management
• Vuly
• Watkins Steel

Australia TradeCoast Award for Small Business Growth

• FivePointFour Holdings
• Global Sourcing Services
• Point to Point Education
• Tritium

Port of Brisbane Award for New Investment

• Daisho Co
• DEXUS Property Group
• Iglu
• Richmont Hospitality
• Tritium

Clayton Utz Award for Corporate Citizenship

• Datacom Systems
• Queensland Rugby Union
• Stephen Dibb Jewellery
• Treasury Casino & Hotel

Energex Award for Sustainability in Business

• Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
• Daisho Co
• The University of Queensland
• UnitingCare Queensland

ISPT Award for Digital Strategy

• PetCloud
• Shelter Management
• Tow.com.au
• Travel Money Group

Singapore airlines Award for Young Business Person of the Year

• Edda Hamar – Undress Runways
• Jock Fairweather – Little Tokyo Two
• Joe Andon – Vuly Trampolines
• Jordan Duffy – Buckham & Duffy Consultants
• Jordan Grives – Fonebox Australia
• Penelope Twemlow – Energy Skills Queensland

Channel 7 Award for Business Person of the Year

• Andrew Gourley – Red Frogs
• Ben Bradshaw – SponsoredLinX
• Godfrey Mantle – Mantle Group
• Jess Huddart – Josephmark
• Joe Andon – Vuly Trampolines

www.lmba.com.au

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A WORLD-LEADING building environmental sensing and management system developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has been bought by Australian Securities Exchange-listed BuildingIQ for about $500,000.

The core technology acquired includes the OptiCool and ComfortSENSE subsystems and the interface in-between. BuildingIQ has had an exclusive worldwide licence to use and commercially exploit the core technology in commercial buildings as a component of its Predictive Energy Optimization (PEO) offering.

As part of this agreement, BuildingIQ has also obtained all intellectual property rights in the core technology, associated patents and patent applications. The human comfort technology extends the company’s 5i energy intelligence platform. 

“CSIRO is one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world and was the birthplace of our platform technology in 2009,” BuildingIQ president and CEO Michael Nark said.

“Over time we’ve worked tirelessly to enhance the data analysis, learning modelling, and predictive control capabilities of this technology, and it remains a core component of the new BuildingIQ 5i platform.”

The ComfortSENSE technology was built to provide individual building occupants with a gateway to share information on their comfort level in real-time. Within the 5i platform, this would essentially allow each person to act as the ultimate building sensor.

Mr Nark said once incorporated into the 5i platform, this could provide an invaluable data stream for further refinement of BuildingIQ’s already robust thermal, occupancy, and behaviour modelling competences.

“The addition of real-time human comfort input will extend our ability to analyse and predict BMS (building management system) performance and its impact on people,” BuildingIQ’s vice president of engineering, Adam Benson said.

“Building occupants are the ultimate intelligent sensor in many ways. We’re excited to be able to incorporate the human factor into our platform and ensure that we remain at the forefront of innovation in building energy management solutions.”

Mr Benson said BuildingIQ’s 5i Platform incorporated the intangible human element into its energy intelligence platform – leveraging and augmenting the expertise of its own staff and that of the company’s clients. He said the platform and services built upon it provided a “better IoT solution for buildings based on the five pillars of data capture analysis, advanced modelling, measurement and verification, closed loop control and expert human analysis”.

The cloud-based platform aggregates data based on a building’s use, occupancy, weather, and BMS. Using those variables, it creates a powerful thermal model, which serves as the basis of the company’s technology-enabled offerings

More than 60 million square feet of building space is serviced by BuildingIQ globally and investors include the venture capital unit of Siemens Financial Services, Paladin Capital and Exto Partners.

www.buildingiq.com

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GROCERY game-changer, Aldi, has taken out Retailer of the Year gold at the 2016 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards.

Aldi was top of the dais in the Australian retail ‘olympics’ and was hailed for its market-leading growth, influence and operational policies. Innovation in these areas has seen the European-developed supermarket chain significantly challenge the Australian majors in its category and beyond through the implementation of unique sales approaches nationally. 

Run annually by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), the eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards are the nation’s longest running and most prestigious retail recognition program, rewarding and celebrating Australian retail businesses and individuals for success, innovation and growth.

The event was also particularly special for Wilson Retail, which operates the Saltwater Wine and Stormriders chains in New South Wales, with the business taking out the ARA Independent Retailer of the Year award for the third year running.

Temando-sponsored Multi-Channel Retailer of the Year was Mon Purse with The Good Guys runner-up.

Pronto Software-sponsored Retail Innovator of the Year was the innovative Shoes of Prey group, while Just For Pets was runner-up.

This year’s breakfast event was held at the Melbourne Grand Hyatt. Aalong with presentation of the awards, the prestigious event featured keynote speakers who have experienced incredible success in the retail industry: Boost Juice co-founder  and Retail Zoo chairman, Jeff Allis, and Daniel Flynn the co-founder of Thankyou, a social enterprise which empowers shoppers to play a part in ending global poverty through simple everyday purchases.

Nine awards were presented as part of the 2016 event.

Eftpos managing director, Bruce Mansfield, congratulated Aldi and all the winning and competing retailers.

“Australian retail today is not only extraordinarily competitive, but the industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with more international brands and the increasing use of technology and new channels,” Mr Mansfield said.

“Eftpos congratulates Aldi on winning the eftpos Retailer of the Year, and all award winners and runners up in 2016. It’s so important to recognise the effort and success of Australian retailers, large and small, and we are very pleased to be a supporter.”

ARA executive director, Russell Zimmerman said, “This year’s awards field was particularly tough, with not just the highest number of entries in the awards’ 50 year history, but also the highest quality.

“Retail is Australia’s largest private sector employer, and the contribution of these businesses to our economy and future cannot be understated. These winners represent the diversity of Australian retailing and the depth of talent we have in this important industry.

“The industry grows each year, and we look forward to watching the winners of this year’s aas they continue to prosper. To those who were unsuccessful with their entries in 2016, we hope to see you back again next year,” Mr Zimmerman said.

2016 EFTPOS ARA AUSTRALIAN RETAIL AWARDS WINNERS

eftpos Retailer of the Year: Aldi. Runner up: Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.

ARA Independent Retailer of the Year: Wilson Retail (Stormriders & Saltwater Wine). Runner up: Adreno.

Shop for Shops Store Fitout of the Year 1-5 Stores: The Sydney String Centre. Runner up: Eliza Blue Fashions.

Shop for Shops Store Fitout of the Year 6+ Stores: Specsavers Eastland. Runner up: Jeanswest Eastland.

Temando Multi-Channel Retailer of the Year: Mon Purse. Runner up: The Good Guys.

Frontline Recruitment Retail Employer of the Year: Peregrine Corporation (On The Run, Smoke Box). Runner up: Aldi.

Rest Industry Super Retail Employee of the Year: Jacob Purtell of Harris Scarfe. Runner up: David Lai, Fantastic Furniture.

FCB Retail HR Rising Star of the Year: Paige Willemse, Sussan Group.

Pronto Software Retail Innovator of the Year: Shoes of Prey. Runner up: Just For Pets.

ARA Retail Institute Retail Graduate of the Year: Lauren Dodman.

www.retail.org.au

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GOLD COAST innovator Superior Jetties is capitalising on the hundreds of emerging seaside and waterfront developments in China, shaping a deal to streamline business between the two nations.

Superior Jetties is finalising a China Business Assurance Programme with Brisbane-based Chinese business facilitator Think Queensland to snare a greater slice of the Chinese marina market. 

Superior Jetties CEO John Hogan said China’s growing middle class was showing strong interest in waterside living and yachting, creating new international opportunities for the award-winning company.

While the company had worked in China before, he said Superior Jetties was working with Think Queensland to sharpen its offering to potential Chinese partners.

“We have been trading with China for many years as both a vendor and customer for raw materials, however we have also made beginners mistakes along the way,” Mr Hogan said.

“We knew that the next step for us involved more complex corporate structures, banking and JV agreements and in this area we have worked with Think Queensland because of their experience on the ground in China.

“It is a massive country with many different needs.  It is not always immediately obvious to us what needs to happen to build relationships and service clients,” Mr Hogan said.

“Therefore we need to partner with locals so that we can provide them with the intellectual property and training to allow a complete solution to be provided.”

Think Queensland CEO Michael Mason said China had named 2013 the Year of Marine Tourism to further develop the country’s marine tourism resources, highlighting the growing importance of the sector. The emphasis was already paying off.

“By helping Superior Jetties strengthen its foothold in China, we can drive investment, sustainable jobs and positive economic impact to Queensland and Australia,” Mr Mason said.

“There are countless opportunities in China for mature Australian companies like Superior Jetties. Chinese companies are actively looking for reliable and trusted partners with proven products and services.

“The key is to understand the unique business requirements and relationships you need to succeed.”

Mr Hogan said Chinese developers were increasingly realising how a quality marina could benefit their broader property development.

“With time there are real sailors and boating knowledge growing in China so our products are gaining traction along with the local sophistication of the market,” he said.”

“There are many more developments planned in China than Australia so it is an obvious growth opportunity.

“Our strategy is to use the installed base here on the Gold Coast as a reference site for what can be achieved in China.”

Mr Mason said Think Queensland had also produced a book, Sustainable Marina Development  to assist developers understand what they needed to do to be successful when building a marina. 

“In this way we believe we can add more value than a local supplier as we can assist with the entire business plan,” Mr Mason said.

www.superiorjetties.com

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