Confirmed Presenters

The Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) provided delegates with the opportunity to hear from some of the most inspiring, exciting and innovative social enterprise founders, practitioners and investors from Australia and around the world. Below are each presenter’s biography.

The presenters are split into six alphabetical groups. Click on the below letter range options to view information in that section.

Presenters A-D Click on the presenter's name to jump to their bio
	Dan Adams Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Australia	Simon Cant CANTT, Australia
	Danny Almagor Engineers without Borders, Australia	Kylie Charlton Unitus Capital, Australia
	Adrian Appo Ganbina, Australia	Tasneem Chopra Islamic Women’s Welfare Council of Victoria, Australia
	Leah Armstrong Australian Indigenous Minority Suppliers Council, Australia	Jason Clarke Mindworker, Australia
	Dianne Batterham Westgate Health Co-op, Australia	Édith Cloutier Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Quebec (RCAAQ)
	John Bennett Pack It, UK	Peter Cooper Cooper Investors, Australia
	Dr Rufus Black University of Melbourne, Australia	Ethel Côté Canadian Centre for Community Renewal, Canada
	Susan Black SVA, Australia	Lisa Cotton SVA, Australia
	Susie Bowman Social Firms Australia	Peter Cox Future Employment Opportunities, Australia
	David Brookes Social traders, Australia	Caroline Crosse Social Firms Australia
	Andrew Brough Australia	Chris Cuffe SVA Capital Fund, Australia
	Cathy Burke The Hunger Project, Australia	Mark Daniels Social Traders, Australia
	Ben Callaghan CEO SSE Australia	Belinda Drew Foresters Community Finance, Australia

Dan Adams Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Australia In January 2006, a confronting experience challenged Dan’s perception of the world and inspired him to organise the Make Poverty History Concert. Dan was 18 and had no relevant experience. On the 17 November 2006, the Make Poverty History Concert inspired 50,000 Australians to sign up to the campaign to end extreme poverty. The concert’s message reached a global audience of 20 million people. Following the concert, Dan travelled to South Africa to set up a project with the Oaktree Foundation linking schools in Australia with schools in the developing world. Dan is currently working with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition to reframe the climate change debate in the context of the future of the youth of the world. Dan is the 2008 Young Victorian of the Year.
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Danny Almagor Engineers without Borders, Australia Daniel Almagor is the founder and CEO of Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB) and the Managing Director of Medivax Pty Ltd. Daniel holds degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Business Administration, both from RMIT. Daniel is a Churchill Fellowship recipient and was named in the 100 most influential engineers in Australia in 2005. He sits on a number of non profit boards, is passionate about the environment and finds his calm in his veggie patch or with his chickens. He lives in Melbourne with his wife and son.
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Adrian Appo Ganbina, Australia He is widely respected in his ability to develop and implement new and innovative approaches in the areas of employment and economic development. As the Executive Officer of Ganbina, Adrian has been instrumental in developing initiatives that have been instrumental in shaping social change and inclusion for Indigenous community members. Under his guidance, Ganbina has secured corporate and social partnerships that current realizes a financial turn over of $1.1 million with cash reserves. Strong program outcome focus and long term achievement has delivered on exceedingly high levels of success that has attracted both national and international interest.
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Leah Armstrong Australian Indigenous Minority Suppliers Council, Australia Leah, a Torres Strait Islander from Mackay, Queensland, has lived and worked in Newcastle, New South Wales for the past 20 years. For over 18 years, Leah has worked with the Indigenous community on employment, training and enterprise development initiatives. Leah has worked closely with governments and the private sector and is involved in advising various national and state organisations. Leah is currently a Director on the board of Indigenous Business Australia, an advisor to the National Policy Commission on Indigenous Housing and a director for the Australian Indigenous Minority Suppliers Council. She was a Judging Panel Member in 2008 of Reconciliation Australia’s National Indigenous Governance Awards and was the Executive Director of Yarnteen Ltd from 1992-2009 and a Director of Yarnteen Investments Pty Ltd & Yarnteen Creative Enterprises Pty Ltd.
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Dianne Batterham Westgate Health Co-op, Australia
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John Bennett Pack It, UK Based in Cardiff, Wales, John is the Managing Director of the Pack-IT Group, an award-winning storage, distribution and mailing social enterprise company. He is experienced in developing social enterprises and is growing Pack-IT into a global social enterprise brand. A member of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Social Enterprise Ministerial Advisory Group, John is also Chair of the Welsh Social Enterprise Coalition’s Steering Group. He has previously spoken in Australia on social entrepreneurship and Social Firms development and has made similar presentations internationally and throughout the UK; he was a contributor at the first Social Enterprise World Forum in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Dr Rufus Black University of Melbourne, Australia Dr Rufus Black is the Master of Ormond College at the University of Melbourne. A theologian, ethicist and ordained minister in the Uniting Church of Australia he has published on many topics including economic development, unemployment, the ethics of using stem cells and the life challenges of Generation X. As an ethicist he has served on clinical and medical research ethics committees and he currently chairs the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Before becoming Master of Ormond he worked at McKinsey & Company for nine years, where he was a partner and played leadership roles in the firm’s Organisation and Public Sector Practices in Australia and Asia. He still provides consulting advice to public and private sector organisations. He chairs the Board of Teach for Australia and also serves on various advisory boards and councils including the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics and Public Life in Oxford. He holds degrees in law and politics from the University of Melbourne and degrees in ethics and theology from the University of Oxford, where he studied a Rhodes Scholar.
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Susan Black SVA, Australia Susan is SVA’s Manager, Community Relations for the Queensland Social Enterprise Hubs. Susan has been with SVA since 2006, when it initiated the first Social Enterprise Hub in Australia in Brisbane. Susan has 20 years experience in community development and management from both within government and non-government sectors. She is currently president of the Deception Bay Neighbourhood Centre and an associate of the Centre for Social Response, a community development training organisation. Susan has a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and Master of Social Welfare Administration and Planning, both from the University of Queensland.
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Susie Bowman Social Firms Australia Susan has had a career a commercial finance having worked for many years for GE Commercial in their leasing business in a senior sales role, Standard and Poor's as a director for structured finance responsible for rating asset backed securitisation programs in Australia, HK and Europe and prior to that Westpac Banking Corporation. Formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts (both from the University of Melbourne). Susan joined Social Firms Australia in 2007 as a business development manager and brings with her a wealth of commercial experience and discipline and a strong commitment to the delivery of social firm model in Australia.
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David Brookes Social traders, Australia David was appointed as Managing Director of Social Traders in January 2009. He has extensive senior management experience in the corporate sector having worked with Rio Tinto, Toyota and Amcor. David was involved in government, media and community relations and led the establishment of strategic business-community partnership programs at all three companies. He has been a strong advocate for social and environmental responsibility over the last 15 years. David also has policy and economic development experience having worked with a major industry association and local council in NSW. He has been a member of various Boards and Advisory Groups.
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Andrew Brough Australia Andrew Brough is an experienced director/entrepreneur who has just returned to Australia after 13 years living in the UK, France and USA. Previously Andrew was Head of Fund Development for the Young Foundation where he setup Launchpad’s social venture funds in health and education and was director/advisor to ventures including School of Everything and Social Innovation Camp. He has been board member to the National Probation Service and Metropolitan Support Trust. Andrew's background is in technology start ups and investment where he co-founded several ventures from university R&D. He also helped organisations such as the BBC, Siemens, NHS and UCL to innovate. He has a Masters in Space Science and Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering.
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Cathy Burke The Hunger Project, Australia Cathy Burke has been the Chief Executive Officer for The Hunger Project Australia for 11 years. During this time she has traveled widely and has a deep understanding of the capacity and potential that people living in the conditions of hunger can bring to resolving hunger and poverty. Prior to working at The Hunger Project she worked in politics in a range of capacities including co-campaign manager for a WA Federal Senate campaign, lobbyist and policy strategist.
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Ben Callaghan CEO SSE Australia Benny Callaghan is the CEO of the School for Social Entrepreneurs Australia. He has Masters degree in Education and an extensive professional background in action learning. Benny has worked in and as a consultant with a number of social sector organisations over the past decade, and has had a 10 year involvement with Outward Bound in Australia and internationally. He has more recently been studying Strategic Foresight at Swinburne University, and is interested in aspects of futures work as it relates to social enterprise. Benny actively supports a number social entrepreneurs and their enterprises in Australia and Africa.
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Simon Cant CANTT, Australia Simon Cant is the Founder and Director of CANTT. CANTT works with companies to help them realize the potential of their people, assets and ideas through creativity, innovation and commercialisation. Prior to founding CANTT, Simon was an innovation consultant with ?WhatIf!, Director of Corporate Programs and Learning with Social Ventures Australia, General Partner with venture capital firm, TiNSHED, and Business Manager with ninemsn managing for the Finance and Investment websites. He also spent a year with the Australasian Legal Information Institute, (AustLII), which makes legal information freely available over the web, after starting his working life as a solicitor with Allen Allen and Hemsley.
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Kylie Charlton Unitus Capital, Australia Kylie is a founding team member of Unitus Capital, a financial advisory firm specialising in arranging capital for microfinance institutions (MFIs) and other social enterprises benefiting those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Working at the intersection of mainstream capital markets, social investment and philanthropy, Kylie has arranged capital for MFIs and social enterprises, advised banks and investment funds, and raised capital for specialised investment funds including playing a leading role in the development and launch of the Unitus Equity Fund I, L.P. Previously, Kylie was Vice President in the Project and Structured Finance Group at Citigroup with 11 years experience in commercial and investment banking in Sydney and New York. Kylie holds a B.A. in Commerce (Banking and Finance) from the University of Canberra, an M.B.A from the Said Business School at Oxford University and is the 2009 Heloise Waislitz Fellow at the Asia Pacific Centre for Social Investment and Philanthropy (APCSIP) at Swinburne University.
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Tasneem Chopra Islamic Women’s Welfare Council of Victoria, Australia Tasneem Chopra is Chair of the Islamic Women’s Welfare Council of Victoria (IWWCV), an organisation run by Muslim women for Muslim women. Tasneem also works as a Cross Cultural Consultant specialising in diversity training provided over the years to varied audiences, including judges, bureaucrats, and school. Listed in The Age Magazines Top 100 as one of Melbourne’s most” influential movers and shakers of 2008”, Tasneem attributes much of her accomplishments through working with the IWWCV. She was also recently acknowledged in the Weekend Australian Magazine’s listing of Emerging 100 Young Leaders 2009, for her services in Cross Cultural Training. Her background in psychology/ community development inform Tasneem’s outlook on the positives Muslims have contributed to society despite obstacles, with a penchant for endorsing social justice issues impacting upon women.
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Jason Clarke Mindworker Australia In 1977, Jason Clarke achieved the lowest Year 12 score in the history of his school. Today he is one of the most sought after creative minds in the country, consulting on issues of leadership and innovation to some of Australia’s biggest companies and institutions.
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Édith Cloutier Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Quebec (RCAAQ) Born to an Algonquin mother and a Québécois father, very early Édith learned about the existing duality between peoples. At 23, she became the Executive Director of the Val-d’Or Native Friendship Centre, who aims to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of Aboriginal people and foster harmonious relations with the non-Aboriginal community. Since 2003, she has been the President of the RCAAQ, and she is the first Aboriginal President of the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)’s Board of Directors. Amongst many awards, she has received the insignia of the Chevalier de l’Order national du Québec.
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Peter Cooper Cooper Investors, Australia Peter Cooper is the Managing Director of fund manager, Cooper Investors P/L, which he established in 2001. Cooper Investors manages $3 .2 billion in Australian and international equities for large superannuation funds, corporations and charities. He is passionate about applying the CI values (gratitude and humility; intentionality; curiosity and passion; being in the moment and present; and authenticity) to both investment management and the business. Recently Peter was instrumental in setting up the CI Philanthropy Fund as well as the Cooper Family Foundation, both of which support various projects in Australia and overseas. Prior to forming Cooper Investors, Peter spent 20 years working in money management for the NSW State Superannuation Investment and Management Corporation and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers Limited.
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Ethel Côté Canadian Centre for Community Renewal, Canada During 25 years, Ms. Ethel Côté fostered the implementation of some thirty work, services and production cooperatives in addition to supporting agricultural, agrifood, housing and child care cooperatives in Canada. She supported capacity building missions in Mali, Niger, Senegal and Morocco and was part of the organizing committee for the World Conference on Globalization of Solidarity (Dakar 2005 and Luxembourg 2009). In addition to teaching in College and Universities, Ms. Côté has mentored hundreds of communities and promoters of social enterprises. Involved with the Canadian Community Economic Development Network and the Intercontinental Network of Social Solidarity Economy, she is a founding member of the Social Enterprise Council of Canada. She is a social enterprise practitioner at the Canadian Center for Community Renewal (CCRC).
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Lisa Cotton SVA, Australia Lisa is responsible for building SVA’s network and managing a diverse portfolio of funders. Prior to joining SVA, Lisa was a Director of DDB Worldwide Communications and before that managed the Sydney operations of The Perth Mint’s Sydney 2000 Olympic licensing program. She has held a number of senior management positions with the WA government, is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program for Philanthropy Leaders and serves on the board of School Aid Trust.
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Peter Cox Future Employment Opportunities, Australia As CEO of Future Employment Opportunities, Peter Cox has demonstrated that community organisations can operate using community assets as their major source of income. He is an experienced and highly motivated organiser and negotiator. He is strongly committed to and energised by project management, which reflects in local community capacity to develop businesses and enterprise opportunities in a sustainable model. He has been involved in community affairs for 40 years working on a wide range of social issues including public safety on the roads, housing, the environment and employment. He has organised a number of sustainable Social Enterprises, is a Past President of Eaglehawk Rotary Club, founding President of Empowering Eaglehawk and is a Councillor with the City of Greater Bendigo.
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Caroline Crosse Social Firms Australia Caroline is the Executive Director of Social Firms Australia (SoFA), an organisation committed to creating accessible employment for people with a mental illness or disability. Caroline has over 20 years experience in psychosocial rehabilitation and disability employment and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2001 to investigate accessible employment options for people with a mental illness. She was impressed with the potential of social firms to achieve durable employment outcomes. As a result SoFA was established in August 2004 to develop social firms in Australia. Caroline was awarded the SVA Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007.
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Chris Cuffe SVA Capital Fund, Australia In 2006, after more than 20 years of experience in building successful wealth management practices at Colonial First State Investments and Challenger Financial Services Group, Chris joined SVA as an Executive Director. Chris held this position until May 2009, at which point he became Chairman, SVA Capital Fund. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Fellow of Finsia. He is also a Director of Unisuper Limited and WAM Active Limited. Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW and a Diploma from the Securities Institute of Australia.
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Mark Daniels Social Traders, Australia Mark was appointed Social Traders Manager Policy and Development in late 2008. He has wide ranging experience in service delivery, advocacy and policy development. Prior to Social Traders, Mark worked with the Brotherhood of St Laurence managing a number of social enterprises aimed at assisting people into mainstream employment as well as providing expertise to other agencies looking to establish social enterprise. Mark has extensive experience in community building on public housing estates in inner city Melbourne. Mark is a Director on the Board of Yarra Community Housing.
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Belinda Drew Foresters Community Finance, Australia Belinda has been in the role of CEO at Foresters Community Finance for five years. In that time leading the transformation of the organisation into a social business providing finance, investment and training to the community sector, Belinda has developed a unique synthesis of skills across the areas of finance, investment and social impact. Belinda has worked in the community sector in Queensland for over a decade in the areas of homelessness, disability, child protection and housing, holding a number of positions in social policy organisations. Belinda is a Board member of the Queensland Council of Social Service and holds various roles on advisory committees engaged in philanthropy and social enterprise.
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Confirmed Presenters

Presenters A-D