How can New South Wales deepen its engagement with Asia amongst a rapidly changing economic, business and policy environment?

To celebrate the launch of our new Strategic Partnership, Macquarie University and Asia Society Australia warmly invite members, supporters, and key stakeholders to join us at our new hub on Asia-Australia relations in the heart of Sydney’s CBD for our first member briefing and networking event of the year.

Join this special occasion for an opportunity to discuss the future of NSW’s trade and economic interests in Asia with The Hon. Stuart Ayres, MP, Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport, and Minister for Western Sydney.

Minister Ayres will be joined by Anna Lin, Manager of Business and State Government Liaison at Austrade, Lucinda Longcroft, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Australia and New Zealand at Google, and Dr Martin Parkinson, Chancellor of Macquarie University, to discuss the business, policy and higher education landscape that shape our region and how to best navigate evolving geopolitical, trade and investment dynamics.

Our guests will have the opportunity to network at an intimate cocktail reception, hosted by Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton, Asia Society Australia Chairman Stuart Fuller and CEO Philipp Ivanov. 

Date: Tuesday 15 March 2022
Time: 5:30 – 7:15 p.m. AEDT
Venue: Sydney NSW 2000

This event is by invitation only. Places strictly limited. For any enquiries, please contact [email protected]

This event is presented in partnership with Macquarie University

About our Speakers

The Hon Stuart Ayres MP, Deputy Leader NSW Liberal Party, Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Sport and Tourism, Minister for Western Sydney

Stuart Ayres was elected to the NSW Parliament in 2010, representing the seat of Penrith.

Since his election, Stuart has held various portfolios including Minister for Fair Trading, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Trade, Minister for Jobs, Minister for Tourism and Major Events and Minister for WestConnex.

In December 2021, Stuart was appointed as Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney.

Stuart is committed to achieving jobs growth and innovation across the 24-hour economy, trade and export opportunities, defence industries, scale-ups and start-ups. As Minister for Tourism, he is also committed to the Government’s bold vision for NSW to be the Premier Visitor Economy of the Asia Pacific by 2030. 

As Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart is responsible for driving the NSW Government’s engagement in the Western Sydney City Deal, and the development of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, which will shape the development of Australia’s first 21st Century city based around the new airport.   

Professor S Bruce Dowton, Vice-Chancellor and President, Macquarie University

Prior to his appointment at Macquarie University, Professor Dowton served as a senior medical executive having held a range of positions in university, healthcare and consulting organisations. He also served as a paediatrician at the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, and as Clinical Professor of Paediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

Professor Dowton joined the University in September 2012. During his first year he led a highly consultative process to develop a long-term strategic framework for the University, establishing an ethos of service and engagement at the heart of its learning, teaching and research activities. The framework has subsequently enabled a dramatic improvement in research performance, a synthesis of traditional and technological learning and teaching activities, deeper relationships with corporate and industry partners, significantly enhanced philanthropic giving and a series of multi-million-dollar capital works on campus. Dowton’s ability to clarify complexity, and highly engaging personal style, have since become hallmarks of his Vice-Chancellorship.

He has published articles on a wide range of topics in peer-reviewed academic publications, and has held Visiting Professorial and External Examiner appointments at several universities including the University of Edinburgh, Colombia University in New York, the University of Tromsø in Norway, Hong Kong University, as well as institutions in the People’s Republic of China.

Additionally, Professor Dowton spends much of his time outside the University in philanthropic and community engagements. Currently, he serves: as a trustee on the Board of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, as Chairman of Open Universities Australia, and as a member of Asia Society Australia.

Professor Dowton was born in the far central-western New South Wales town of Ivanhoe and raised in Dubbo. He was the first in his family to go to university.

Stuart Fuller, Asia Society Australia Chairman & Head of KPMG Law

Stuart joined as the Head of KPMG Law in March 2018, and was appointed the Global Head of Legal Services in August 2019. He is also the Asia Pacific Regional Leader for Legal Services.

Stuart was previously at King & Wood Mallesons for 27 years as a capital markets/securitisation and regulatory partner, and a 10 year career in management culminating in his role as the inaugural Global Managing Partner for King & Wood Mallesons. He is an acknowledged market leader in securitisation, and led the peak industry body, the Australian Securitisation Forum, for a number of years.

Stuart is also an acknowledged leader in Australia/Asian relationships having been a member of the Business Council of Australia’s Global Engagement Task Force and a number of Australian coordinating bodies.

Stuart’s role is to lead the team at KPMG Law and build it into an integrated, quality team that assists KPMG to win business and support its clients.

Anna Lin, Manager, Business and State Government Liaison, Government Division,  Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)

Anna Lin leads Austrade’s Business and State Government Liaison Team which is responsible for strategic coordination and planning of business and government engagement activities. Prior to this position, Anna was State Director, New South Wales which involved responsibility for stakeholder relationship management with government, peak bodies and private sector organisations in NSW.

Anna has strong experience working in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions serving to advance and maximise Australia’s trade, investment and education interests internationally. From 2013 – 2019, Anna completed postings as Consul (Commercial) and Trade and Investment Commissioner in Guangzhou, China and Consul and Trade Commissioner in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In these roles, Anna led a number of initiatives across the healthcare, education and training, food and beverage sectors.

Anna holds a Master of International Business and Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Sydney. She has also completed research studies in public policy and international relations at the Australian National University. Anna speaks Cantonese and Mandarin.

Lucinda Longcroft, Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Australia & New Zealand, Google Australia Pty Ltd.

Lucinda joined Google in November 2019 as Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Australia and New Zealand, and brings over 25 years of public and private sector experience at national and international levels.

She is a senior international lawyer and manager with a strong track record of leadership, strategic planning and advice, providing sound policy analysis and guidance, and conducting negotiations in complex and sensitive fields of law and policy. Her areas of legal expertise include intellectual property, innovation, copyright and creative industries, media and the digital environment, emerging technologies, international law and normative/regulatory development at national and international levels. She practised in strategic policy development on complex issues of current social focus including sexual harassment and environmental sustainability management.

She is experienced at working with and advising the highest levels of senior executives, and creating networks with industry and government leaders in diverse sectors. She is an effective communicator and is client-oriented and skilled at identifying the legal and strategic needs of different stakeholders, and she understands how to navigate in a rapidly-changing environment. Her approach is forward-thinking, flexible, energised and positive.

She has served as Associate to the Hon. Justice Daryl Davies in the Federal Court of Australia, and an Associate to Judge Macdonald of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. She also practiced as an attorney with the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the Legal Office of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and in the preparation of the Report on Designs Law for the Australian Law Reform Commission.

Philipp Ivanov, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Society Australia

Philipp Ivanov is the Chief Executive Officer of Asia Society Australia, a position he has held since 2015. He is leading Asia Society Australia through a period of growth and transformation and has consolidated its position as the nation’s leading business and policy think-tank dedicated to the region. Philipp is a China specialist with extensive experience in strategy, organisational renewal, policy and research.

He is a co-leader of the Asia Taskforce by the Business Council of Australia and Asia Society Australia to advance Australian business engagement with Asia. He is a member of the Advisory Council of the Australian Committee of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). His commentary and analysis have appeared in The Australian, ABC, Bloomberg News, CNBC, The Australian Financial Review, Melbourne Asia Review and ChinaFile.

Previously, he was a policy officer with a focus on China at the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Philipp was one of the principal authors of the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper - China Country Strategy. Philipp was Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific at the University of Sydney, advised the University of Sydney on the China strategy and managed La Trobe University's partnerships in the Gulf States, Vietnam and Thailand.

Philipp spent over 6 years in China working in education and development. He is the recipient of the ‘Rose Award’ by the Shenyang Municipal Government and the Australian Government’s Endeavour Executive Fellowship under which he conducted research on China's policies for leadership development at the China National Academy of Education Administration in Beijing. Philipp has a Bachelor (Honours) degree in Chinese language and history from the Far Eastern National University in Russia. He also studied in Jilin and Liaoning Normal universities in China.

Dr Martin Parkinson, Chancellor, Macquarie University

Dr Martin Parkinson served in Commonwealth Government leadership positions on all facets of economic, social, foreign, defence and national security policies for almost 40 years.

Martin retired from the Commonwealth in 2019, having been Secretary of three Departments: Prime Minister and Cabinet: The Treasury; and the inaugural Department of Climate Change.

Martin is currently Chancellor of Macquarie University, non-executive director of Worley, North Queensland Airports, Champions of Change Coalition and O’Connell Street Associates, Chair of the Sir Roland Wilson Foundation and Deputy Chair of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. He is a member of the NSW Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board, the Bain Advisory Council and the B Team Australasia, serves on the advisory boards of the Asia Society Australia, Thrive Refugee Enterprises and the Net Zero Australia project, and is on the organising committee of the Climate Leaders Coalition.