Taking place prior to the IABCA Ceremony on Friday 14 May 2021 at Australia’s first fully integrated harbourside convention, exhibition and entertainment venue, ICC Sydney, the 2021 IABCA Global Leaders Forum with focus
on Business Diaspora Diplomacy.

This exciting new initiative will navigate Australia’s relationship with India through our people-to-people links across three engaging panel discussions/ workshops and be free on registration for Industry and Business colleagues to attend.

The forum will leverage the expertise of key leaders across both nations and will navigate some of the central pillars that underpin Australia’s relationship with India. 

Featuring a STEM Panel followed by a Soft Power Panel, the IABCA Global Leaders Forum will highlight roadmaps for continued growth across the people-to-people, economic and institutional engagements that bind India and Australia through our growing Alumni.

1:15pm - 2:00pm (AEST) Food & Agribusiness Workshop

Topics: Why India, Market Entry Needs & Getting Ready, Culture & Understanding, Success Stories & Lessons Learned, Marketing and Promotion

Speakers:

• Amit Lohani, Managing Director, Max Foods Group & Founder | Director, Forum of Indian Food Importers (Via Video)
• Cameron Prowse, Director, Export and Export Programs, Trade | Investment NSW (Facilitator)
• Cristina Talacko, Chairperson, Coalition for Conservation, Director, SalDoce Fine Foods, Director, Export Council of Australia
• DD Saxena, Managing Director, Riverina Oils
• Dianne Tipping, Chair, Export Council of Australia
• Invest India Representative TBC (Via Video)
• Leon Skaliotis, General Manager, Chairman, Flavourtech

2:15pm - 3:00pm (AEST) STEM Panel

Topics: Aerospace Advancement, Engineering Excellence, Technology & Innovation, Science and Research, Earth's Carrying Capacity, Educational Entrepreneurship

Speakers:

• Amb. Anil Wadhwa, Former Ambassador & Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India (Via Zoom)
• Iain Martin, Vice Chancellor, Deakin University
• Jim Varghese AM, National Chair AIBC, The Leadership Company, Qld Pty Ltd
• Margaret Faux, Founder and CEO, Synapse Medical Services
• Dr. Marlene Kanga AM, President, World Federation of Engineering Organisations
• Mr. Manish Gupta, Consul General of India, Sydney
• Sheba Nandkeolyar, Founder & CEO, MultiConnexions (Facilitator)
• Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Australian Research Council (ARC), Laureate Fellow

3:15pm - 4:00pm (AEST) Soft Power Panel - Our People to People Links

Topics: Cultural Diplomacy, Film & Broadcasting, Politics, Sport, Social Impact Projects Between our Two Nations

Speakers:

• Anupam Sharma, Filmmaker/Chair, Australia India Film Council
• Dr. Christian Hirst, Assistant Secretary, India and the Indian Ocean, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
• Dipen Rughani, CEO, Newland Global Group (Facilitator)
• Jennifer West, Deputy Secretary, Trade, Investment NSW
• Former Senator the Hon Lisa Singh, Deputy Chair, Australia India Council, DFAT & Head Government Advocacy, Minderoo Foundation
• Amb. Navdeep Suri, Former Indian High Commissioner to Australia (Via Video)
• Peter Varghese AO, Chair, Asialink Advisory Council, Former Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs Trade & Chancellor, University of Queensland
• Uppma Virdi, CEO, Chai Walli, Forbes 30 under 30, IABCA Alumni, Board Member, Alfalfa Food Co-Operative