Trade Missions

I had the pleasure of leading the AICC 2018 Women Leaders Trade Mission. Our focus was on start-ups in the fields of education and retail. We worked with the AICC to put together a group of 30 senior executive women with an interest in these areas. The trip was an excellent combination of history, politics, innovation policy and meetings with relevant start-ups. We each returned with an admiration for Israel’s economic achievements and the political challenges of the region. In addition to this broader perspective, we had individual technologies to follow up with in the edtech and retail tech areas. The delegation enabled us to gain a better understanding of Israel, relevant start-ups and establish beneficial connections between Australia and Israel.

I joined the AICC’s Women’s Mission on Higher Education and EdTech and I can’t recommend the AICC’s Mission highly enough. The program was carefully curated and efficiently executed providing an extraordinary opportunity to engage at senior levels with the key players in the Israeli innovation ecosystem – relevant government authorities, higher education providers, venture capitalists, incubators and start up entrepreneurs as well as established companies. The AICC also ensured that our requests for additional meetings were fulfilled and I personally was able to add three highly relevant meetings with Hebrew and Tel Aviv Universities to the itinerary thanks to the access that the AICC was able to provide. We were treated to wonderful cultural and historical tours as well as thought provoking geo-political presentations. It was a fast paced week of extraordinary learning and interactions that were highly relevant to my roles and, quite frankly, to how we can all contribute as leaders to developing the Australian ecosystem for innovation and success. On top of that, I returned to Australia with a whole new group of friends highly engaged in making a difference in their diverse industries and pursuits. Thank you.

I really didn’t know what to expect from my first AICC tour. I had an idea that we would see brilliant new technology, hear from great innovators and speak to well informed subject matter leaders. What really surprised me was the pragmatic approach to solving major world problems and the need for patience and resilience. This indeed was a great learning. All of this took place in an extremely well organised and well led expedition by the AICC. I look forward to my next visit.

It was a pleasure to lead the 2017 trade mission and see the innovation Israel is driving in renewable energy, water efficiency and technology. The AICC team tailored an itinerary that enabled us to experience Israel’s thriving business landscape and unique culture, making it an enthralling visit for everyone involved. As a result of the trade mission, Macquarie Group is now exploring opportunities in Israel, which shows how effective the AICC is in developing trade relationships between our two countries.

A lifelong dream came true when I had the opportunity to visit Israel in Sept 2017, as part of a trade delegation led by Macquarie Bank and organised by the AICC’s wonderful team.

The depth and breadth of companies we visited and met with, were very interesting and provided an extremely valuable insight into the innovation ecosystem in Israel. In addition to conscription and the ability to deal with failure, passion underlines everything an Israeli entrepreneur does to succeed.

The tour was organised with military precision. The support the delegates received throughout the tour and even before we arrived, was gratefully acknowledged by all. I know I speak for most of my colleagues on tour, when I say that the most valuable part of the tour was the cultural element which provided a remarkable opportunity to visit the most memorable and historically significant cultural centres in the world.

Thank you for inviting me, I will be eternally grateful and will cherish every moment.

It was incredible to visit Israel on a mission with Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce. This epicentre of culture and innovation delivered a lot of learning moments and sparked many new ideas as we experienced how Israel start-ups, government and education institutions create a wonderful ecosystem of growth and development. The opportunity to network with 40 fellow female participants, representing a broad range of backgrounds in Australian business, was also a highlight. What a unique experience to be a part of! I can’t thank Michelle and Jillian enough for their leadership and insight, both on the mission and throughout the year.

The trade mission was extremely well organised and provided great insights, perspectives and introductions. Israel is a great case study on how need is the mother of innovation and how with the right focus and alignment across government, industry and academia incredible things can be achieved for an entire nation.

Under every rock I've picked up on this mission in Israel I have found first a thought provoking question followed quickly by a valuable lesson. Of course it helps to have a sophisticated guide like the AICC to point you towards the right rock to pick up. There's a spirit here that somehow allows enormous flexibility to co-exist with supportive structures - we've seen it most in the way universities partner flexibly with industry to ensure researchers' ideas are commercialised. And they do it in a way that allows everyone at the table to be rewarded. Totally win, win.

It was a full agenda, comprehensively covering all aspects of the start-up ecosystem. I found it of immense value and in particular have gained an insight into the Israeli psyche and the Israeli economy which are driving this start up environment. The Chamber have been thorough in their preparation. We have met leaders in academia, government, venture capitalists, accelerators, R&D groups and startups. Additionally, we have experienced ancient and modern Israel and have been guided by experts. It was also great fun.