The AKBC held a webinar to introduce our five new board members:
- Dr Michael Spence AC: Vice-Chancellor & Principal, The University of Sydney
- Dr Glenn Begley: CEO, BioCurate
- Graham Dodds: Vice-President Government Relations, Woodside Energy Ltd
- Clare Pope: Partner, PwC Australia
- Mark Rigotti: Partner & Senior Advisor, Herbert Smith Freehills
Chaired by AKBC Chairman the Hon. Simon Crean, our new Directors shared their insights and thoughts on the future of the Australia-Korea relationship. Simon Crean also provided a detailed overview of our four sub-committees on financial services, innovation in health and biotechnology, energy and food and agriculture.
During the session, our speakers highlighted shared opportunities and goals in the Australia-Korea corridor. Dr Michael Spence AC described the opportunities in the education sector and how Australia can position itself as a COVID-safe destination for South Korean students given that South Korea sends the 4th largest number of students overseas. Dr Glenn Begley highlighted Australia-Korea collaborations in the biotech sector, such as that between the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Yuhan Corporation. Graham Dodds outlined the significant steps that Woodside Energy Ltd is making into the hydrogen space such as their investment into HyNet – a special purpose corporation that aims to establish a network of hydrogen refuelling stations across South Korea. Clare Pope provided an analysis of the emerging trends of South Korean investment in Australia’s critical minerals sector. She highlighted the strategic partnership between Cobalt Blue and LG International as an example of how Australia can provide inputs required in the production of lithium-ion batteries. Finally, Mark Rigotti spoke about the opportunities in the financial services sector, describing how Australia is well positioned to help South Korea with their demographic challenge.
