This years annual Roy Hill Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Expo took place at Crown Perth on Friday September 23rd, 2022.
The team from Woollahra including our 3 directors, Chris Schmid, Reen Richards and Sam Smith, as well as our Key Account Manager Warren Chaplin and warehouse team member Carmel Councillor were all in attendance for another exciting year of presentations, cultural and business sharing as well as the amazing showcase of Indigenous Business in the Expo Centre.
Roy Hill IEBF 2022 celebrated the strength of the Aboriginal business sector. A sell out crowd of more than 1200+ people including major companies such as Roy Hill, BHP, FMG, Rio Tinto, ISS, Seven West Media and many more showed up to support the sector, with a fantastic audience of Senior Management, Procurement Leads, Indigenous Engagement Professionals and Category Buyers in attendance.
The day started with an epic and futuristic Welcome to Country which took us across the globe and then back to Whadjuk country, an inspiring and energetic experience produced by IEBF Culture Director, Uncle Barry McGuire.
IEBF CEO John O'Driscoll then formally opened proceedings before introducing a video from Senator Dorinda Cox who acknowledged the incredible growth in the IEBF events and the importance of Indigenous Business in powering the Australian Economy.
Next up, the audience witnessed a panel discussion with leaders from Roy Hill and Rio Tinto discussing opportunities for Indigenous Business within the WA Mining Sector. This panel was particularly interesting for the Woollahra team as we specialise in Procurement for the sector and so it was a highlight for Woollahra to be recognised by Rio Tinto leadership on stage as an example of a best in class Indigenous Business Partner working with Rio Tinto!
After the disappointment of Anthony "The Man" Mundine not being able to attend last years event due to the Covid-19 border restrictions, it was a great thrill for everyone to have him and his father Tony Mundine officially join us in person for the event this year. His speech on stage was inspiring and the Woollahra leaders took particular note of his memories of the disappointment he faced when he was let down by one of his heroes Sir Viv Richards as a child. It was a great lesson in humility and a reminder that a person's success should not drive ego, rather it should drive humility and power inspiration for those that will follow in our footsteps and lead future generations.
Emma Garlett, First Nations Columnist at The West Australian Newspaper represented Seven West Media and gave an inspiring speech about her journey into her current role and how a late night DM through LinkedIn to an editor at The West, was the catalyst for opening a door to a new opportunity for her. It was a great example of recognising that proactivity and asking questions can lead to great and unexpected opportunities!
One of the absolute highlights of the day was the team at Koolangkas Create who put on a fantastic show that was a mix of comedy and traditional Aboriginal cultural dances, with the highlight being the Indigenous twist on Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Another great moment for the team at Woollahra occurred when we were again mentioned on stage by ISS Facility Services Australia CEO Stuart Rose as an example of a great Indigenous Business Partner. Woollahra and ISS Australia have had a fantastic, long standing and ever growing relationship that is driving terrific outcomes not only for both parties but also the communities in which we work, so it was a real thrill to be formally mentioned during his address to the crowd.
As always the lunch service was impeccable and it was great to see a number of Indigenous People & Business' formally recognised during the official IEBF Award Ceremonies. Congratulations to the amazing list of nominees and winners, you have all had wonderful years and set high benchmarks that continue to inspire the rest of the Indigenous Business' in the room. Well done!
During the lunch service, the one and only Jessica Mauboy wowed the crowd with her incredible vocals in an amazing performance that included many of her hit tracks from her incredible career on TV, Film and in the Music Industry. Jess got the crowd on their feet and bought so much energy to the event. She is going to be tough for the IEBF team to top next year!
The event closed with an Indigenous Fashion Show highlighting some beautiful designs by the team at Kirrikin.
The afternoon session was all about showcasing Indigenous Business and it's fair to say, that with more than 100 Indigenous Companies exhibiting, this was the largest event of it's kind anywhere in Australia and it was an absolute thrill to see so many established and emerging companies with such great products and services to offer!
The Woollahra team took the opportunity to highlight our Surekleen Range of Cleaning Chemicals as Australia's 1st 100% Indigenous Owned, High Volume Cleaning Chemical Manufacturer. We also shared updated with the crowds coming through our stall on our growth in our distributor range which now includes major brands and suppliers such as Kimberley Clark Professional, ED Oates, Makita, CRC, Gripps Global, Huhtamaki, The Hygiene Co, Zoono, Ochre Sun, Waddi Coffee & Water and many more.
This year, the Woollahra team had bright orange "Woollahra Showbags" to give away to the audience and we thank our generous suppliers for their support in providing the samples that were included in the gift bags.
We received significant interest on the day and look forward to turning that interest into business outcomes over the following months!
Thanks again to John O'Driscoll and all of the team at IEBF as well as all of the event sponsors and the Indigenous Business' that attended for making such a special day possible. IEBF is one of the best days on the annual calendar and the Woollahra team can't wait until IEBF 2023 (and maybe IEBF Sydney!)
