In this episode, the team is joined by Louise McGrath, Head of Policy and Industry Development at Ai Group, as they dissect and discuss the prospects for global trade for Australian businesses in 2022.
James challenges the panel to act as an advisory team to a senior management team, and provide their thoughts on the prospects for international trade next year.
In a lively and engaging conversation the team discuss the global trading environment, the prospect for Australia exporters and importers in 2022 and the role and effectiveness of the World Trade Organisation and the other structures designed to facilitate international trade. They ask the question: Are these structures still relevant and useful to Australian businesses today?
The team review Australia’s traditional markets, and Louise tells us her views of markets to consider in 2022.
The future of Trade Documentation is discussed and Tennant gets controversial regarding cryptocurrency.
A fascinating and wide-ranging conversation. Recommended.
After a long career in multiple aspects of supply chain management, corporate training and business advisory, James brings a business improvement mindset to his role as General Manager of Supply Chain Resilience for Ai Group. A skilled communicator and adviser, James has been involved with Oil & Gas, the Defence industry and supply chain across the board for over 40 years.
James has a Masters degree in International Management and a partially completed Doctor of Business Administration. He says he'll get around to finishing it when he retires.
Tennant Reed is Director - Climate Change and Energy at Ai Group. He has worked on these issues since 2008, advising Ai Group’s Leaders’ Group on Energy and Climate Policy; coordinating joint research and advocacy with wider energy stakeholders; facilitating the Australian Climate Roundtable; developing reports on energy prices, carbon border adjustments and business energy use; reviewing emissions targets for the State of Victoria; and closely observing international climate negotiations.
Paul Hodgson is an advisor in innovation, the energy transition and economic growth with diverse experience and insights gained over a 30 year career. Amongst his current roles, he is Interim CEO of the Scaling Green Hydrogen Cooperative Research Centre Bid, a member of the Australian Government’s Low Emissions Technology and Services Working Group, and a Non-Executive Director of Queensland Manufacturing Institute Ltd.
With a Bachelor of International Business and a Master of Sustainable Development, he is passionate about developing and connecting local talent and enterprise capability into global ESG and net zero market opportunities. From 2019-2021, he led the development of a national hydrogen technology cluster network, which now has 18 regional clusters across Australia.
Louise has a broad range of experience in international policy. She has particular interest in trade and border regulations, international transport, cross cultural communication, and digital trade policy. In her role as Ai Group’s Head of Industry Development and Policy she provides strategic leadership and guidance for Ai Group’s policy agenda in building competitive industries through global integration, infrastructure development and innovation. She ensures that through policy leadership members have a voice at all levels of government, by representing and promoting their interests on current and emerging issues. Louise represents Australian Industry in several multilateral forums, such as the B20 Taskforces, Global Business Coalition, and the East Asia Business Council working group on RCEP. She advocates for the interests of Ai Group members during Free Trade Negotiations and translates those agreements to support the strategic aims of members. She is a member of CSIRO’s Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence Think Tank and the Manufacturing Advisory Group, the NESP Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub and the Advisory Group of The Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS).
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