The Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC) is a not-for-profit volunteer based organisation whose focus is to build and strengthen trade, investment and business connections between Australia and Canada. The Chamber is pleased to present the volunteer members of the CACC Events Committee.
To contact please email: [email protected]
Minh is a Partner at KPMG specialising in corporate tax matters for financial services organisations.
Casie is a dual Australian and Canadian citizen, growing up in Sydney but spending over 8 years in Toronto and completing her MBA at Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University in Ontario in 2011. Casie has over 13 years’ experience, including 8 with Deloitte (in Toronto, New York, San Francisco and Sydney) where she is a Director in the Strategy Consulting Sydney team and advises Technology, Financial Services, and Telecom clients on growth strategy, new product launches, corporate strategy, and go-to-market strategy.
Martin holds the position of Vice-Consul and Trade Commissioner for the Consulate General of Canada, Sydney. He has over 12 years of experience in international trade helping Canadian companies import and export. He started his career as Team Leader at KPMG Montreal and then worked for 5 years at Canada Border Services Agency as Trade Auditor and as Import/Export Trainer. Martin became a diplomat working with Global Affairs Canada seven years ago and has worked on WTO Trade Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Leon is currently a consultant in the Private Client Services team at Ernst & Young Sydney, providing accounting and taxation compliance alongside advisory services in such fields. Although a recent Bachelor of Commerce graduate from the University of New South Wales, Leon has been with EY since starting his tertiary education. An exchange semester abroad at the University of Alberta, and an interest in the cultural and commercial ties between Australia and Canada, has cumulated with Leon joining the CACC as a way to continue his relationship with Canada.
Christine Furnell is currently a Cost Controller for WSP Australia. Christine has worked for seven years in the same engineering firm in project accounting, management, marketing and events. She's currently working on a major highways project. Having family in Montreal, Christine sought out a role in the Toronto office and spent the last three years there as a Project Accounting Supervisor. This was an amazing opportunity not only to connect with my extended family and travel, but to broaden my industry knowledge working in another country.
Jean-Étienne Leroux is responsible for all infrastructure activities in Australia and New Zealand. As head of the region, he also takes an active part in positioning CDPQ as a partner of choice across all asset classes, in promoting CDPQ’s brand image in the region and in representing the organization with the financial and business community, as well as with key stakeholders. Mr. Leroux is also responsible for the Sydney office, where he has been based since 2015.
Lesley is the founder of Visa Application Australia, an international student agency specialising in study placements, and student & graduate visa services.
Prior to this, for 15 years Lesley worked for Drake International, whose roots are proudly Canadian. During her time with Drake, she built and ran unique service lines including an online English school (Englishlink.com), a website supporting skilled migrants (PrepareforAustralia.com.au), and the international education agency Drake Student Recruitment.
Ben is a corporate lawyer with extensive experience in M&A and capital markets. He has been working with clients from all over the Asia Pacific on their investments in Australia for many years. Ben has been active with Canadian clients in Australia and recently advised on the dual listed IPO of EuroManganese Inc. In the last 12 months Ben has advised Hengkang Medical on the divestment of their interest in PRP, China Mengniu on their proposed acquisition of Lion Dairy & Drinks and Nomura Research Institute on their proposed acquisition of Ausiex from CBA.
Chris assists inward investing SME companies establish their operating presence in Australasia. Prior to this, as Managing Director, Multimap Australasia, he set up Multimap’s Asia Pac headquarters in 2004, before the global group’s sale to Microsoft in late 2007. He has over three decades’ experience in the IT and Management Consultancy industries, having worked in the UK, the US and, more recently, Australasia and the Asia Pac region. Chris is also a Co-Founder of Investrade.Info, a free collated and curated single channel market-entry platform of information, links and contacts for SMEs establishing businesses in Australia.
Brent Knevett, the Director of Forsius Technology Consulting, is a former Australian diplomat, senior state government public servant, political lobbyist, and now business consultant, with extensive experience in advising companies on strategy and planning. After completing an Honours Degree in Economics and Politics at the University of Tasmania, Brent spent 12 years with the Australian Diplomatic Service, working in Canberra and at Australia’s embassies in Venezuela, Cambodia, Vietnam and Spain. Brent has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
