Speakers
Gerry Gannon
Master of Ceremonies
Following a 10-year career as a journalist and broadcaster with ABC Radio, Gerry Gannon left to pursue a career that would bring him closer to audiences and allow him to explore parts of the world he could not do from a radio studio.
He spent a time in PR, which allowed him the opportunity to travel and to get to know “business” both in Australia and SE Asia. It was at this time that he established Indonesia's first English language radio station in Bali for a Perth/Indonesian joint venture partnership.
In 2002, Gerry began to devote most of his professional time to the conference industry and became a specialist conference MC and panel facilitator. He is also a much sought after corporate MC and has worked in every city in Australia and overseas.
Eric Lumsden
Department for Planning and Infrastructure
Eric is committed to ensuring the Department plays a leading role in planning initiatives for the State and has strong views of the need for all sectors of the agency to have a strong internal and external customer service delivery focus. He also has a strong desire to develop and provide increased opportunities for career development where possible.
Over his time in Local Government, Eric has been extensively involved in assisting Local Governments and staff in resolving various issues, including the mentoring of senior staff, participating in Local Government panels and was appointed a Commissioner of the City of South Perth between November 2000 and April 2003. He was Chair of the governing Council of Swan TAFE and Chair of the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Councils CEO Group.
Eric is a Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Fellow and past President of WA Division of the Local Government Managers Association. He is a strong advocate of pragmatic Strategic Community Planning and Development and more effective Governance processes with local government and has been passionate in promoting close working relationships within the private and public sector bodies.
Connal Townsend
Property Council New Zealand
Chief Executive, Property Council New Zealand. The Property Council is a not for profit organisation, well recognised for its strong links with industry stakeholders representing New Zealand's Commercial, Industrial, Retail, Property Funds and Multi Unit Residential Property Owners. The Property Council represents all the forms of commercial property and property investment in New Zealand. The Property Council actively involves itself with central, local and other government associated bodies, promoting the views, goals and ideas of its members.
Property Council New Zealand works proactively with central and local government to ensure that our cities are great places to live in, are business friendly, and provide world class employment opportunities. Secondly it seeks to demonstrate that commercial property is a desirable investment option for New Zealanders. Thirdly it strives for a flexible, low cost legal framework for conducting property business in our country.
David Engwicht
City of Woodonga
David Engwicht is considered one of the world's most innovative thinkers on traffic, urban design and community development. His latest book is "Mental Speed Bumps: the Smarter Way to Tame Traffic". David is inventor of the walking school bus and is currently working for City of Wodonga as their Place Maker.
Andrew Simms
New Economics Foundation
Andrew studied at the LSE and has worked for a variety of development and environmental organisations, including Oxfam and the International Institute for Environment and Development and has been a regular contributor to the International Red Cross’s Annual World Disasters Report.
His work at the New Economics Foundation (NEF) is currently focused on global warming, our increasing global interdependence and what that means for different models of economic development. He has written reports on issues ranging from climate change, to globalisation and localisation, debt and ecological debt, corporate accountability, and genetic engineering and food security. His work on local economies and report on Clone Town Britain defined a phenomenon of the homogenizing effect of some big businesses, and introduced a new term into the language.
Michael Baker
Independent Retail Consulting
Michael was director of research at the New York-based International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) for seven years until 2004. In this role he oversaw dozens of industry research studies and surveys, and became a respected shopping centre and retail analyst with an international profile.
Since then, Michael has worked on retail projects in the predevelopment, post-development and repositioning phases. Project locations have included Australia, China, India, Southeast Asia, Chile and the US.
Michael is an advisor on international retail issues at the property advisory firm Urbis and vice-chair of ICSC’s Asia-Pacific Research Council.
Brian McMahon
Parsons Brinkerhoff
Brian McMahon is a Principal Planning Consultant on Parson Brinkerhoff’s PlaceMaking team. He specializes in the integration of land use and transportation planning and developing strategies for smart growth and sustainable transportation. His efforts are aimed at “moving people and moving minds” rather than “moving cars.”
Brian is focusing on growing public transport and transit oriented urban centers throughout Australia. Most recently, he led the development of the proposed Greater Adelaide Transit Corridors and Transit Oriented Development Strategy. Currently he is contributing to the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit study in Perth for the Public Transit Authority. He is also leading a passenger travel demand management effort which is seeking to enhance the role public transport will play in Hobart, Tasmania.
David West
Premier Retail Marketing
David is the principal consultant for Premier Retail Marketing. He has 18 years of experience in managing and advising shopping malls, towns and main street precincts on tenancy mix, mall management and marketing strategies.
After 10 years with the Westfield Group, David managed Rundle Mall in Adelaide for over 5 years and has worked on projects in the City of Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Parramatta and Christchurch. David has travelled the United States and the United Kingdom.
Allan Tranter
Creating Communities
Allan Tranter is a Director and founder of Creating Communities and maintains a very hands-on role in the concept/strategy phases of major projects. He has a broad background in the public sector having been the Director of Recreation in WA and consulted to numerous public agencies on a wide range of issues. Allan also has extensive experience in the private sector and spent several years working in Asia.
Allan has served on many boards over the years the most recent being the Urban Development Institute of Australia Council, Western Australian Technology Precinct, Barking Gecko Theatre Company and the WA Athletics Association.
Dr John Grant
JA Grant & Associates
Dr John Grant has been at the forefront of the walking movement in Australia since his involvement with the Melbourne 2030 Strategy. Over the past 4 years he has been Australia’s only dedicated walking consultant specialising in making places more “pedestrian friendly” by conducting detailed audits, consultations and research to produce “Walking Strategies” that identify how to make our towns and cities places where people can walk, and want to walk.
John has worked in a range of environments, including large centres (Parramatta) and small country towns (Warragul), transit cities (Footscray and Ballarat) and tourist destinations (Mandurah) and a variety of urban centres (Kew, Gosnells & Heidelberg).
Bruce Herbes
Visualvoice
Bruce Herbes founded Visualvoice in 1995 and commenced the development of a new approach to pedestrian wayfinding. Visualvoice specialises in the design of signage for visitor destinations and activity centres. Implementing projects with a user centred design approach leads to improved visitor experience and enjoyment of an area and provides economic, environmental, social and health benefits for everyone.
Bruce has developed pedestrian signage strategies in conjunction with John Grant and has designed and produced map based signage for the Cities of Melbourne, Parramatta, Bendigo, Ballarat and numerous other smaller centres such as Bayswater, Broadmeadows and Footscray.
Julia Zivanovic
Know l’edge
Julia is the Principal of business consultancy, Know l’edge. She has over 20 years of international business expertise and has worked for, and consulted to, a number of major organisations in financial services; commercial property; shopping centres; state government; local government; tourism; not for profit and professional service sectors. Know l’edge works with a number of clients in Australia responsible for mainstreet, tourism and regional locations in the areas of research, strategic planning, destination development, economic development, community development and marketing.
Her book published on shopping centre marketing is well regarded by both business and academia. Her next two books are on the subjects of destination marketing and place management; and one on practical research skills. She has an Advanced MBA from the University of WA and is currently undertaking a PhD at Murdoch University.
