7:00am – 8:30am AEST
DELEGATE REGISTRATION
7:00am – 8:15am AEST
NETWORKING BREAKFAST
8.30am – 10.25am AEST
OPENING PLENARY
8.30am – 8.40am AEST
Welcome and Day Two Opening
Andrew Klein, NFC23 MC
8:40am – 9.40am AEST
Opening Keynote
Pauline Nguyen, best-selling author and award-winning businesswoman
9:40am – 10.25am AEST
Legal and strategic pressure points
An expert panel of lawyers and franchise executives will discuss a range of current and emerging challenges for franchise systems, with a focus on how legal developments which are influencing business strategy. This Plenary will cover forthcoming regulatory changes (including the Unfair Contract Terms reforms), the heightened importance of privacy and cyber security risk, the current litigation environment, and international trends in franchising and regulation more broadly.
Stephen Giles, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
Nick Rimington, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
Richard Goodman, CEO at Foodco
10.25am – 11.00am AEST
MORNING TEA
11:00am – 11.55am AEST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Innovating through adversity
Join us for an inspiring discussion on how to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth and success. The COVID-19 pandemic tested the resilience of franchise businesses, forcing them to rethink their operations and adapt to new challenges. Our panellists will discuss strategies for successfully navigating crises, adjusting priorities, and bouncing back stronger. This panel offers a chance to hear directly from franchise professionals and academic experts on how to transform and innovate your way through adversity.
FACILITATOR: Lawrence Pelletier , Sales & Marketing Director, Redcat
PANELLISTS:
Henri Burgers, Head of Strategy and Entrepreneurship Department , University of Queensland
Geoff McDonnell, Owner and Senior Consultant, Business Essentials
Ben Fletcher, CEO & Founder, Listen To Your Body
Unlocking Franchise Growth in Regional Australia
Expanding into new regions is a key growth opportunity for franchise systems. Our expert panellists will cover a range of topics, from assessing why the current regional landscape is primed for growth and development, navigating the impact of inflation, logistics and regulatory challenges and growth strategies for entry into regional expansion. Join us for a dynamic and informative discussion hosted by Eden Exchange on how to take your franchise business to the next level in regional areas.
FACILITATOR: Dhanush Ganglani, Managing Director, Eden Exchange
PANELLISTS:
Fraser Brown, Associate Director, Gapmaps
Scott Bush, CEO, Cheesecake Shop
Tony Cotter, Industry Risk Lead, ANZ Commercial Banking
Marketing your franchise into the future
Effectively marketing your franchise is more important than ever. This panel will delve into the latest trends in digital marketing, social media, and other emerging marketing techniques which will be critical to future growth. Panellists will also offer practical advice on how to develop effective marketing strategies, including the importance of building a strong brand identity and creating engaging content that resonates with customers.
FACILITATOR: Kelli Ponting, Owner, The Marketing Lab
PANELLISTS:
Rebecca Barnes, Head of Marketing, Cheesecake Shop
Rowena Kanna, Head of Marketing, Chatime
It’s the end, but does it have to be difficult? (Legal)
Managing the end of term issues that arise is crucial to the stability and ongoing success of a network. Whether it’s a decision to enforce a restraint, not to offer a further term or to exercise a termination right, careful consideration is needed to manage the obligations and the rights of the parties. In this session the panel will work through key considerations for drafting and enforcing end of term provisions and managing the rights and obligations of the parties at the end of term, including obligations of good faith and, where applicable, rights relating to good will.
PANELLISTS:
Bronwyn Furse, Partner, Thomson Geer
Allison McLeod, Partner, HWL Ebsworth
12:00pm – 12.45pm AEST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
The rediscovery of relationship and referral marketing
Marketing approaches and techniques have undergone rapid change in recent years. While global events pushed many businesses online, that space is now increasingly congested. Franchisees seeking sales growth need to stand out. This panel will outline what steps franchise systems can take to help their franchisees maximise relationship and referral marketing, in order to boost brand reputation, increase customer loyalty, and ultimately drive positive commercial outcomes.
FACILITATOR: Tracey Leak, Supporting Franchisees
PANELLISTS:
Bev Taylor, Franchisee, InXpress
Brendan Green, CEO, Hire A Hubby
Pia Engstrom, Managing Director, HR Department
Frederick Marcoux, National Director, BNI
Financial literacy – why there’s a crisis and how employers can help
Rest has conducted research on the financial literacy gaps, particularly, in the current environment with cost-of-living pressures based on rising inflationary numbers and interest rates. This session we will unpack some of that research and in particular the important role an Employer can take to improve financial literacy, which has the flow on effect of greater employee productivity, satisfaction, motivation, and sense of loyalty.
PANELLISTS:
Jessica Empson, National Business Solutions Manager, REST Super
Tim Jensen, Head of Operations , Chatime
How to keep mature franchisees fresh and growing
Underpinning the franchise model is a series of long-term interdependent business relationships. The average tenure of a franchisee is roughly 6 years – while the average tenure of franchisor staff is 3 and a half years. As a result of this, longer tenured franchisees can sometimes be wary of new initiatives from their franchisor. However, embracing shifting market trends and innovative processes is crucial to avoid commercial stagnation and achieve sustained growth. This expert panel will explore strategies to successfully navigate this business tension.
FACILITATOR: Greg Nathan, Founder, Franchise Relationships Institute
PANELLISTS:
Michael Ermer, General Manager, Boost Juice
Chris Caldwell, CEO, Lift Brands
Iain Bylsma, Chief Development Officer, Pizza Hut
Effective change management in your franchise network (Legal)
The implementation of network reform can be difficult, particularly when it involves capital investment by franchisees, the merging of different franchise networks, the introduction of new technology or changes to the franchisor’s traditional business model. In this session, we will discuss:
FACILITATOR: Maija Kerry, Norton Rose
PANELLISTS:
Kirsty Silbert, General Counsel, Collective Wellness Group
Marshall Bromwich, Partner, Norton Rose
12:45pm – 1.45pm AEST
LUNCH
1.45pm – 2.30pm AEST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
The Future of AI in Business
Discover the latest advancements in AI and understand it’s potential impact on franchising. Our panel will outline how AI could help streamline operations, enhance customer experience, and improve efficiency. Join us to explore this cutting-edge technology and understand the implications for your business.
PANELLISTS:
Josh Cairns, CEO, Op Central
Kate Jolly, National Learning and Development Manager, Baskin Robbins
Timothy Court, Head of Technology, Schnitz
Who is your future franchisee?
As the largest generation in the workforce today, millennials are poised to shape the future of our industry as they become franchisees and drive the growth of many established brands. This panel aims to delve into the characteristics and expectations of millennials as potential franchisees, how they differ from previous generations, what they look for in a franchise opportunity, and what franchisors can to do attract and retain this key demographic.
FACILITATOR: George Zdanowicz, CEO, Enhance Research / President, Association of Data and Insights Australia
PANELLISTS:
Justin McDonell, Chairman and Co-Founder, Collective Wellness Group
Trudy Chaffer, Performance & Development Manager, JAX Auto
Charlie Hachem, Founder, Piccolo Me
How franchising can demonstrate leadership in balancing profit with purpose
Explore the critical role of corporate social responsibility in today’s business landscape. Discover innovative ways franchise systems can demonstrate leadership in sustainability, ethical business practices, and community impact. Learn from case studies and the latest research on how franchise businesses can balance profitability with purpose and make a positive difference in the world. This thought-provoking panel is a must-attend for franchise professionals interested in the intersection of CSR and the franchise industry.
FACILITATOR: Bruce McFarlane, CEO , BDC Partners
PANELLISTS:
Anthea Dimitrakopoulos, General Manager Brand & ESG, Quest
Kate Lawson, Digital Solutions Manager, Cowell Clarke
Daniel Ibbotson, Brisbane Area Manager, Baker’s Delight
Iain Clark, Head of Risk & Compliance, Endota Spa
To have or not to have a marketing fund or other cooperative fund? (Legal)
Join our panel of legal experts as they outline the history of marketing and other cooperative funds, the current obligations on franchisors who have such funds, the consequences of contraventions, the advantages & disadvantages of funds and what franchisors need to consider when abolishing a fund.
PANELLISTS:
Philip Colman, Principal, MST Lawyers
Derek Sutherland, Partner, HWL Ebsworth
2.35pm – 3.20pm AEST
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Reviewing your attraction, recruitment and onboarding strategy in 2023
Ensuring that the right candidates are hired and successfully onboarded is of critical importance to franchise systems. This expert panel will explore how often a recruitment strategy needs to be reviewed, what the essential fundamentals of a recruitment strategy are and what metrics should be used to measure the success of a strategy.
FACILITATOR: Andy Lester, General Manager, Expr3ss!
PANELLISTS:
Hannah Dunlop, Head of People and Culture, CouriersPlease
Scott Hillard, Chief Commercial Officer, Kip McGrath
George Hawwa, Founder, Attention Experts
Embedding inclusion and diversity into your franchise
Panellists will explore best practices for creating a culture of inclusivity and equity – including how to attract and retain diverse talent, build diverse partnerships, and engage with diverse communities. The panel will also delve into the benefits of embracing diversity, such as increased innovation, customer loyalty, and market share. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to make their franchise business more inclusive and diverse.
FACILITATOR: Joanne Brooks, Chief Connector, Navig8 Biz
PANELLISTS:
Jodi Cottle, Franchisee , Laser Clinics Australia
Ben Flintoff, Director of Operations Services, Gong cha
Michelle Williams, Chief People Officer, The Lott
Podcast – Legislative and regulatory update from the FCA
Join us for the first recording of the FCA’s new podcast series! Panellists will outline a number of Australian legislative and regulatory developments over the past year, and their impact on business performance, costs, and compliance. Hear valuable insights which will help your business navigate the changing regulatory landscape and stay ahead of the curve.
FACILITATOR: Peter White, COO, FCA
PANELLISTS:
Brendan Green, Chairman, FCA
Steve Champion, Director, ER Strategies
Case Update (Legal)
The Case Update will cover determinations made by the Courts within the past 12 months relevant to the franchising sector.
FACILITATOR: Alicia Hill, Principal, MST Lawyers
PANELLISTS:
Ryan Solomons, Partner, MinterEllison
Melissa Hanbridge, Partner, HWL Ebsworth
3.20pm – 3.50pm AEST
AFTERNOON TEA
3.55pm – 5:00pm AEST
PLENARY SESSION
3.55pm – 4:55pm AEST
Closing Keynote
Amna Karra-Hassan
3.50pm – 5.00pm AEST
Closing remarks
Andrew Klein, NFC23 MC
5.00pm AEST
DAY TWO CLOSE
6:30pm – 10:00pm AEST
NFC23 GALA CONFERENCE DINNER
Please note program is subject to change.
CERTIFIED FRANCHISE EXECUTIVE (CFE)
A maximum of 450 CFE education points toward the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) qualification are awarded for participation in NFC23.
