Following the 2021 Annual General Meeting, the Chamber is pleased to officially welcome our elected 2021 Board of Directors.

This year's Board of Directors will include:

- Jo Billing, Director and Co-CEO, JOST & CO

- Felix Busch, General Manager, Millenium Hilton Seoul

- Michael Chang, Senior Foreign Attorney (Partner), Shin & Kim

- Tobias Jerling, CEO, South Trade

- Kelly Lee, Director, Global Relationship Group and Korea Branch Representative, IFM Investors

- Scott Lee, Senior Partner, Kim & Chang

- Jeff Mannering, Managing Director, Audi Volkswagen Korea Ltd

- Julia Mellor, Founder and Director, The Sool Company

- Sandra Park, Chief Representative and Country Manager, Woodside Energy

Korea

- Sean Sutton, CEO, Schindler Elevator Corporation

Korea

- Chris Raciti, CEO, ANZ Korea

- Andrew Wagner, Associate Director, Macquarie Capital

As well as three Ex-officio representatives:

- Rowan Petz, Executive Director, AustCham Korea

- Julie Quinn, Minister Counsellor and Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade Korea & Mongolia

- Russell Wild, Counsellor (Economic), Australian Embassy, Republic of Korea

We would like to congratulate Felix Busch and Sandra Park on their inaugural appointments and also welcome the re-elected Board representatives, Kelly Lee, Julia Mellor, Sean Sutton and Andrew Wagner.

To learn more about the Board of Directors, please visit our website.

We would like to thank all the members and distinguished speakers that joined us online on Wednesday for the Chamber's 2021 Annual General Meeting.

Although, due to COVID-19 precautions, the AGM was conducted online, it was a pleasure to hear some introductory remarks from our Patron, the Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, H.E. Catherine Raper, and our new Ex-officio Board Member, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Julie Quinn.

The Chamber's Chairman, Chris Raciti, shared an overview of AustCham Korea's growth in the past year, which included a successful pivot to increased digital engagement and hybrid events, numerous Ministerial engagements and membership growth.

The Treasurer, Kelly Lee, also presented the Treasure's Report, which provided insight into the composition of the Chamber's membership, sponsorship and funds allocation, which reiterated that 2020 was a year of significant growth for the Chamber.

Wrapping up the AGM, the Chamber’s Executive Director, Rowan Petz, provided some insights into the year ahead, reaffirming his commitment to assist members in navigating towards a post-COVID-19 world.

Once again, we would like to thank our sponsors and members that have made this growth possible, as well as our 2020 Board of Directors and the hardworking Secretariat team who have worked to implement the Chamber's numerous initiatives.

Reach out to us at info@austchamkorea.org if you have any questions.

Following the departure of Rod Commerford, the Chamber is pleased to welcome Julie Quinn, Minister Counsellor & Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade Korea and Mongolia, as our new Ex-officio Board Member.

Julie commenced her role as Austrade’s Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for Korea and Mongolia in January 2021. Her role is focused on attracting Korean investors to Australia and growing Australia’s goods and services trade to Korea and Mongolia. Julie previously worked as a Head of Austrade Centre of Excellence in Health in Melbourne.

Julie has almost 30 years of Health and Biotech experience before joining Austrade, including roles at the University of Melbourne, Neurology Ireland Limited, Florey Neuroscience Institutes, Victorian Cancer Biobank, Australian Phenomics Network and Bionic Vision Technologies Pty Ltd.

Prior to that Julie has over 9 years of Marketing, Sales and Trade professions at ICI Australia and Abbot Diagnostics Division.

She completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Applied Biology) from RMIT, Graduate Diploma in Business (Marketing) from Monash University and Master of Engineering from RMIT.

We look forward to working with Julie and the rest of the Austrade team to promote Australia-Korea trade and investment opportunities.

Read morehere.

On Thursday, February 4, 2021, AustCham Korea was pleased to host a special webinar discussing "The Future of US-Australia-ROK Relations in the Biden Era".

The webinar featured introductory remarks by two leading political and international relations analysts - L. Gordon Flake and Dr. Robert Kelly - sharing their take on how the Biden presidency may affect Australia-US and Korea-US relations moving forward.

Their opening remarks were followed by a lively Q&A segment, which was moderated by Min Joo Kim (The Washington Post) and jam-packed with questions submitted by email and 'live' on Zoom.

The Chamber would like to thank the three guest speakers for their time and insights. We hope that everyone enjoyed the session and encourage you to watch the video recording below and engage with the speakers to continue the discussion on Twitter.

Watch the webinar recording here.

Did you know that you can find AustCham Korea's past webinars on our YouTube channel?

We upload complimentary past webinars to make them accessible to you for review or viewing at your leisure. If you are an AustCham Member and would like to access some of the past paid webinar recordings, please get in touch with us at info@austchamkorea.org.

Click here to browse AustCham Korea's YouTube Channel and subscribe to keep track of our webinars and other initiatives.

At 11am KST (12pm AEST) on Thursday, March 4th, AustCham Korea is glad to invite our members to join the upcoming webinar on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is hosted in collaboration with AustCham China, AustCham Shanghai and KPMG Australia.

The webinar will provide insight into the following;

• What does the RCEP mean for your business?

• How can AustCham members best capitalise on the preferential market access provided by the FTA?

• How will the RCEP complement and build upon Australia’s existing free trade agreements?

• What does the RCEP mean vis-a-vie China-Australia trade and impacts on regional trade more broadly?

Hear from speakers:

• Kevin Thompson, Counsellor (Economic), Australian Embassy

• Shiro Armstrong, Director, Australia-Japan Research Centre; Director, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research; and Associate Professor, Crawford School, Australia National University

• Leonie Ferretter, Head of Trade & Customs, Asia Pacific, at KPMG Australia

Moderator – Nick Coyle, AustCham CEO and Executive Director, Australian Chamber of Commerce Beijing

Register here.

In partnership with the Australian Embassy in Korea and Asialink Business, AustCham Korea invites you to our upcoming #IWD webinar ‘Choose to Challenge: Exploring Women’s Leadership in Australia and Korea’.

Bringing together high-profile experts with extensive public and private sector experience across Asia, the panel will facilitate a compelling data-driven conversation exploring the challenges women have faced due to impacts of COVID-19.

Hosted at 12 pm KST (2 pm AEDT) on #InternationalWomensDay, March 8th, the webinar provides a platform for senior business leaders, policymakers and young professionals to connect, exchange insights and share ideas on ways to navigate the complexity of doing business in the Asia region.

Our expert panellists include:

- H.E. Catherine Raper, Australian Ambassador to Korea

- Penny Burtt, Group CEO, Asialink

- Sandra Park, Country Manager & Chief Representative – Korea,Woodside Energy

- Helen Oh, Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade Seoul

This event will be moderated by Jo Billing, Director & Co-CEO at JOST & Co and Board Member at AustCham Korea.

Find out more and register to attend here.

Please note that due to the ongoing high case numbers of COVID-19 in Korea, the Chamber has made the decision to further postpone the event. We are currently in discussion with our event sponsors, partners and F&B vendors to lock in a new date.

Registration: Thank you to all those who have already purchased tickets for the event, which was expected to tale place on March 19th.

If you are no longer able to attend the event when it is rescheduled, please get in touch with us at events@austchamkorea.org and we will issue a refund.

Looking for some unique gift ideas, experiences or maybe even your next Seoul apartment?

Get inspired with some terrific start of year February specials from our Small Business Members!

Featuring deals from: Australian Tea Masters, Big Dream (Four Pillars Gin), Golden 8 Skincare, Kanguru, Nature Shop, MoonBear Brewing, The Sool Company, The Workshop, Posture360 and Simple Spaces Korea

Check out the February specials here.

Pepper Savings Bank (CEO Matthew Chang) announced on February 4, that it completed its office relocation into the new building, named Pepper Zone Building, near Seohyeon Station in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.

In commemoration of the office relocation, the representatives of executives and employees, and Dae-hwan Oh and Jung-woo Choi, exclusive models of Pepper Savings Bank, held a tape cutting ceremony on February 3.

Through the office relocation, Pepper Savings Bank plans to strengthen the identity of a financial institution for the working-class people in the community, and pave the way for the expansion of new business areas. Especially, it will continue to make growth while focusing on digital banking services and corporate finance to reinforce its competitiveness in the business.

The new building, which will become a new landmark in Bundang, reflects the future-oriented value of Pepper Savings Bank in its design. In addition, Pepper Savings Bank has prepared several spaces to enhance its employee welfare and pleasant working environment in accordance with the “people-oriented” management principle.

“With the move into the new building, we will expand our business areas including digital and corporate finance, and establish our unique competitiveness,” said Matthew Chang, CEO of Pepper Savings Bank. “As we have done so since we started our business in Korea, we will continue to carry a role of a financial institution for the working-class people under our “people-oriented” management principle, and serve as a strong supporter for the community.”

Did you know that the new Managing Director of McDonald's Korea, Antoni Martinez, started his McDonald's career as a crew member in Victoria in 2000?

Now, having moved from Australia to Seoul to manage the entire McDonald's Korea business, Antoni paid a visit to the Gangnam Samsung DT restaurant to work alongside the local crew members!

Watch the video here.

AustCham Korea's Silver Sponsor, POSCO, has confirmed its $7.5m equity investment in Black Rock Mining Ltd to help it advance the development of the Mahenge graphite mine in Tanzania.

In December 2020, POSCO signed an investment term sheet to acquire a 15% stake in the Australia-based graphite developer.

The South Korean company has now secured the final internal approval for the stake acquisition. Both the parties are now working to finalise the remaining preceding conditions for the investment.

The conditions precedent to close the equity investment include the approvals from the Australian Government Foreign Investment Review Board and the Tanzanian Government Fair Competition Commission.

Black Rock Mining and POSCO, as part of their alliance to develop the Mahenge graphite mine, have advanced the offtake and prepayment agreement, subscription agreement to the equity investment, and umbrella and shareholder rights deed.

The Australian firm revealed that it is in talks with POSCO pertaining to the offtake agreement, which includes a prepayment facility of up to $20m.

Read more here.

The Chamber's Silver Sponsor, Grand Hyatt Seoul, was recently nominated to join the 'Thank You Essential Workers' campaign to show support to those on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.

Adrian Slater, Vice President - Korea, and General Manager Grand Hyatt Seoul, expressed his support of the campaign:

"On behalf of Grand Hyatt Seoul and Hyatt Hotels Korea, I would like to take a moment to thank all of the essential workers who are tirelessly working to provide essential services and keep us safe and well on the frontlines during this difficult time. We truly appreciate each of you for your hard work and dedication to the community. You are our superheroes!"

Mr Slater then nominated AustCham Korea Chairman, Chris Raciti, Chief Executive Officer for ANZ Korea, and two others to also join the campaign.

In celebrating International Day for Women and Girls in Science 2021, Novotech interviewed five women at their global offices to find out more about their journey in the Life Sciences industry and what advice they have for those starting out in their careers.

Novotech continues our commitment to growing a diverse and inclusive workplace and is proud to have amazing people like Michelle (Min Sun) Park, Su Lyn Yip, Angel Huang, Debra Hynd, Lilee Chew, and Jennifer Olive Arellano, contributing to the success of Novotech and driving improvements in the CRO industry.

Read more on AustCham Member News.

AustCham Korea's Corporate Member, Dulwich College Seoul, has recently marked their 10th anniversary in Korea.

With over 400 years of rich heritage, Dulwich College is one of the UK’s oldest independent schools. Drawing upon that tradition, Dulwich College Seoul, part of Dulwich College International’s (DCI) family of schools, has delivered educational excellence to students in Korea for over 10 years and now boasts 700 students representing over 40 nationalities.

Reflecting on Dulwich College Seoul’s achievements over the last decade, Expat Guide Korea caught up with Gudmundur Jonsson, Head of College, to discuss the significance of the 10th anniversary, the school’s plans and some interesting facts about himself.

Read the full interview here.

Specialist professional recruitment firm Robert Walters Korea announced the launch of its digital Salary Survey 2021, which summarizes hiring trends and salaries for thousands of roles in around 31 countries including Korea.

The new digital Salary Survey is packed with helpful tools and resources for hiring managers and job seekers alike, including the latest trends and analysis for all industries, as well as video updates on market conditions from Robert Walters experts.

“For professionals, finding out what you’re worth in the job market can be a minefield, but our new Salary Survey makes it easy. For employers and hiring managers, exploring how to attract and retain the best talent with the right offerings is conceivable by navigating our Salary Survey platform,” said JunWon Choi, Country Manager at Robert Walters Korea.

“It also provides a comprehensive and accurate overview for employers looking to benchmark salaries against the rest of the market as the platform allows users to navigate data from other countries, cities and sectors,” he added.

Read more on AustCham Member News.

Request an access to Digital Salary Survey 2021:

EN: https://www.robertwalters.co.kr/en/salary-survey

KR: https://www.robertwalters.co.kr/salary-survey

Led by Griffith Asia Institute (GAI), the 20 credit-point Griffith Asia Business Internship (GABI) elective course reimagines ‘Asian Studies’ for the contemporary business context and for the first time in 2020 was delivered remotely across five Asian countries, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Malaysia. GABI equipped students with the knowledge, skills and networks to operate successfully in Asia, while developing cultural capacity and enhancing employability outcomes.

Gaining professional capabilitiesThe 2020 remote GABI cohort comprised 29 students, with 50% supported by Australian Government New Colombo Plan (NCP) Mobility Program grants. The centrepiece of the 2020 initiative included a remote global internship with students gaining exposure and relevant ‘hands-on’ learning in an Asian business context while working remotely from home with a Host Organisation based in Asia.

Key Host Organisations included ANZ, Australian Chamber of Commerce, Crossroads Foundation, Dale Carnegie Training, Odyssey Capital, Pyrmont Wealth, Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ) and Victorian Government Trade and Investment, covering placements in commerce, employment relations, international business, government and international relations, management and tourism. The experience provided the opportunity to advance academic interests and vocational intentions, strengthen cultural understanding, and expand professional networks and people-to-people connections of enduring value.

In 2020, the shift to an online delivery mode of teaching and global learning for GABI participants effectively maintained the momentum of an in-country experience – building professional networks and personal friendships, enhancing student career options and bolstering student employability. It further added an important dimension to bilateral relations, by supporting digital proficiencies, and offering students fresh insights by adapting to the new world of work during a challenging time.

In recognition of the ongoing success of GABI, Rowan Petz, Executive Director, Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea commented:

With Australia and the Republic of Korea celebrating a 60-year anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2021, GAI is delighted to continue to build and develop mutually beneficial strategic relationships with government and industry partners, in both Korea and the Asia-Pacific community more broadly.

The team looks forward to recruiting and welcoming the 2021 GABI student cohort and new Host Organisations, with view to cultivating Asia-ready leaders of the future and further fostering collaborations and deepening engagement with Australia’s closest neighbours, be it remotely or in-country when travel resumes.

Read more here.

The POSCO Center in Seoul has been transformed into a building free from disposable cups, which have been replaced by ecofriednly stainless steel tumblers.

The campaign reflects the dedication of POSCO executives and employees to achieve carbon neutrality in their daily lives.

Last month, POSCO had introduced its own stainless steel tumbler with the slogan “Reduce CO2, Save Tomorrow” to all employees.

In the morning the operation was initiated, POSCO held an event that provided free coffee to employees bringing their tumblers.

CEO Jeong-Woo Choi also visited the event with his tumbler, shared coffee with employees, and said, “If all POSCO employees use a tumbler for one year, it is as effective as planting 9,000 trees of 30 years. Let’s practice little things in our daily lives towards a meaningful change.”

Last year, POSCO became the first Asian steelmaker to officially announce its plan for carbon neutrality. The company declared to take the lead in creating a sustainable world by achieving carbon neutrality.

Read more here.

Curious about Korean traditional alcohol beyond the 'green bottles' of soju popularised in film?

AustCham Korea's Board Member and longtime community supporter, Julia Mellor, Founder and Director at The Sool Company, spoke to Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Australia to shed light on the subject.

For this Lunar New Year, Julia collaborated with the Korean Cultural Centre in Sydney offering classes looking at the brewing process of general Korean traditional liquors and especially Dosoju Dosoju, meaning “liquor for fending off evil spirits,” which is usually consumed on New Year’s Day in the belief that it would defeat spirits of misfortune throughout the year.

Read on Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Australia to learn more about Julia's take on the Korean alcohol market, home-brewing, and the future of Korean brewery expansion abroad!

Advance.org is the professional network for global Australians. Advance inspires and supports international career paths and provides the bridge to enable skills and knowledge acquired overseas to be leveraged for the nation's benefit.

The Advance Awards showcase the achievements of inspiring Australians and alumni of Australian universities who are innovating in their field. It was great to see some prominent figures from the Australia-Korea space nominated last year and we hope to see even more in 2021!

Nominations close on Monday, the 1st of March, so if you know anyone who is doing amazing things in their field, help amplify their stories and nominate them here.

Dwight School Seoul is having a Virtual Open House for Grade 6- Grade 11 families via Zoom on Saturday, March 13th at 10 AM - 11:30 AM

Register to join here.

Building upon the Chamber's work in the energy, resources and sustainability space, we are glad to welcome Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners as our newest Corporate Member!

Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners is a private equity firm which invests in businesses comprised of hard assets with leading market positions primarily in the following sectors: Energy, Power & Renewables, Transportation, Utilities, Water & Communications.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York, Stonepeak manages over $29 billion of capital for its investors (as of September 30, 2020).

Visit their website to find out more.

AustCham Korea is likewise glad to welcome ETS as our newest Corporate Member!

ETS is the world's largest private educational testing and measurement organization. ETS is known for assessments built on rigorous research and an uncompromising commitment to quality.

Each year, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests — including the TOEFL®, TOEIC®, GRE® and Praxis® tests — in more than 180 countries at more than 9,000 locations.

Visit their website to find out more.

Finally, we are very glad to welcome 8Corners | B2B eCommerce Agri-Marketplace as a new AustCham Korea member!

8Corners is a global B2B marketplace located within the Asia Pacific region. Their goal is to help Agri-Businesses sell their products globally. 8Corners provides solutions that allow businesses to trade effortlessly.

Their team members, who mostly come from rural backgrounds, are passionate about Agri-Business, understand the needs of Australian businesses and are determined to help their clients compete globally.

Find out more on their website.