The impact of digital disruption on the Australian beef industry will be the focus of the CQUniversity Industry Symposium at Beef Australia 2018.
The symposium will feature a line-up of economic, political, digi-tech, and market and trade experts who will discuss the global disruption agenda.
In a coup for Beef Australia, renowned strategist and global emerging trend spotter, Chris Riddell, has been named as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
Mr Riddell is Australia's most sought-after futurist, and an award-winning, industry-recognised keynote speaker on digital.
He was the first-ever Chief Digital Officer (CDO) for MARS Incorporated in Australia and New Zealand, architecting the corporate digital strategy behind brands such as Whiskas, Pedigree, Wrigley, Starburst, Masterfoods, Snickers and Maltesers.
The symposium is divided into five sections: The Global State of Play, Banking the Bulls, Innovation In the Top Paddock and Disruption Consumption.
Several keynote speakers will present before a panel session discusses how beef industry stakeholders can manage digital disruption and embrace the opportunities that arise during this time.
In session one, keynote speaker, Hamish McDonald, will discuss the impact of the digital movement on the Australian beef industry now, and what this means for the future.
Mr McDonald is an award-winning broadcaster and international affairs correspondent.
He has covered war in Ukraine, Afghanistan and Libya, as well as the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, the rise of Donald Trump in America and the search for the missing schoolgirls in Nigeria.
Hamish is a dynamic media professional with the capacity to shift between hard-hitting political interviews on daily breakfast programs, to hosting prime-time comedy news programs, indepth investigations, pod-casting, digital strategy consulting and live events.
This will lead into session two where Paul Barry will facilitate discussion on the Global State of Play.
Andrew Robb, former Trade Minister; Hamish McDonald, Journalist; Peter Fitzsimmons, Journalist; and Neer Korn, social trends and consumer insights expert, will discuss topics on disruption on a political and economic macro level that is happening globally.
This will be supported by a second panel who will discuss the repercussions of this in the beef industry on a global and domestic level.
Beef Australia Symposium Chairman, Bryce Camm believes the symposium offers producers and industry stakeholders a rare opportunity to engage with some of the greatest minds in the fields of investment, market, trade, digi-tech and economics.
“The Committee is immensely proud of the program of speakers that have been collated for the Beef Australia 2018 Industry Symposium,” he said.
“We have collated an array of high caliber presenters who have not previously been exposed to the beef sector.
“The disruption agenda is relevant to all parts of the beef supply chain, this highly interactive day offers insight to what the future of beef may hold for all stakeholders from consumers to producers.”
The symposium will be held on Tuesday, May 8 at Beef Australia and tickets are $400 per person.