Australian Franchise Summit

The Australian Franchising Summit is the premier new event for franchise executives to connect, learn, and collaborate on solving critical challenges and seizing opportunities.

This franchise executive-only gathering brings together top brand leaders, providing exclusive insights and inspiration outlining their strategies and actions to drive progressive growth in their businesses. With over 300 franchise systems invited to participate in this jam-packed program, this event is a must-attend on the Australian business calendar.

PROGRAM – Monday 26 August

9:00am – 9:10am

Opening Remarks

9:10am – 10:05am

Unveiling Opportunities: Economic and Franchising Data Insights for Strategic Growth

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, staying informed about economic trends and franchising data is essential for making informed strategic decisions and capitalising on emerging opportunities. Join us for an illuminating session that combines economic analysis with franchising insights to equip participants with actionable intelligence for driving growth and success.

Led by a leading senior economist Catherine Birch and insightful data from Darryn McAuliffe, this session provides a deep dive into the latest economic data and trends impacting the franchising sector. Participants will gain valuable insights into key economic indicators, market dynamics, and industry benchmarks that can inform their strategic planning and decision-making processes.

Catherine Birch, Senior Economist, ANZ Bank

Darryn McAuliffe, CEO FRANdata Australia

10:05am – 10:50am

Franchising Futures: Exciting Opportunities for 2024, 2025, and Beyond

Embark on a journey of discovery as we explore the exhilarating opportunities that lie ahead within the franchising landscape for 2024, 2025, and beyond. In this visionary session, we’ll delve into emerging trends, innovative concepts, and transformative shifts that promise to reshape the franchising industry in the coming years.

Led by visionary leaders, industry experts, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs, this session invites participants to envision the future of franchising and identify the opportunities that excite them most. From groundbreaking technologies to evolving consumer preferences, we’ll explore the forces driving change and the possibilities they present for franchisees, franchisors, and investors alike.

Fiona Hayes – CEO,
7-Eleven

Phill Reed – CEO, Pizza Hut

Antony Moore – CCO, The Lottery Corporation

10:50am – 11:35am

Brand is Everything: Crafting Market-Leading Branding and Culture

In today’s fiercely competitive marketplace, a strong brand and vibrant company culture are indispensable assets that can differentiate your business, foster customer loyalty, and drive sustainable growth. Join us for an engaging session that delves into the art and science of building market-leading branding and culture that resonate with customers and employees alike.

Led by branding experts, and culture champions, this session offers a deep dive into the essential elements of crafting a compelling brand identity and nurturing a vibrant organisational culture that sets your business apart from the competition.

Simon Crowe – Founder, Grill’d

Karin Adcock – Owner Winmark Wines. Former President of Pandora Jewelry Australian & NZ

11:35am – 11:50am

MORNING TEA

11:50am – 12:05am

Consumer Spending Trends in the Australian Market: Insights from ANZ and ANZ Worldline

Join us for an in-depth analysis of the latest consumer spending trends in the Australian market, drawing on key data and insights from ANZ and ANZ Worldline. This session will explore the evolving consumer behaviour patterns, highlighting significant shifts and emerging trends shaping the retail landscape. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge on how economic factors, digital transformation, and changing consumer preferences are influencing spending habits. Discover actionable insights to support strategies that will navigate the current market dynamics and drive business growth. Whether you are a business leader, marketer, or industry analyst, this session will equip you with the essential information to stay ahead in a competitive market.

Fran Babic –Head of Franchising and Professional Services, ANZ Bank

Vivian Tawhara –Head Of Partnerships at ANZ Worldline

12:05am – 1:20pm

Shaping the Future: Australian Franchise Industry Policy Forum

Australian franchising has a credibility problem. Franchising is no longer the poster child for Australian business. Stories of the phenomenal growth and success of Australian entrepreneurs have been replaced by stories of inappropriate conduct and franchisee failure. Industry insiders may say that nothing much has changed in substance, but the public narrative is now very different. Potential consequences include further regulatory intervention that has the potential to undermine the competitive advantage of the business model itself.

In this interactive forum led by franchising law and policy expert Stephen Giles attendees will discuss and debate:

The reasons behind franchising’s credibility problem.
How franchising is perceived by Government and regulators.
How the media views, and reports on, franchising.
Professional standards, complaints handling, core education, monitoring and other credibility features of regulated sectors.
How franchise systems and the franchise sector might respond.

This forum will address critical issues facing the Australian franchise sector and explore policy solutions to drive positive change and promote sector growth and improvement.

Stephen Giles – Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

Dr Michael Schaper –Franchising Code Reviewer

Craig Cawood – Senior Vice President, General Counsel, McDonald Australia

Alan Wein AM – Barrister and Solicitor & Mediator

Sean Dignum –former National Business Reporter, Political Journalist and Corporate Affairs Consultant

1:20pm – 2:20pm

LUNCH

2:35pm – 3:05pm

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Data-Driven Insights for Driving Franchisee Satisfaction and Advocacy

High franchisee satisfaction is the most cost-effective way to drive sustainable network growth and reduce the risks of conflict with franchisees, which can be expensive and distracting. Greg Nathan is a leading global researcher and expert in the psychology of franchising. This session will reveal important new data-driven insights on the current state of franchise satisfaction in Australia and trends across different industries. Greg will also share practical, evidence-based strategies, based on extensive research with hundreds of franchise networks, on:

How to avoid common pitfalls when gaining feedback from franchisees.
What turns franchisees into advocates or adversaries.
The franchisor behaviours that drive a healthy franchising culture.
How to maximise the positive impact of your field consultants.
How to get franchisee commitment to new initiatives.

Greg Nathan – Psychologist and Founder, Franchise Relationships Institute

Safeguarding Success: Navigating the 5 Critical Legal Risks for Australian Businesses.

In the complex and ever-changing landscape of Australian business law, understanding and mitigating legal risks is essential for safeguarding the success and longevity of your enterprise. Join us for an insightful session that explores the five critical legal risks facing Australian businesses today.

Led by seasoned legal experts and industry practitioners, this session provides invaluable insights into the key legal challenges confronting businesses across various sectors. From compliance obligations to contractual disputes, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the legal landscape and actionable strategies for risk mitigation.

Nick Rimington – Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Maija Kerry – Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

3:15pm – 3:55pm

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Franchising Insights: Exploring Detailed Data and Trends

Dive deep into the world of franchising with our comprehensive session on detailed data and trends shaping the industry. Designed for franchise professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry enthusiasts, this session provides an in-depth analysis of key data metrics and emerging trends that are driving innovation, growth, and success in the franchising sector.

Led by industry experts, and data scientists, this session offers a data-driven exploration of the latest trends, benchmarks, and performance indicators across various segments of the franchise industry. Participants will gain valuable insights into market dynamics, consumer behaviour, operational benchmarks, and competitive landscapes to inform strategic decision-making and drive business success.

Darryn McAuliffe, CEO FRANdata Australia

Protecting your brand, business reputation and customer confidence.

The franchising regulator in Australia, the ACCC, is calling for a massive overhaul of regulation in 2024 and business media focus is back on issues in franchising. For franchise systems, it means actively and consistently managing reputation; being vigilant identifying, monitoring and averting reputation risks; and being prepared to respond effectively if the business or brand are attacked by media or regulators.

Putting in place a structured approach to reputation protection will be critical to avert or manage critical attack in 2024, not just on your brand but also criticism of competitors with a similar profile. Recent experience has shown that reputation damage spreads across a market or sector based on belief that all similar businesses operate in the same way. Differentiation is critical.

Sean Dignum, Director SDA Group

4:05pm – 4:50pm

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Accelerating Growth: Unveiling the Key Drivers for Franchise Network Expansion

Unlock the secrets to driving exponential growth within your franchise network in this dynamic and informative session. Designed for franchise owners, managers, and investors, this session delves into the essential strategies and tactics that fuel the expansion and success of franchise networks.

Led by seasoned franchising experts and industry leaders, this session offers invaluable insights into the key drivers that propel franchise network growth to new heights. From strategic market analysis to innovative franchisee support initiatives, participants will gain actionable knowledge and practical tools to accelerate the growth of their franchise businesses.

When and how to use, and not use, Artificial Intelligence

Al is here, it is currently “free” to use, utility is increasing exponentially and it could transform many businesses. Franchisors face unique challenges in navigating the complexities of Al implementation – most systems are built around a mix of protected IP and vulnerable confidential information and know how. The challenge is to selectively use Al in a manner that safeguards IP rights and the actual and perceived value of franchise systems.

In this session, Lisa Fitzgerald will consider Al driven innovation in franchising, strategies for protecting Al generated intellectual property, ethical considerations in Al deployment and best practices for establishing governance mechanisms to mitigate risks and foster responsible Al adoption.

Lisa Fitzgerald – Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

4:55pm – 6:00pm

Post-Summit Reception – Terrace Rooftop

Australian Franchise Summit Sponsors

Please note program is subject to change.

SUMMIT VENUE

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TERMS and CONDITIONS

SPONSORSHIP PROSPECTUS