4 September, 2020

New Business and Talent Taskforce will help capitalise on Australia’s ‘first mover’ advantages

 

SYDNEY: The Australian Investment Council supports today’s announcement of a new whole-of-government Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce, to be led by Peter Verwer AO.

“The Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce is an important step towards supporting the rebuilding of business activity across the Australian economy following the COVID-19 downturn,” said Yasser El-Ansary, Chief Executive of the Australian Investment Council.

“This new taskforce sends a clear message around the world that Australia is now open for business, and that we are seeking to attract strategically important talent and businesses to our market.

“To be internationally competitive, highly innovative fast-growth Australian businesses need access to world leading talent in key areas where we are still building local capability. We’ve seen too many examples over the years of domestic businesses that cannot access talent and capital being forced to relocate overseas, taking with them highly skilled jobs and economic activity.

“As we rebound out of the COVID-19 downturn we must ensure that the economic recovery is underwritten by big gains in innovation and technology to drive increased productivity. Attracting the world’s best businesses and talent to Australia will help boost our domestic productivity and our global competitiveness,” Mr El-Ansary said.

“Skills and talent are the lifeblood of growing and innovative businesses. Australia has a unique opportunity to be a destination of choice for high calibre talent through its attractive lifestyle, stable political system and future growth opportunities,” according to Mr El-Ansary.

Attracting world-leading talent and businesses to Australia forms one of the economic building blocks identified by the Australian Investment Council in its recent policy statement, Roadmap to Recovery – Creating a Stronger and More Dynamic Economy, released in June 2020.

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Media enquiries:

Yasser El-Ansary
Chief Executive
M: 0404 080 832

About the Australian Investment Council

The Australian Investment Council is the voice of private capital in Australia. Private capital investment has played a central role in the growth and expansion of thousands of businesses, which when combined represents a multi-billion-dollar contribution to the Australian economy. Our members are the standard-bearers of professional investment and include: private equity, venture capital and private credit funds, alongside institutional investors such as superannuation and sovereign wealth funds, as well as leading financial, legal and operational advisers.

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