PROGRAM – Monday 4 April

8.30am – 9.50am AEST

OPENING PLENARY

8.30am – 8.40am AEST

Welcome and NFC21-22 Opening

Andrew Klein, NFC21-22 MC

8.40am – 8.45am AEST

Chairman’s Address

Brendan Green, Chair, Franchise Council of Australia

8.45am – 9.00am AEST

CEO’s Address

Mary Aldred, CEO, Franchise Council of Australia

9.00am – 9.10am AEST

Ministerial Address

9.15am – 10.05am AEST

Jobs, Businesses and the Post-Corona Customer

Bernard Salt AM, demographer

10.05am – 10.35am AEST

MORNING TEA

10.35am – 12.30pm AEST

PLENARY SESSION

10.35am – 10.45am AEST

Session opening address

Andrew Klein, NFC21-22 MC

10.45am – 11.30am AEST

Maximising the value of your franchise group and minimising risk

Identifying business opportunities for your franchise group and minimising risk in an uncertain business environment is a must to drive your franchise business, add value and grow returns across the network. This presentation examines:

Effective Systems: Reliable data is crucial for decision making and highlights areas that may need particular attention or things that are working really well.

Business Structure: It’s never too late to ensure that you have the right structure for your franchise group.

Cost Control: Franchise businesses need to do things differently in an environment where the cost of doing business is increasing rapidly.

Effective Management: Is essential for the franchisor and franchisees alike

Sarah Eltakchi, Partner – Accounting & Business Advisory, Findex

Thomas Paule, Chief Digital, Technology & Marketing Officer, Findex

11.30am – 12.00pm AEST

New Mandatory Franchise Disclosure Register & New Penalties – what you need to know

The Federal Government is introducing a new, mandatory Franchise Disclosure Register. Franchisors will need to be compliant with the Register by the end of the year. A new penalties regime has just been added to the Franchising Code of Conduct, which you will also be updated on. Join FCA CEO Mary Aldred and Sean O’Donnell, Partner at HWL Ebsworth to find out what you need to know.

Mary Aldred, CEO, Franchise Council of Australia

Sean O’Donnell, Partner, HWL Ebsworth

12.00pm – 12.30pm AEST

Plenary Session on Australia’s current political and economic environment

Hon Martin Ferguson AM, former Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism

12.30pm – 1.30pm AEST

LUNCH 

1.30pm – 2.15pm AEST

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Understanding the ‘why’ of high performance within your network

Every franchisor knows (or should know) the high performing franchisees in their network, and those who are struggling to reach benchmarks. But do you know why?

Attend this session to learn how using analytics and understanding the reasons for high performance can lift profitability across your franchise network.

FACILITATOR: Josh Cairns, Managing Director, Op Central

PANELLISTS:

Amber Manning, CEO, Just Cuts

Selina Bridge, CEO, KX Pilates

Heidi Miller, Senior Director of Marketing APAC, Hertz

Ken Rosebery, Managing Director, The Cheesecake Shop

Taking your brand global

How has the international landscape changed in the pandemic and what opportunities remain for franchises globally? This session will:

• Provide updates on the current and projected trading conditions in global markets, with a particular focus on the USA, South East Asia/India and Asia/Pacific regions.
• Examine international market entry strategies, including direct entry, acquisition and conversion, and master franchise arrangements

FACILITATOR: Rod Young, Founder, DC Strategy

PANELLISTS:

John O’Brien, CEO and Founder, Poolwerx

Marcel Lal, CEO Asia Pacific, InXpress

The future of payroll compliance: automation, benchmarking and analytics

For franchisors seeking to meet their wage payment obligations and gain greater payroll intelligence across their networks, automated regulatory technology (RegTech) offers a solution. Find out:

• The developments and limitations in RegTech payroll solutions
• How franchisors are automating processes to ensure employees are being paid correctly
• How to integrate operational analytics with traditional rostering and payroll data to save costs and proactively identify any potential breaches of your wage obligations.

FACILITATOR: David Price, General Manager, ER Strategies

PANELLISTS:

Steve Keenaghan, Client Engagement Director, AgileXperts

Mark Jenkins, Co-Founder, WageSafe

Lisa Litfin, Payroll Manager, The Coffee Club

2.25pm – 3.10pm AEST

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Consumer trends and market insights

Make sure your business decisions are based on the latest consumer and market insights. Attend to learn:

• How Covid-19 has impacted business and consumer spending habits, as seen through trends within the American Express network.
• Insights to help evolve franchises go-to market strategies to better prepare for challenges and changes in the future
• The impact of Covid-19 on trading and business expectations in the franchise sector

FACILITATOR: Racha Abboud, Partner, Baybridge Lawyers

PANELLISTS:

Melisa Ang, Director APAC Business Insights and Strategy, American Express

Darryn McAuliffe, CEO, FRANdata Australia

Gerry Stanley, Senior Product Manager – Data, Precisely

The innovation imperative

The past two years turned the way we live, work and do business upside down. Innovation, adaptability and resilience proved vital in order to survive and thrive in the new normal.

Find out how franchisors have harnessed this innovation mindset to stay ahead of the curve as they plan for the future.

FACILITATOR: Lawrence Pelletier, Sales & Marketing Director, Redcat

PANELLISTS:

Carlos Antonius, CEO, Chatime Group

Kelly Nikolakopoulos, National Marketing Director, The Allstars Academy

Tanya Robertson, CEO Franchise Development, BDC Partners

Cybersecurity risks and mitigation strategies

Cybersecurity is a critical business issue with potential brand, reputational and financial implications that all businesses need to be aware of. Find out crucial information on:

• Cybercrime trends and examples and how to mitigate against these risks
• Changes to the regulatory compliance requirements for data breaches and penalties across industry sectors
• How to identify the data and cyber security risks in your business
• The protections available to franchisors and franchisees

FACILITATOR: David Toniazzo, Head of Sales ANZ, Cybots

PANELLISTS:

Paul Benjamin, Benjamin & Benjamin Insurance Group

Mark Hogan, CFO, Carpet Court

Daniel Pludek, Global CTO, Kip McGrath Education Centres & Advisor, HackNo Cyber

3.10pm – 3.40pm AEST

AFTERNOON TEA

3.40pm – 4.35pm AEST

PLENARY SESSION

3.40pm – 4.25pm AEST

Leading on the Edge – Building team excellence in a high pressure environment

Antarctic Expedition Leader, Rachael Robertson, will reveal how she kept her team inspired and productive through Antarctica’s long, dark winter. She explains why respect trumps harmony (and why this is critical for franchise businesses), and how she built a culture of integrity and trust with a very diverse group of complete strangers. 

Rachael Robertson, 2nd Australian woman to ever lead an Antarctic expedition to Davis station

4.25pm – 4.35pm AEST

Day one closing remarks

Andrew Klein, NFC21-22 MC

4.35pm AEST

DAY ONE CLOSE

6.45pm – 11.00pm AEST

SOCIAL NETWORKING NIGHT

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 NFC21-22.