SA State Chapter

 

With nearly a decade immersed in the franchise sector, my journey began in retail operations where I developed a passion for optimizing processes and driving business growth. This path led me to segue into franchising during my studies in law, where I discovered a profound interest in the complexities of franchise operations.

Throughout my career, I've been dedicated to empowering franchise partners to achieve their full potential. I thrive on leveraging my operational expertise to support franchisors in strategic planning and operational efficiency, ultimately fostering collaborative success.

 

Bronwyn Furse is a commercial lawyer with specialist expertise in the areas of intellectual property, privacy, franchising, regulatory and competition and consumer law.

Her practice traverses public and private industry sectors including automotive, higher education, health, manufacturing, medical devices, energy and resources, government, financial services and e-commerce, from start-ups through to multinational groups.

Bronwyn is widely recognised for her specialist expertise and is regularly asked to present at conferences on issues related to intellectual property, privacy and franchising, and to provide tailored training programs to clients and industry associations.

 

Christian has extensive experience in all areas of business law. Christian advises both SME and large clients from a range of industries including health and wellness, hospitality, retail and trade related businesses, further specialising in franchising clients.

Christian prides himself on providing effective and practical advice to his clients day-to day and guiding his clients for sustainable and long-term growth.

In his spare time Christian enjoys adventuring with his wife and four children, whether it’s on the water, in the red desert or on a beach somewhere!

 

Helen Whait is the founder of ActivOT, the world’s first occupational therapy franchise. As a single mother of three, Helen navigated the challenges of raising a family while building a thriving career in occupational therapy. Her vision was to create a utopia business model that not only provided high-quality OT services but also offered other practitioners flexibility and autonomy. In 2012, Helen franchised ActivOT, which has since grown to over 60 franchisees across five Australian states, serving more than 8,000 clients.

Helen is deeply committed to her values of kindness, integrity, and empathy, which are at the core of everything she does. These values not only shape her business approach but also her leadership style, ensuring ActivOT remains a positive and supportive environment for practitioners and clients alike. As a sought-after keynote speaker, Helen shares her expertise on topics such as burnout, leadership, and innovative business strategies. Her unique blend of business acumen and OT experience has earned her numerous accolades and positions her as a leader in both the allied health and franchising sectors. Through her work, Helen continues to inspire others with her commitment to making a meaningful impact.

 

Iain is a commercial lawyer and provides specialist advice in relation to franchising, licensing, distribution and intellectual property.

Iain has assisted vendors and purchasers in relation to share and business asset sale and purchase transactions with purchase prices ranging between approximately $100,000 to $100 million.

Iain regularly advises clients on Australian and international franchising, licensing and distribution.  He has assisted a number of Australian franchisors with establishment and operation of their franchise systems including advising on resolution of disputes with franchisees.  He also advises clients on acquisition of competing brands.

Iain has previously worked in the USA advising a number of established US brands on licensing into foreign jurisdictions including in the EU, Asia and the Middle East.  He continues to assist foreign counsel with franchising and distribution into Australia.

 

Mun Lai, based in Adelaide, SA, AU, is currently a Senior Legal Counsel - Australia and New Zealand at Bridgestone Australia Ltd.. Mun Lai brings experience from previous roles at Eckermann Lawyers and DMAW Lawyers. Mun Lai holds a 2014 - 2015 Master of Laws (LLM) in Legal Practice @ The Australian National University. With a robust skill set that includes Lease Negotiations, Property Law, Legal Research, Legal Advice, Franchising and more. Mun Lai has 1 emails on RocketReach.

 

V.I.P. was the very first home services franchise company in Australia and only the 3rd franchise company in the country. Established in 1979, it’s been going from strength to strength, has won multiple awards and today remains a proud family business. 

 

Seva is a Principal in the transactions team at DMAW Lawyers.

Seva provides commercial advice to clients in a number of industry sectors in relation to the sale and purchase of land and business assets, commercial leasing and developments.

A significant aspect of Seva’s practice is in franchising, licensing and distribution, in particular, acting for major franchisors in the establishment, development and operation of franchise systems including providing advice in respect of compliance with the Franchising Code of Conduct.

Seva is a committee member of SA chapter of the Franchise Council of Australia and a committee member of the Women in Franchising group.

 

Steve Wren is a highly experienced senior executive specializing in retail, franchising, and business management, with a proven track record of success across Australia for some of the nation’s most iconic brands. His expertise in branding, leasing, strategic growth, and legal knowledge forms the foundation of his accomplishments.

Steve has an exceptional ability to grow and manage franchise networks, and he is an accomplished networker with a passion for travel and tourism, especially in how they relate to business. He is a strong advocate for all things South Australia, including its sporting teams, industry, food, wine, and culture. Steve is dedicated to helping others fulfill their potential and build their dreams.

In his role as Director of Pelligra in South Australia, Steve leads a team of dedicated property development professionals under the ethos "Pelligra: Built for Generations." As the Managing Director of PG Sports & Entertainment, he oversees the ownership and mentorship of the Adelaide Lightning WNBL team, Adelaide Giants national baseball league team, and Adelaide Adrenaline national ice hockey league team. His responsibilities include culture development, financial oversight, and partnering with arenas and stadiums to foster growth and success.