Building Communities

Alison Michalk

Alison Michalk is CEO and founder of Quiip, a global leader in online community management services; and co-founder of Swarm, Australia’s dedicated online community management conference.

An industry pioneer with more than 10 years experience working with online communities, Alison is a respected industry leader, engaging speaker, widely published commentator and sought-after trainer in the areas of social media, online community governance, management, moderation and engagement.

With her finger on the online pulse, Alison founded Quiip after identifying a need for social media and online community services that minimised risks (including liability and brand reputation) and maximised user engagement. 
She has built a world-class team of community managers who provide private, public and non-profit sector clients with 24/7 services.

Operating as a distributed company, Quiip has a team of over 20 based around the country and world. Alison is passionate about new business models and the future of work. This encompasses ‘radical flexibility’ (work where and when you like) and a holistic approach to employees (personal and professional goals). Alison believes that modern day employees have an unprecedented opportunity to rethink the work ‘place’.

She is also advocate for raising the profile and participation levels of women in tech, start-ups and leadership roles. Quiip was recently voted in Anthill’s Top 100 Coolest Companies.

Along with an entrepreneurial passion for business Alison enjoys meditation and yoga, playing Lexulous, drinking coffee, tech gadgets, and ferrying her sons between skate & surf spots. 

LinkedIn | Twitter: @quiip

www.quiip.com.au

quiip.com.au

James Kliemt

James is the Senior Digital Media Officer for Queensland Police Service Media. He is responsible for QPS digital strategy and solutions in the social media and web 2.0 spaces.

His team manages the largest police Facebook page in the English speaking world, QLDAlert – the whole of government Social Media real time disaster social media information hub, and the myPolice network of 32 police blogs across the state receiving 2 million page views a month.

QPS Media have won nearly a dozen national and international awards for their social media and are championed by both Facebook and Twitter as exemplars of engagement on their platforms.

David Jordan

David Jordan boasts more than 15 years’ experience in senior hospitality & retail management. Jordan is characterised as a visionary, strategist and tactician with a consistent record of delivering extraordinary results in growth, revenue, operational performance and profitability. 

Prior to his appointment as General Manager of Baskin-Robbins Australia, Jordan held several executive leadership roles including CEO of Beard Papa Australia, Group General Manager of Katarzyna Group, and Operations Manager at Coles Hotel Group. In his most recent role at Coles Hotel Group, Jordan managed the strongest performing portfolio in the group with a turnover of more than $300million pa, while overseeing more than 25 direct reports and hundreds of employees.

It was through these leadership roles, Jordan solidified his expertise in high-level operational initiatives, including infrastructure design, process re-engineering, turnaround management, and operational re-organisation within the hospitality and retail environments.

In his current General Manager role at Baskin-Robbins Australia, Jordan is responsible for developing and driving the overall business strategy for the network of more than 80 stores nationally. 

Reporting into Palm Oasis Ventures, a joint venture between UAE-based business group, Galadari Brothers Group and US-based Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (DBI), Jordan has a strong focus on achieving shareholder growth expectations for the Baskin-Robbins ice-cream brand across Australia. 

Since starting at Baskin-Robbins early in 2014, Jordan has already exceeded these growth ambitions, successfully delivering an impressive 20% store network growth in the 2014 financial year. In addition to this growth, Jordan has led the Senior Leadership team and franchisees through a stunning turn-around program re-engaging all stakeholders. This turnaround strategy empowered the team to implement numerous internal programs and changes which have already improved the business’ overall profitably. 

This success has been recognised by DBI CEO, Nigel Travis, who after attending the official opening of the Manly, QLD Baskin-Robbins store stated it as: “A work of art.” Additionally, DBI Middle East described this store growth for the Australian brand in 2014 as the: “Best year in the history of Baskin-Robbins Australia.”

baskinrobbins.com.au

Panel Chair: Cat Matson

Cat Matson is Brisbane's Chief Digital Officer, overseeing the citywide Digital Brisbane strategy. Under the strategy, Cat is responsible for driving economic growth through digital adoption in the SME sector, strengthening the city's digital start-up ecosystem and facilitating Cyber City initiatives. Recently named as a rising female in the technology sector by the Sydney Morning Herald, Cat is considered an industry leader when it comes to the digital space, with a savvy business mind and a robust understanding of the wider business context.

LinkedIn | Follow on Twitter: @catmatson @DigitalBNE

catmatson.com.au