Hon. Ros Bates MP, Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training

Ros Bates MP is the Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training. She has represented the Queensland state electorate of Mudgeeraba since 2009. As a member of the government’s leadership team, Ros is responsible for the management of government owned enterprises, insurance, investment facilitation, trade development, employment, vocation education and training, skills and workforce development and the marketing and promotion of international education and training.

Before entering Parliament, she spent over 25 years in the health sector as a nurse and health administration, receiving several awards for her dedication and service, as well as being a Queensland Telstra Businesswoman of the Year.

Daniel Gschwind – Chair

Daniel Gschwind is Professor of Practice in the Griffith Institute for Tourism at Griffith University since August 2022. He was the CEO of Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) from 2001 to 2022, representing the industry in numerous committees and forums. He is an Adjunct Professor at University of Queensland since 2002. 

Daniel is also the Chair of the Tourism Reef Advisory Committee of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), the Chair of QMF: Queensland Music Trails, a Director and founding member of the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), a Director of Tourism Whitsundays and a board member of the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival. 

He previously served as a member of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) from 2009 to 2013 and the board of Jobs Queensland. He is the Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Queensland.

Earlier in his career Daniel was involved in yacht charter operations in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean before relocating to Australia where he completed an Honours Degree in Economics at the University of Queensland. 

He worked as a Senior Economist for the Queensland Treasury for six years before taking on his tourism roles.

Delvene Cockatoo-Collins 

Graham Fraine

With nearly three decades of experience working in public policy, program development and service delivery across state and local government, Graham Fraine has been appointed as Director-General of the Department of State Development and Infrastructure.

As the Director-General, he is responsible for ensuring that the department delivers on the Queensland Government’s commitment to securing responsible economic growth, creating job opportunities and more liveable communities as well as providing continued prosperity for all Queenslanders.

Most recently, Graham was CEO of the Brisbane 2032 Coordination Office where he was responsible for the coordination and delivery of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games for the Queensland Government, including overseeing infrastructure, First Nations’ engagement, sustainability, legacy and security.

He is known for his strategic leadership that inspires a strong sense of purpose and his extensive experience across government sees him bring a broad whole-of-sector perspective to the role. In 2018, Graham was awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to social science research and policy development in Queensland.

Graham also holds a bachelor degree in psychology from James Cook University of North Queensland and a PhD from the Queensland University of Technology.

Jack Reis

Jack has proud Badulaig heritage, stemming from Badu Island in the Torres Strait. He is the inaugural 2022 Supply Nation Indigenous Entrepreneur of Australia and is also the 2023 Indigenous cyber security executive of Australia.  

Professor Scott Sheppard

Scott is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations) at QUT. Scott previously held positions as Minister-Counsellor Education and Science at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, Consul Economic in Hong Kong and Queensland Commissioner to China.

He has lived and worked in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing for more than 12 years.

Scott is the Deputy Chair of the Trade and Investment Queensland Board, the Chair of the Queensland Health Services Export Consortia, a Co-Chair for the national University Foreign Interference Taskforce Working Group and several other advisory roles.

Angela Young

As a consultant providing strategic business growth advice to high-growth startups and SMEs, Angela brings over 20 years' experience in entrepreneurship and business development to the table. In her role as Director of BDO for Startups, Angela has facilitated programs and provided tailored advice to founders of high-growth businesses, helping them unlock their potential and achieve their business goals. 

Prior to her work as a consultant, Angela co-founded a private equity firm that scaled to an international consumer electronics group. Through this experience, Angela gained firsthand knowledge of the complexities and challenges involved in running a high-growth business, including the potential for collapse. Her passion for sharing her experiences and helping others navigate these complexities has led her to her current role as a consultant. 

By employing a tailored approach to each founder, Angela delivers practical outcomes that founders can implement in their businesses. She is committed to openly sharing her lived experiences and expertise to help others achieve success and build exceptional companies.