Trade and Investment Queensland will be closed for the holiday period between December 25th to January 1st.
Meet the Trade and Investment Queensland board
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
Delvene is a proud Quandamooka woman from North Stradbroke Island in Queensland’s Southeast who expresses the stories of her family’s lived experience on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) and responds artistically to historical images and texts.
She was the designer of a suite of artworks and design including the winners and commemorative medals for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018.
She recently designed the Brisbane Broncos 2024 NRL Indigenous Round Jersey and artwork at the Brisbane International Terminal and working with the US travel company Avanti Destinations through the launch of their Australian and Pacific Itineraries.
Delvene is the founder of Minjerribah Art Studio and is exporting original artworks, ceramics and clothing.
She was also a foundation member of Trade and Investment Queensland’s First Nations Advisory Committee.
Peter McKay
Peter McKay is the Director-General for the Department of Trade, Employment and Training. He previously served as the Director-General for the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training.
Peter brings over 25 years public sector experience where he has led service delivery, policy, corporate and regulatory functions across a broad range of Queensland Government agencies.
Delivering more impactful public services through improved leadership has been a strong focus of his recent work, including development of new public employment laws for a fair and responsive public sector.
Peter believes that working in partnerships is the pathway to better services. His most recent role as Deputy Director-General of the Office of Industrial Relations has focused on improving the performance and reputation of their important regulatory functions.
Peter sees the importance of our functions in supporting Queenslanders to improve their social and economic circumstances by connecting their hopes with the opportunities that our programs provide.
John Sosso
John is a long-serving Queensland and Commonwealth public servant.
He graduated from the University of Queensland with Honours Degrees in Law and Public Administration.
After serving as a private solicitor, he joined the Queensland Department of Justice in 1984 in the Policy and Legislation Division. Subsequently, he served in senior roles in the Department of Justice, Department of Consumers Affairs, and Department of Emergency Services.
He served as Deputy Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet between 1996 and 1998. During that time, he acted as both Director-General and Coordinator-General on a number of occasions.
As a Member and Deputy President of the National Native Title Tribunal between 2000 and 2012, he mediated, arbitrated, and negotiated native title claims and litigation throughout Australia.
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.
He is the son of a cattle farmer from Chinchilla and is an avid fan of rugby league, signing his first NRL contract when just 17 years old. Jack is a founding member and the CEO of cyber security firm, Baidam.
Jack is a founding member and appointed Chairperson of Trade and Investment Queensland’s First Nations Advisory Committee.
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.