Leading Thinker: Michael Traill AM
This forum was held on Thursday, 20 May 2021
The collective appetite for delivery of social value has never been as strong in Australia.
As the country emerges from its second major crisis in as many years, government and business leaders are considering the wider social, environmental and economic impacts of their activities.
With the right regulatory environment, there is a golden opportunity for ethical, purpose-focused businesses to produce goods and services that maximise social value and generate strong returns.
Following the release of the Committee’s paper Working Together in 2020, the Committee was delighted to host Michael Traill AM to discuss the importance of social investment in Australia.
After 15 years as Executive Director of Macquarie Group’s private equity arm, Michael made the leap from corporate Australia into the heart of social investment.
Michael founded Social Ventures Australia in 2002 which included a key role in establishing Goodstart Early Learning; one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit social enterprises. Amongst his many roles, he is chair of the Federal Government’s Social Impact Investing Taskforce and the Paul Ramsay Foundation; Australia’s largest philanthropic fund.
Michael shared his insights on the current state of social investment in Australia, its trends in a post-COVID future, and how the public, private and not-for-profit sectors can all benefit from a collaborative approach to maximising social value.
Following Michael’s keynote address, a panel of experts discussed how they are delivering social value in their own activities. Thank you to our panel for joining the conversation:
- Kylee Bates | CEO, Ardoch
- Deb Ganderton | CEO, Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust
- Jacqui Jones | Executive Director | The Constellation Project PwC Australia