The Family Business Insights VIC/TAS Conference was a great success last week. Members greeted each other with handshakes and hugs, genuinely happy to reconnect with their FBA peers. New members were also welcomed warmly, instantly feeling part of our community that thrives on their shared experience.
To open the conference, our MC Tony McManus welcomed Hon Natalie Suleyman MP to address attendees. She shared some powerful statistics about the impact and diversity of Victoria's small and family business sector, "700,000 small and family businesses employ 1.3 million people and contribute $4.3 billion to our economy". Multiculturalism has also shaped Victoria's economic success, as Suleyman shared that half of all Victorian businesses are owned by people with at least one parent born overseas.
Our first keynote for the day was Glenn Cooper AM, former Chairman and fifth generation member of Australia’s iconic Coopers Brewery. Glenn shared the rich 163-year journey of Coopers Brewery discussing their unique and complex family governance structure, and shared some iconic advertising campaigns focused on their family business advantage.
Discussing his family's governance structure, Glenn drew laughs from the entire room with an opening line, “My great-great grandfather started the brewery and had 19 children, and that stuffed it from the start.” Glenn presented an extensive Cooper family tree and, although complex, a clear governance structure that the family works to. What stood out from Glenn is that, while every family structure is different, planning ahead and putting in place a clear governance structure can ensure continuity and clarity across the family business.
Glenn also shared his deep expertise in marketing and building a culture instilled in family values. Both their advertising and company culture stemmed from their unique competitive advantage, being a family business. In discussing the highly competitive beer and brewing market, and touching on big corporate players, Glenn posed the question, "How do you compete in that market?" His answer: "What do we have that the others don't? Look into your businesses and there are things that you have an advantage. You have something that is different... If you can find something unique, it can penetrate and last a lot longer."
Glenn spoke at length about their family business advantage and the power of the Cooper name, “Having a name attached to your product is hugely beneficial.” Using iconic Coopers advertisements as examples with taglines, "Handmade by the Cooper Family", he shared insightful and funny stories behind their production and distribution.
Another key message was around culture, people and family values. Glenn emphasised the critical importance of company culture, the advantage in family business to have control in shaping that culture and the authentic connections with staff, “Our most important people, are our staff... We have control of that culture, if we want to do it right or wrong. It’s a powerful tool if done correctly... We are very lucky, we have the ability to be closer to our staff. It’s respect, it’s about looking after them... Help that person get there. It’s culture.”
Our next speaker, Patrycja Slawuta, Founder of SelfHackathon and Unlab, started her session by breaking the ice, asking everyone to high-five their neighbours to help everyone feel comfortable while she spoke about topics that can seem overwhelming or challenging for many - boundaries, love, money, aging, health, addiction, succession, roles and responsibilities.
Patrycja emphasised the need to continue to connect, communicate and learn in family business, "families who learn together stay together." As part of her interactive session, she got the room actively participating, prompting attendees to ask each other questions, starting with easy ones, then moving into braver territory. She gave the audience a simple tool to help with this learning saying "if you want to have better conversations, you need to ask better questions."
Introducing the concept of intergenerational learning, Patrycja provided key questions to ask of each other to open the lines of communication across generations - What would you like to tell and share with the next generation? What would you like to learn from them? She emphasised that the families that communicate and adapt are the ones who are able to recognise and articulate where they came from, where they are currently and where they are going, but not just to explain it, but to connect it all together and truly tell their story.
Tackling family conflict and difficult conversations, Patrycja shone a positive light on having disagreements and opening that dialogue, “those [difficult] conversations make the relationship.” So how do we know when conflict is positive for the relationship and when it is too much? According to the latest research, healthy family relationships have a ratio of 5 positive interactions to 1 negative one, this will keep a family healthy in times of conflict. Simplifying people's needs in times of conflict and during difficult conversations, Patrycja explained that in her experience “People want to hear - thank you, I’m sorry and I love you.”
Our next session was all about the next generation, with candid insights about what it's like to step up into family business leadership, taking over from your parents. Lea Boyce, Deputy Chair FBA, facilitated this discussion with next-generation leaders, Amanda Greer, General Manager Business Development, Stainless Steel Wire & Mesh, and Ilja Battley, Director of Globetrotter Corporate Travel.
Lea presented them both with a question on the weight of responsibility as a next generation leader, "Is it a gift or a burden?" Amanda reflected on the opportunity her leadership role offered her, "I don't feel it as a burden... It's a great opportunity, I am very fortunate. And we have enormous appreciation for mum and dad. They had to work incredibly hard to get it off the ground." Ilja felt it was both, "I feel a responsibility… I feel an obligation, but it doesn’t have to be heavy. It’s an honour."
The three discussed the generational shift from emphasis on net-worth to net-impact. Amanda highlighted that while the first generation worked incredibly hard just to put food on the table, she explained, the second generation has a bit more freedom, "Mum and dad were always involved in the community, but as a business there is more we can do now. If you build for net impact, net worth will follow, then you are building sustainably." Ilja agreed and added, "One of the beautiful things about family business is that it isn’t just about money, it is authentic. It is a business, but you know there is something more substantial there behind it all. It’s not about maximising your return, you are trying to support a community... As the next generation, you have the same values and the same approach [as the first generation]."
When asked about continuing the family legacy and taking on the mantle of leadership, Ilja offered some advice to other next gen leaders, “Don’t try to convince everyone, just follow our own path. Rather than trying to fulfill a legacy you are putting yourself on a pedastool, just be yourself, follow your path and do your best and see what happens. If it is worthy of being called a legacy, great but if you have kept the business afloat for the next gen, then well done.” He also added an important perspective for younger family members, "Don't assume that your path is to be the leader. Just follow what skills you have and what you're interested in."
Amanda added, "I would really encourage experience outside of the family business. Go out and experience the world. Get that experience, understand different leadership styles, what you like and what you don’t. Then come back with those skills.”
A question came through from Advisor Harry Kras in the audience, "What would you have done differently?" Both choosing to mention the support they received from FBA and that they would have sought the help sooner. Amanda shared, "I would have joined FBA sooner and started to think about it all earlier. It doesn’t have to be stringent, but you have to think about it.” Ilja added, "I am in an FBA Forum Group and its been helpful, I would have done that earlier. I would have cleaned up some other structures in the business earlier too.”
In the final session of the day, Rexine Jones, CFO and CIO, and David Beslich, Director and Chair of Hansen Yuncken, joined facilitator Marcus Armstrong, Managing Director of Platinum People Solutions, to discuss the experience of having a non-family member executive within a family business. The discussion drew on Rexine’s personal experience working as a non-family CFO within David Beslich’s family company.
Rexine described the process of joining the family business saying "I felt as if I found home. You talk about a seat at the table and you think you have a seat at the table, but the question is, do you? I felt like I was at home." When asked about the difference between her previous corporate roles and working in a family business, she answered simply "The difference is the agility."
Rexine shared her learnings as a non-family member in the business and the things she needs to be aware of, "When you are in a family, Sunday lunch can be great, but it can also be a bit tough. And so I have to recognise that Monday morning for my executives can be a bit tough."
David spoke highly of looking outside the family to fill an executive role, “You've got to be prepared to look for outside talent and then you need to nurture it, support it and encourage those discussions."
Finally Marcus asked for advice on what family businesses need, Rexine answered, "The one thing that comes to mind, outside of cash flow, is mentorship. Mentorship is paramount to a business succeeding. It's about walking beside the person. All people have success, which they need, and they have failure, which they also need. So how do you walk beside them with some scaffolding up to support them?"
Throughout the day, the energy in the room was infectious. Laughter, applause, and moments of quiet reflection punctuated each session. Families shared experiences, celebrated achievements, and exchanged ideas on strengthening both business and relationships.
Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, facilitated, and made the event such a success.
Thank you to our partners and sponsors:
Event Table Sponsor: Danaher Moulton
VIC/TAS State Partner: Majestic Computer Technology
National Gold Partners: EWM Group, KPMG Australia, Gallagher
National Banking Partner: ANZ
National Technology Partner: Pronto Software
National Workplace Compliance Partner: Citation Group 🇦🇺
Family Business Excellence Awards Winners – Victoria & Tasmania
The conference also celebrated the Family Business Excellence Awards for Victoria and Tasmania. The Business Excellence Awards are made up of three categories: Founder's Family Business, Established Family Business and Legacy Family Business.
Western Specialist Centre received the 2025/26 Founder's Family Business Award for Victoria & Tasmania.
Western Specialist Centre has built a strong and trusted reputation by consistently delivering high-quality, culturally sensitive, and community-focused healthcare services. Dedicated to their mission of providing quality care and inspiring lasting community health change, they continue to lead through clinical excellence, advocacy, and innovation. Western Specialist Centre has expanded throughout Melbourne's north-west, with more growth on the horizon. They partner with multiple Australian universities to provide hands-on training for emerging health professionals through placements, research, and community projects. In 2024, they launched an international partnership with the University of Birmingham in the UK, hosting medical students and extending its impact globally. With a strong focus on excellence, innovation, and community, Western Specialist Centre truly embodies what it means to make a lasting difference.
The award was accepted by Dr Raj Khillan and Dr Preeti Khillan.
"We started Western Specialist Centre 10 years ago with a simple passion, to serve the women and children of Melbourne's western suburbs. What began as just the two of us, Raj and myself, has grown into a team of more than 30 health professionals." – Preeti
"It's an honour to receive this award from Family Business Association and Minister Natalie Suleyman... As a doctor, I learnt these [business] skills first-hand in a grocery shop sitting with my dad back in India many years ago when I was a child. The basic skills of integrity, trust, making connections and customer-first, these are all applicable to businesses everywhere." – Raj
Contemporary Catering received the 2025/26 Established Family Business Award for Victoria & Tasmania.
Contemporary Catering has been delivering tailored, high-quality meals to the aged care sector and beyond since 1992. Still operating under the stewardship of the founding generation, they are always guided by their mission to make great food, prepared to high standards by people who care. Over the years, they have grown from humble, hands-on beginnings into a larger, more dynamic organisation, supported by a diverse and passionate team working together to deliver exceptional service. At its heart is a team who are driven and dedicated to leading with integrity and setting new benchmarks in culinary innovation and service excellence.
The award was accepted by Neil Shankly.
“This is truly an honour and the recognition of a lot of work done by a lot of people.”
“We started about 33 years ago, my wife, Robyn, and I started the business. This award is not really for us, it's recognition for the work that everybody else does.”
“Thank you to Robyn, and our son and daughter. People in the room, you’ll understand that in family business, it’s there all the time. It’s at the dinner table with you, it’s late at night. It’s there in the morning and there on the weekends… It becomes part of the DNA of the family. And I think that’s a big part of the journey of where we are today.”
“The staff that we have, we can never thank our staff enough. Similarly, our suppliers and our customers also.”
Tobin Brothers Funerals received the 2025/26 Legacy Family Business Award for Victoria & Tasmania.
For more than nine decades, Tobin Brothers Funerals have walked beside communities in their most vulnerable moments, offering a service through compassion, trust, and understanding. Started by four brothers, Tobin Brothers now spans across two states and 27 branches. They have not only changed the industry, they have been the benchmark for quality service and ethical practice. Now in their fourth generation, this family business has had a long pioneering history, expanding the business to include a 24-hour advice line, a foundation supporting communities, a national training arm, an app, and a catering service. Their reputation has been built over generations, caring for families and ensuring their loved ones are treated with dignity.
The award was accepted by Brydie Hull.
“On behalf of my family and everyone at Tobin Brothers, I want to sincerely thank FBA for this incredible recognition.”
“Our family has grown through four generations, each devoted to serving our community with compassion and care. Over 90 years later, Tobin Brothers have become the largest Australian family-owned funeral business.”
“This award is not just a recognition of our history, but a celebration of the enduring values that continue to guide us today – Family, Integrity, Community and Service.”
“Family businesses like ours are woven into the fabric of our community, and they are also the backbone of Australia’s economy, providing jobs, innovation and stability across generations, and we are proud to play our part in that story.”
