Esther Roberts Email & Phone Number

Adelaide, Sa, Au

Adelaide, South Australia

• Establish and lead a team of highly skilled Business Development Managers to identify and convert research funding opportunities to increase revenue, academic impact and student outcomes at the University of South Australia• Create and maintain strong partnerships with government, industry and academia to achieve economic and social impact outcomes• Develop key industry strategies, business cases and plans to achieve financial and operational KPIs

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

• Coach & mentor Australian businesses including startups to develop capability to supply into defence industry• Manage key relationships with diverse stakeholder groups including the Commonwealth Government customer, industry associations, state governments, suppliers and OEMs• Identify, develop and execute business cases to uplift Australian supply chain capability in naval shipbuilding.• Present at industry forums, training programs and supplier events across Australia and New Zealand• Devise and implement customer metrics to evaluate workforce capabilities for the Hunter Class Frigate Program (HCFP), including workforce planning, and Australian Industry and Indigenous Capabilities• Collaborate with First Nations businesses and organisations such as Supply Nation to increase Indigenous procurement and develop investment cases and initiatives to uplift supply chain capability.• Negotiate with Commonwealth Government stakeholders to facilitate commercial contracts• Develop the BAE Systems Australia’s procurement and capability development strategies to drive spending with Indigenous suppliers, support the creation of new Indigenous businesses and meet contractual requirements• Design and deliver workshops for procurement and supply chain staff to enhance organisational practices• Provide key advice to government stakeholders for ministerial briefings and other communications• Won BAE Systems Global Procurement Award for innovative initiatives in diversity, equity and inclusion

London, United Kingdom

• Coached and mentored South Australian SMEs to develop market entry and export strategies to enter new international markets and boost sales in the UK and Europe region• Developed investment strategies and comprehensive target lists of companies for FDI attraction into South Australia• Presented and supported exporters at trade exhibitions and conferences to promote South Australia as an investment destination• Provided targeted advice and analysis to international companies looking to expand into Australian markets• Developed & led trade and investment strategies to build networks and achieve strong commercial outcomes• Managed team and associated resources to deliver trade exhibitions, social media campaigns and other events• Produced TV program to highlight trade and investment opportunities between Australia and the UK• Promoted South Australian opportunities to UK and European audiences and managed exploratory visits• Facilitated introductions and meetings between government and industry stakeholders to generate commercial and investment outcomes

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

• Oversaw the successful delivery and tender renewal of Austrade’s TradeStart program across South Australia• Implemented KPIs to achieve government target of assisting 50 new exporters per annum to achieve new sales • Managed team of high-performing export advisors to facilitate up to $49.7M of sales per annum• Conducted government’s first exporter survey to track trade and investment trends and lead improvements• Represented at national level with agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and National Trade Working Group, providing strategic advice to inform trade and investment policy• Advocated for South Australia and provided analysis and policy advice regarding national free trade agreements• Researched and authored engagement strategy for European countries, which shaped government direction• Designed and implemented New Exporter Program to develop South Australian SMEs to export internationally• Restructured export funding model and launched the Export Partnership Program (EPP) grant, securing a fourfold increase in applications, as well as boosting application quality, industry feedback and media attention• Secured double the funding for export programs following a targeted submission to the state’s Treasurer

Adelaide, South Australia

• Led dedicated team of 22 staff across Asia, the Middle East and Australia to deliver trade and investment advice and facilitation services to South Australian exporters • Managed grants team to deliver funding support to exporters for market development activities and grow export sales• Oversaw significant restructure and refocus of overseas offices and domestic resources and programs• Sensitively handled international staff redundancies, property lease terminations and trade license cancellations• Mitigated organisational risk by efficiently addressing legal and cultural issues as they arose• Represented at national level with agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and National Trade Working Group, providing strategic advice to inform trade and investment policy• Oversaw skilled team of TradeStart export advisors to deliver $75M+ of export sales in two years despite major resourcing issues, global economic challenges, operational restructures and policy changes• Astutely managed $2M grant fund and allocation of associated resources• Drew on marketing and communications skills to provide effective and influential briefings, presentations, speeches and correspondence

Adelaide, Australia

• Led the South Australian Government’s trade and investment strategy for the Middle East and Europe• Conducted comprehensive research, analysis and consultation with industry stakeholders to identify trade and investment opportunities• Developed extensive company databases in key sectors such as health and medical devices, food and beverages• Developed stakeholder relationships across industries, and Australian and international government bodies• Represented the government on boards such as the Australia-Arab Chamber of Commerce and with the National Trade Working Group• Oversaw trade exhibitions, roadshows and events to showcase South Australian products and businesses• Successfully generated million-dollar investment and transferred innovative prototypes into European markets• Prepared strategies to assist South Australian exporters to pursue sales in the Middle East and Europe• Drew on marketing and communications skills to prepare & deliver presentations, media releases & speeches• Delivered high level briefings to the Premier, Deputy Premier and Minister for Industry and Trade on key investment and trade policy and critical issues, including for Estimates Committees and State Budget formulation

Greater Adelaide Area

Focus: High-level strategy, policy analysis and advice, managing risk through media communications; PR: announcements, speeches, communication plans; stakeholder negotiations, budget proposal analysis, senior-level representation with business leaders across the globe.

Adelaide, Australia

Focus: Policy analysis and advice, community engagement, regional consultation, research, high level ministerial briefings, annual budget management.

Adelaide

Focus: Leadership training delivery, community consultation, community development programs, regional and Aboriginal economic development, research and policy advice, committee member, and working group representation.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba)

(UniSA) (EQUIS-Accredited) Included scholarship and attendance at the European Summer School for Advanced Management (ESSAM), Aarhus.

European Summer School For Advanced Management

Education record