Converge Esperance

Join us for an inspiring conference program featuring local, intra and inter-state speakers, industry leaders and key note specialists from across Australia. The Converge conference will deliver thought-provoking presentations and contemporary economic and business outlooks for the year ahead.

THURSDAY

Venue: Esperance Bay Yacht Club

Attendees can choose between:

1. Agricultural industry tour & workshops, 8:00-5:00pm
2. Esperance key industries tour, 12:00-5:00pm.

STREAM 1 – AGRICULTURE – 8:00am-5:00pm

Facilitated by SPAA, EZI & GRDC Grain Automate Program

AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY TOUR

Departing/returning to Esperance Bay Yacht Club

• Onfarm automation demonstrations
• Snail cameras
• Nuffield scholar recap
• Brewery tour

AGTECH WORKSHOPS

Presented by Bindi Isbister, Agrarian Management

• Boundary Mapping
• VRT Implementation
• On-farm experimentation

STREAM 2 – INDUSTRY – 12:00pm-5:00pm

KEY INDUSTRIES TOUR

Departing/returning to Esperance Bay Yacht Club

• Tourism providers
• New agritourism accommodation
• Boutique olive oil factory
• Leading retail construction
• Native title programs and projects

WELCOME SUNDOWNER – 5:00pm

Sponsored by SPAA, EZI & GRDC Grain Automate Program

FRIDAY

Venue: Esperance Civic Centre

7:00am  Registration and Coffee

8:00am Opening Address

• Welcome to Country

8:15am Morning Session

• Global economic trends and change
• Workforce: talent and migration
• The latest in current and emerging industries

10:00am Morning Tea

10:30am Mid Morning Session

• Trending global retail
• Scaling ecommerce
• Product innovation

12:15pm Lunch 

1:15pm After Lunch Session

• Retail strategies for business growth
• Value of the visitor economy

2:45pm Afternoon Tea

3:15pm Afternoon Session

• Business health and prosperity
• Driving economic growth for regional communities

4:15pm Closing Address

4:30pm Meet-the-Maker Sundowner

• Featuring Laurens Larder, Lucky Bay Brewing, Esperance Distillery Co & Condingup Vineyard

Download Event Program

2025 Topics

• Economic outlook and global market updates
• Retail and hospitality trends
• Business challenges and trends
• Value adding to agribusiness and tourism
• Planning for business success and growth
• Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Local sector updates – agriculture, retail, tourism and industry

Sam Collins, Head of Economics, Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA)

Sam has extensive experience in investment and economics, gained from his role as an investment analyst with Willis Towers Watson and in his current role as Head of Economics with CCIWA. Sam will provide an update on the global economy and discuss what this means for the
Esperance community and our businesses.

Trent Rigby, Director, Retail Oasis

Trent is a leading retail strategist who works with brands to navigate shifting consumer trends and business challenges. He has experience working with many renowned brands including Akubra, Commonwealth Bank, Nespresso and Paspaley. At Converge Esperance, Trent will explore global retail insights and lead discussions on how to capitalise on these trends as a small business in regional Australia.

Estelle Madaffari, Founder, Merre Granola

Estelle is a farmer near Merredin in the WA Wheatbelt, where she farms with her children and husband, Paul. A mission to eat more of the world-class produce at their backdoor led Estelle to create Merre Granola – a thriving granola brand using 100% Australian ingredients. Estelle will share the challenges she has faced, the advantages and opportunities of running a business from regional WA and her experience with product development.

Kia Buckley, Director & Founder, Kikiva Collection

Kia is the founder of Kikiva Collection, a multi seven-figure e-commerce brand that was started from her home garage and driven by a dream to create affordable, high quality activewear accessible to everyone. An Esperance local now based in Perth, Kia will share her journey on starting a small business, unpack how she scaled her niche activewear brand and built a loyal community and customer base.

Tamara Virgo, Director & Financial Advisor, TV Financial Services

Known far and wide in the Esperance community, Tamara is a trusted financial advisor supporting regional clients with tailored wealth and business strategies. She will speak on financial wellbeing, business health, steps to take when in financial strife and how to achieve long-term financial resilience.

Kris Starcevich, CEO, Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission

Kris works across government and industry to deliver economic development initiatives for the Goldfields-Esperance region. With a dynamic background across education, mining and community engagement, Kris brings a people-focused approach to driving regional development.

Shane Liddelow, Manager Economic Development, Shire of Esperance

Shane manages the Shire’s strategic focus on economic development, investment attraction and community growth.

Tim Napoleao, Acting Assistant Director, Department of Home Affairs

Tim is the Acting Assistant Director of Business, Industry and Regional Outreach in WA for the Immigration Outreach and Engagement Branch of the Department of Home Affairs. The Department plays a key role in Australia’s skilled migration and workforce policy, helping shape pathways for regional labour attraction. Tim will share insights into how migration policy is evolving and the opportunities it presents for businesses navigating workforce shortages, particularly around skilled migration.

Lise Williams, Acting Manager Migration Services, Department of Training & Workforce Development

Lise plays a key role in delivering the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA). The DAMA provides access to a wider range of overseas workers than the standard skill migration program. Following the extension of the DAMA in the Goldfields-Esperance region last year, Lise will discuss what this means for businesses in the area and how they can make the most of the opportunity.

Bindi Isbister, Precision Agriculture Specialist, Agrarian Management

Bindi supports farmers across WA to integrate precision agriculture and make data-informed decisions. Bindi is the mastermind behind the GrainAutomate program and will be delivering the AgTech workshops on Day 1 of Converge Esperance.

Keith Wilks, CEO, Southern Ports

Keith leads operations across the Southern Ports network including the regional ports of Esperance, Albany and Bunbury. He will provide an update on major infrastructure projects, the new Southern Ports Strategic Plan and how investment in Esperance Port is supporting regional economic growth.

Annabelle Hender, Tourism Development Manager – Esperance, Australia’s Golden Outback

Annabelle focuses on developing initiatives that drive sustainable development of the tourism sector in Esperance and the South Coast. With over 20 years’ experience in the tourism industry across Australia, Annabelle brings with her dynamic ideas and approaches to combating some of the biggest issues surrounding tourism. At Converge Esperance Annabelle will explore the value of the tourism economy to Esperance and how we can balance social, environmental and economic factors.

Raymond Macdonald, CEO, Western Green Energy Hub

Raymond is leading the development of the Western Green Energy Hub – one of the world’s largest renewable energy developments at Eucla on the South Coast of WA. He will speak on the long-term opportunities for regional WA in the global green energy transition and what this means for our communities.

Saj Abdoolakhan, Small Business Commissioner, Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC)

Saj is the newly appointed CEO and Small Business Commissioner for the Small Business Development Commission. Bringing with him experience from many high level roles across government departments, Saj will share valuable insights to businesses from his experience in compliance and safety. He will discuss the role the SBDC plays in supporting small business and some of the resources available.