Don Argus
Chairman of BHP Billiton
“Australia is fortunate to have a global competitive advantage when competing for International Business.It is rich in natural resources, it has a vibrant rural industry, a competitive business environment ,a sound education system, and a robust economy which encourages innovation, These attributes has seen it lead with world class technology solutions in many industries and other fields of endeavour.The G,day UK forum is an excellent opportunity to showcase the virtues of our Country as a safe ,stable environment to either pursue initiatives locally or use as an entry point into the vibrant developing Asian Region.”
Maggie Beer
Australian chef and food writer
“Initiatives like G'dayUK are a great way to get people engaged with Australia and the wide range of excellent produce that it exports around the globe. I'm passionate about Australian food and cooking and I hope that by supporting G'dayUK I can entuse others to take another look at Australia.”
Douglas Blyde
Food writer
“A retail lunch had become a sensuous journey: not only a celebration of the flavour in geography, but a taste of a trio of personalities. Where Osborn and Graham’s creations were artistic and refreshing, Brown’s represented a mainly moreish, idealised take on home cooking. To borrow the slogan of ‘Foster’s’ lager, and only because it works, I would strongly advise going to the Gallery and ‘getting some Australia into you.”
Leigh Clifford
Chairman of Qantas Airways Ltd
“Qantas has been bringing Australia and the UK together for over 60 years - uniting families, promoting business and fostering tourism. Now with G'dayUK we are delighted to support this showcase of the best of modern Australia - a beautiful, smart and sophisticated destination, a major source of the world's mineral resources and energy and of course, a great trade and investment partner for the UK. The introduction of our Qantas A380 sets a new standard in flying - and makes the Kangaroo Route a more comfortable and enjoyable journey than ever before.”
The Hon Simon Crean
Australian Minister for Trade
“G’dayUK is a fantastic opportunity for Australian and UK businesses to come together. In particular, events such as the CEO Forum is a great chance to discuss new opportunities as we look towards the global recovery.”
John Dauth
Australian High Commissioner to the UK
“Australia and Britain are exceptionally close partners in many fields of endeavour. G’Day UK will naturally highlight the exciting diversity and depth of these existing ties, but more importantly it will forge new paths towards even stronger business, cultural and interpersonal relationships between us.”
Brett Graham
Michelin starred Head Chef of Ledbury restaurant
“Having previously been asked to create a menu for the Australia Day Gala dinner, I was honoured to be asked to be one of the official chefs of G'dayUK 2009. Australia has some fantastic cooking talent and G'dayUK offers a great opportunity to get some truly wonderful Australian food and wine in front of influential UK people.”
Bill Granger
Australian chef and restauranteur
“At the heart of great cooking lies excellent ingredients, and Australia has these in abundance. In its efforts to champion these products and the cooking of Australian chefs, G'dayUK will bring a whole new world of flavours to British dinner tables. Good luck to all involved.”
Donna Hay
Australian food writer
“It's fantastic that Austrade are getting behind Australia's food industry with G'DayUK. Promoting Australian produce and cooking will allow the Brits to fall more in love with everything we have to offer.”
Mitchell Johnson
Australian national cricketer
“We're all looking forward to the Ashes so it's good to get the Australian flag up and flying in London with Gday'UK in advance of the series starting in July.”
Matthew Jukes
Wine expert, buyer, author and wine correspondant for the Daily Mail
“I am delighted to get behind G'dayUK 2009 because it provides the perfect platform to highlight the very best wines that Australia has to offer the UK. With such an experienced and varied winemaking history, it is great to see Australia organising initiatives such as G'dayUK to ensure that it continues its success for generations of winemakers to come. I have long been a huge supporter of Australian wines and I am delighted to be involved in promoting the excellence that Australian wine has to offer.”
The Rt Hon Helen Liddell
British High Commissioner to Australia
“When I look at the vast business networks between Australia and Britain, I'm always amazed but never surprised. The qualities of openness and innovation are intrinsic to our shared business culture. G'dayUK and the CEO Forum harness those qualities and give Australian investors an even better springboard into Europe.”
Frank Lowy
Chairman of Westfield
“The property and regeneration industry is built on relationships and experience. Westfield is a relative newcomer to the UK scene having been on the ground since only 2000. By holding forums on issues such as '2012 & beyond', G'dayUK provides a platform from which to explore these two very important aspects of the industry and gives Australian firms the opportunity to be involved.”
Baz Luhrmann
Golden Globe and Academy Award nominated Australian film producer, director and screenwriter
“Imagination and creativity is something that Australians do well, whether in the arts, sciences, business and primary industries. G’DayUSA has been instrumental in ensuring that creativity reaches out through the USA so it’s an exciting prospect that G’dayUK will take a further leap in bringing our very particular Australian sensibility to the UK.”
Michael Lynagh
Former Australian national rugby union footballer
“Despite the great sporting rivalry, there's always been a great underlying admiration and appreciation between Australia and the UK. Good luck to G'dayUK - it'll be good to see a little of Down Under up here.”
Elle MacPherson
Australian model, actress and business woman
“I'm supporting G'dayUK as it is a fantastic initiative aimed at bringing both Australia and the UK together.”
Barry Marshall, AC, FRS, FAA
Nobel Prize laureate and Professor of Clinicial Microbiology at the University of Western Australia
“Australia has developed a justifiably high reputation for the quality of its science and research. It has proven a wonderful place for scientists to work and to promote collaboration with scientists in the UK and elsewhere.”
Matt Moran
Australian chef and food writer
“The food and restaurant scene in Australia is very hot at the moment and so it is good to see initiatives like G'dayUK raising the profile of not only great Australian produce but also the gastronomic experiences Brits can have if they are visiting Australia.”
Shane Osborn
Michelin starred Head Chef of Pied a Terre restaurant
“I'm really excited to be involved with G'dayUK as it gives me the chance to work with some fantastic Australian producers to create some truly unique dishes.”
Richard Petty
Chairman of CPA Australia
“The organisation is pleased to support the G’dayUK CEO Forum because some 21,000 of its members are in roles such as CFO, CEO and general manager. CPA Australia has 122,000 members working in 100 different countries. We regard the CPA designation as the global accountancy designation for strategic business leaders like those who will be attending this forum.”
Matt Skinner
Australian wine writer
“Having previously lived in the UK I know how competitive the wine market is. It is great to see the Australian government and Wine Australia launching projects such as G'dayUK with the aim of promoting some of Australia's finest wine regions and the fantastic quality wines that they produce.”
Simon Vye
CEO of Telstra Europe Ltd
“G’Day UK is all about a celebration of the modern links, innovations and connectivity between our two nations. Today, as trade and commerce between our two nations continues to accelerate and grow, Telstra International’s investment in Next Generation technology are linking the business communities and populations of Europe and Asia Pacific closer than ever before.”