Leading social commentator and business analyst Bernard Salt AM and futurist Mark Pesce have been confirmed as the two keynote speakers for this year’s Business Advantage Papua New Guinea Investment Conference, to be held in Sydney on 19 and 20 August.

The Demographics Institute’s Bernard Salt (left) and futurist Mark Pesce

Bernard Salt AM, a former partner at KPMG Australia and one of Australia’s most in-demand public speakers, will present the results of a study commissioned especially for the conference on worldwide social and cultural trends and what they mean for Papua New Guinea.

After a memorable keynote at the 2017 PNG Investment Conference, futurist Mark Pesce returns by popular demand to outline the business and investment opportunities that will arise from PNG’s improved internet connectivity.

Salt’s keynote will open Day One of the conference (19 August), while Pesce will open Day Two (20 August), which will have a strong focus on PNG’s improving infrastructure.

Thought leaders

The author of six books, including The Big Tilt and Man Drought, Bernard Salt writes two weekly columns for The Australian newspaper and appears regularly on radio and television programs, most recently hosting a business television program, The Next Five Years, on Sky News. He is an adjunct professor at Curtin University Business School and Managing Director of The Demographics Institute. Bernard was made a member of the Order of Australia in 2017.

‘Anyone who has seen Bernard or Mark in action will know they are gifted communicators with unique insights to offer business people.’

Mark Pesce has consulted to the World Bank and G20 on financial inclusion. He is a former regular on ABC TV’s The New Inventors and has over 35 years’ in the vanguard of technology as an entrepreneur and innovator. He is author of several books, including The New Billion Seconds, and now presents the award-winning podcast of the same name.

World-class

‘We’re thrilled to have not one but two world-class keynote speakers on our program this year,’ said Andrew Wilkins, Publishing Director conference host, Business Advantage International.

‘Anyone who has seen Bernard or Mark in action will know they are gifted communicators with unique insights to offer business people.

‘Better still, both will be presenting material especially prepared for our conference and for a PNG-focused audience. We can’t wait to hear what they have to say.’

Showcase

The 2019 Business Advantage Papua New Guinea Investment Conference, an annual event, will be held this year at the five-star Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney’s historic The Rocks district.

The conference will promote broad-based economic growth in PNG to the international business community, showcasing a wide range of industry sectors right across PNG’s economy.

It is the only PNG-focused business event scheduled to be held in Australia this year. KPMG is major sponsor.

More information on the conference can be found at the official event website, www.pnginvestmentconference.com.

Registrations for the event will open later this month.