Image

Category Archives: News

Top Oceania Firms Providing Pro Bono Work For $500m IPO

One of the most common stereotypes in fiction is the amoral attorney, but many law firms and lawyers in the AU, from divorce solicitors in Melbourne to corporate lawyers in Queensland, are working hard to counter that, with four major firms in the country and NZ foregoing their fees for a good cause.

Sydney firm KardosScanlan are the Australian solicitors for the proposed initial public offering (IPO) of Hearts and Minds Investments, which is currently aiming to raise up to half a billion dollars for its debut on the Australian Stock Exchange. Webb Henderson will handle solicitation in New Zealand, and will also be working pro bono.

Ashurst, meanwhile, is advising Commonwealth Securities, National Australia Bank, as well as Creston Wealth, whose joint efforts led to the arrangement of the IPO. The Victor Chiang Institute, meanwhile, is advised by King & Wood Mallesons (KWM).

Both KardosScanland and Webb Henderson have agreed to provide legal advice to the IPO and the companies behind them in relation to normal operations on a pro bono basis, with legal fees only waived with regards to the preparation of the company’s prospectus.

Ashurst, meanwhile, provided pro bono legal advice to the joint lead arrangers, while KWM has agreed to give the Victor Chang Institute on corporate law on a pro bono basis.

They’re the largest law firms in the region, with divorce solicitors in Melbourne and people across the region, and they’ll be throwing their support on the IPO, which has received support even from the ASX, which will be waiving annual any annual fees, in exchange for Hearts and Minds agreeing to not charge investment fees, as well as investing a percent of its net tangible assets, regardless of financial performance, to support Australian medical research organisations biannually.

Designated charities of the effort include The Victor Chang Institute, the Brain and Mind Centre, the Charlie Teo Foundation, as well as the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.

Hearts and Mind will be calling on five of the AU’s leading fund managers, to be selected by its investment committee, who will be recommending 15 stocks for the company’s portfolio every financial quarter.

Growing Demand In Phuket Airport

It was the beginning of this year when Thai Air Asia introduced direct flights to and fro Kunming, China and Phuket, Thailand. It was a happy news for business in Phuket including restaurants in Kata because higher arrivals means more business revenue for them from tourists spending on the island. During the said launch, the president of Air Asia in China, Kathleen Tan, was present together with the CEO of Air Asia in Thailand, Santisuk Klongchaiya. According to data, Phuket arrivals and departures reached almost 16.85 million in2017 while 44 per cent of them travelled to and fro the country onboard low-coast airlines.

Phuket Airport is located in Phuket, an island located in the southern part of Thailand. In 2017, it welcomed a total of 8.4 million arrivals which is 11.3 per cent higher compared to the previous year. The increasing number of tourists can be attributed to the 20 per cent increase in visitors coming from Mainland China. C9 Hotelworks, a consulting firm in the country, revealed that many of the visitors are now visiting the island even during the off-peak season. Majority of those coming to Thailand are looking for adventure while others are mainly young travellers that wanted to see more of the world.

Travelling is now a trend among the younger generation and the proof is evident in the increasing number of passengers being handled by Phuket Airport. In 2016, Phuket airport accommodated 15.11 million travellers and the number rose by 11 per cent to 16.85 million in 2017. The percentage of passengers who used low-cost carriers reached 44 per cent last year which is higher by 16 per cent than the previous year.

Looking at the figures in 2008, there has been an increase of 195 per cent in the number of passengers that the airport is handling in a single calendar year. Up until August of this year, Phuket Airport has already managed to accommodate 12.79 million passengers which is 13 per cent higher compared to the same period of last year. This is not surprising that restaurants in Kata also felt the boom in their business because of the increasing number of tourist arrivals.

Latin America Now Largest Region Globally for E-Commerce

Leonardo González Dellánon e-commerce growth

International trade expert Leonardo González Dellánhas hailed a report showing that Latin America has become one of the top regions for e-commerce growth as a symbol of the region’s potential. He commented that “This report shows the untapped potential of Latin America for businesses. It shows that the region is open for business and forward-thinking, that we are at ease with technology.” The report in question, carried out by the Ecommerce Foundation, showed that the reasons behind the growth in e-commerce were an increasing population and increasing internet connection, with an average of 59 percent of the population using the internet. Mexico was the country with the highest rate of growth, with a US$21 billion annual spend.  The report also shows that as e-commerce booms, the money is put back into improvements in connectivity, better financial inclusions and increased digital literacy.González Dellánalso stated that “this report should be an incentive both for businesses to commit to Latin America, and for our own developing industries to be fearless. There is clearly a receptive climate for technology use and investment, and the opportunity should not be missed.”

Leonardo González Dellánis an international trade expert and entrepreneur.

How Leonardo Gonzalez Dellan Can Help You Start A Business

Owning your own business is a dream that people try to achieve. However, not everyone can materialize this dream. To make your dream a reality, you have to plan to make each step that you do turn successfully. Many small businesses fail due to lack of proper planning and resources. So, let Leonardo Gonzalez Dellan help you start your business and follow your dream.

  • Write a Business Plan

In any type of business, you need this to start. In the business plan, you need to state the nature of your business, the company description, organization and management structure, marketing plans, target audience and a budget. The business plan can vary from business to business.

  • Provide Training

If this is your first time to start a business, you need to attend training seminars to familiarize you with the type of business you plan to open. The courses offered will help you start your business. To equip you with financial training, you can take up accounting or bookkeeping classes. These classes will help you understand the financial structure of your business and how to maintain accurate records.

  • Choose a Great Location

If you’re going to start a business and want an actual store, you need to consider a location that can possibly attract customers. Scout for locations in town and see if the area is safe and can draw people to the business. You may want to check with a real estate agent for this purpose.

  • Research Financing Options

You have variable options to start your business. You can even approach the local business office in your area to avail loans with competitive rates. Banks and other financial institutions can help you start a business. However, you need adequate evidences to prove that you can really pay them.

  • Obtain Proper Licenses

To do business, you need to register your business name and get a license and permit. You also need a tax identification number to pay your local taxes.

  • Hire a Crew

To make your small business function well, perhaps you need to hire employees and make them responsible for helping out your business. Also, be responsible for your employees and the government by paying the right taxes.

If you seek advice from Leonardo Gonzalez Dellan, these are what he will tell you to start your business. Just persevere and be conscientious in everything you do, and you can expect a successful business.

Award Given To Top Employers In Australia And New Zealand

In a result published by the Aon Best Employers 2018, the best companies on the list shows how much the focus have shifted on businesses that are prioritizing employee engagement, strong leadership as well as communication. These are companies that provide team building in Sydney in order to boost their employees’ morale and productivity.

Looking at the list of Best Employers chosen by Aon, these are companies and organizations coming from different sectors including delivery services, property and healthcare. The results only show that the trend is changing and that company initiatives are also shifting which is why these companies are chosen to be on top compared to the rest in their industries.

It only proves that organizational agility has a big impact in terms of employee engagement, their retention and the company as a whole. These top employers also show that they are open in entertaining new technology and innovation which could improve their organizations. These are also the same companies that hired competent leaders that could have a significant impact in the present work environment.

The list of 2018 Aon Best Employers include BPAY Group, Eden Brae Homes, Z Energy, Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand, Woods, Employsure, Wood & Grieve Engineers, Colliers International, SEEK Limited, FedEx Express New Zealand, Prospa, Geeves Scaffolding Ltd, Plush Sofas and Peoplecare Health.

According to the general manager of BPAY Group, Lucy Lithgow, the fact that she was awarded the Aon Hewitt Employer of Choice for this year only proves that her company follows an outstanding culture which is also one of the reasons why it is so successful in what it is doing. She added that they are proud because they have given emphasis to collaboration above all others. Through the engagement that they have built, they are positive that energy and passion will come out as a result.

Analyzing the overall results of the Aon Best Employers, these people have noticed that there is a big advantage when the workplace is created to have an agile environment. In fact, the listed companies are 29 per cent more into cross-functional collaboration than companies not included on the list. After the awarding, these companies are surely organizing team building in Sydney in order to celebrate and to further improve their organization for the coming years.

Woolworths Tasmania Underpaying Cleaners

Getting a company to handle general and upholstery cleaning in Perth or anywhere else in Australia is an important step, with many in cleaning companies in the country open for contracting, aware of how much this matters to both corporations and government alike. But these firms are, themselves, businesses, with employees covered by the Fair Work Act of 2009.

National supermarket chain Woolsworth, as ubiquitous as it is throughout Australia, has worked with general and upholstery cleaning in Perth, Sydney, Tasmania, and across the country. So when the company was under investigation by a Fair Works Ombudsman, people took note.

The Fair Works Ombudsman has uncovered something unpleasant, that the Tasmanian branch of Woolsworth had been exploiting cleaners across the state, made possible thanks, in part, to horrible documentation of corporate practices. The inquiry discovered that about 90% of Woolsworth stores in Tasmania were not complying with workplace laws, with some cases of cleaners getting as little as 14$ worth of hourly pay.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James pointed out that this wasn’t even close to legal entitlements. She says that their inquiry discovered that Woolworths Tasmania’s arrangements with regards to its cleaning contracts were deficient, resulting in exploitation happening across levels of its cleaning supply chain. She adds that record keeping by the contractors was nothing sort of spotty; with 84% of the workplace records being inaccurate, if they were documented in the first place.

Woolworths, notably, is the only supermarket chain in Tasmania that outsources its cleaning personnel, but that, according to Ms. James, they still hold a moral and ethical responsibility regarding how the cleaners were treated. She says that the layers    between them and the workers they’ve outsourced doesn’t change or affect that fact at all.

Woolworths itself has released a statement on the matter, saying that it would step in to reimburse workers if the contractors would not do so. A spokesperson from the supermarket chain says that they are committed to playing cleaners found to be underpaid for services they provided to the company.

According to Woolsworth, none of the suppliers that were noted in the ombudsman’s report remain associated with the company, and that they would implement changes to their cleaning services in order to prevent another issue like this, including requiring the use of a payroll system and increasing audits.

What To Consider In A Wedding Caterer In Sydney?

A wedding caterer in Sydney must be chosen carefully and wisely as you want this momentous occasion remembered by you and your guests. You need to ensure that they provide excellent food and that they make an unforgettable experience.

When you get married, you need a great deal of planning, especially that everything must be taken into account. You need a plan to make things work and that you work with the right people. As things may start coming into place, you need to decide on hiring a great wedding caterer in Sydney for the food services. In Sydney alone, there are many caterers and providers offering the best quality service around. However, you need to choose only one, which can be somehow difficult. Here are following things you need to decide to make the right option:

  • Food Selection

The main reason why you need to select a wedding caterer in Sydney it to ensure there is food during the event and that it tastes good. This is one important consideration for you. As guests need to feast with the food, you need to assure everyone that there is enough food served in the event, and that they can enjoy and celebrate your wedding. Find a caterer that will fit your preference and effectively providetheir own touchto the event. It should be enough that you are convinced to do business with them.

  • Reception and Number of Guests

As you want a successful wedding celebration, you need to find a wedding caterer in Sydney that offers the best price and a great package. There are few caterers that aren’t ready for the huge number of guests attending your wedding. These are also those who offer too much for a few number of people. Why not discuss with the caterer what you expect for the reception and have them provide ideas on how to make it successful. It may be wiser to check with a number of caterers and that you note down the various packages they offer. Compare each one especially the price. With thorough research and careful planning, you will likely obtain the right deal.