the four women posing for photo

Women leaders take stock of Israeli technology innovation

Cyber security, the internet of things and Israel’s cutting edge innovation will be major issues to be studied as part of a business delegation of senior women business leaders heading to Israel this week.

“Israel’s ability to innovate from a population base only a third of Australia’s should have all Australian business people intrigued,” delegation leader and company director Diane Smith-Gander told The Australian.

She said the delegation would focus on Israel’s innovation ecosystem, cyber security and retail tech offerings. “I am particularly interested in how the cyber security offerings might help Australian companies look around the corner,” she said.

Ms Smith-Gander said she was also keen to see if there were any ideas she could bring back in her role as a director of Wesfarmers, which owns Coles, Bunnings, Officeworks, Target and Kmart.

Ms Smith-Gander is returning for her second visit to Israel after a trip last year.

“I know I will unlock more lessons on this trip to make me a more informed non-executive director,” she said.

“Collaborations between government, business and academia in Israel are many and successful. I want to dig into how we could copy this in Australia.”

Read the full article by Glenda Korporaal and Damon Kitney at The Australian.