1. How did your career journey begin?
My career has revolved around helping companies grow in both Perth and London. This has mainly been through raising capital for companies and working with them to showcase their story in the best possible light to be attractive to potential investors – from publicly listed companies in WA to global insurance companies. Most recently, I was part of the investor relations team at I Squared Capital, a global infrastructure fund with US$13.5 billion under management. I love the fact that I am now able to link my two favourite places through investment and growth.
2. What are you working on at the moment?
The UK is one of the most attractive countries in the world in which to set up a business. It is an innovation hub with world-class talent and skills, R&D and access to early stage funding. As the world’s fifth largest economy and with the lowest corporate tax rate in the G7 and G20, it is an attractive gateway to Europe and the world. The UK is a major trading partner to Australia with extensive historical and cultural ties. The country ranked 7th in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Ranking really is a land alive with opportunity.
The UK Department for International Trade (DIT) helps businesses export, drives inward and outward investment, negotiates market access and trade deals, and champions free trade. For West Australian businesses expanding the into the United Kingdom, DIT provides tailored advice, bespoke research and networking opportunities to companies across multiple sectors and industries, helping to connect companies here with opportunities in the UK. All services are tailored, confidential and free of charge.
3. What do you love about being a part of the Spacecubed community?
I love all of the amazing ideas being developed at Spacecubed – The innovation and creativity shown by the Spacecubed community is inspiring and I am looking forward to seeing what they will go on to achieve in the future.
4. Can you share with us one of your favourite success stories?
You may have heard of the companies that DIT have supported through their international growth. For example, Evari Insure is a Perth insurtech platform giving customers a user-friendly experience and giving business owners the ability to make changes to their policy whenever they need to.
Evari started in 2017 and last year participated in the UK DIT ‘Global Entrepreneur Program’, which helps high-growth overseas companies expand to the UK. This program offers mentoring and business support to non-UK based founders to help them set up and scale their business from a UK global headquarters. Support is free and includes mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs, help to develop business plans, assistance with relocating to the UK, introductions to key networks including investors, and continued help from DIT once you are in the UK.
The opportunities that their UK expansion has created are obvious. As well as business growth, just last month, Evari co-founder Daniel Fogarty was joined on a panel by the Lord Mayor of the City of London and Woodside Chairman Richard Goyder to discuss potential opportunities in ‘Smart cities’ between WA and the UK.
They will soon be issuing earthquake insurance to businesses in California, written on Lloyd’s of London paper, using technology developed in Perth.
5. What do you hope to achieve in 2019 in working with Spacecubed?
I hope that this year I can help some of the amazing Spacecubed companies to achieve their goals on a global scale!
So, when you are ready to expand internationally or if you would like to learn more about the UK or the services we offer, please get in touch with Kirsty via this link as she would love to support the Spacecubed community in their growth strategy to take on the world.
