The Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) board elected a new Chair, Mark McKenzie, during its 2017 AGM this week.
Mr McKenzie is the CEO of Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) and holds formal qualifications in civil engineering (BEng) and business (MBA).
The regular Convenience World contributor has extensive commercial and public-policy experience, and says his deep personal commitment is to ensure that future national telecommunications policy and national competition policy make fair and just provision for the specific needs of Australia’s small-business sector.
Mr McKenzie has previously worked with the ACT public service, the NRMA Group of Companies, Abbott Tout Lawyers and the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce.
“I’m proud to be working with such a strong team to advocate for small businesses in Australia,” he said of his COSBOA role. “We know how hard small businesses work to create jobs, and we will continue to work with the parliament to get policies that help small businesses to succeed.
“There are so many issues that impact the ability of small businesses to grow and I will work to make sure that the COSBOA team continues to provide national advocacy across all policy areas.”
Mr McKenzie replaces outgoing Chair Paul Nielsen, who is leaving the position to spend more time on his own small businesses, and at the AGM was thanked for his services to the board and recognised for the positive contribution he had made to the strength of COSBOA’s advocacy for small business.
“COSBOA is in a strong position thanks to the leadership provided by Paul Nielsen to our organisation,” Mr McKenzie said. “I thank Paul for his contribution to COSBOA, particularly in the areas of cyber security and governance.”
Mr Nielsen will remain as a Director on the COSBOA board to support a smooth transition. COSBOA CEO Peter Strong and Mr McKenzie have worked closely on a range of policy issues over the past three years and are looking forward to a strong working relationship.
“I look forward to working more closely with Mark as the new COSBOA Chair, and will continue to build on the strong advocacy we provide for small businesses in Australia,” Mr Strong said.
