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WATCH > The Advance Awards 2020 held online.

READ MORE > Overview of the Advance Awards 2020


Opening | 6.30pm

We welcome the Sydney Children’s Choir who will perform The Ether of Infinity, from ‘Moments that Shaped Australia’ (Walker). Conducted by Lyn Williams AM > Watch

Australians are a pretty innovative and inventive bunch, coming up with marvels like the Hills Hoist and Vegemite, but one of our greatest accomplishments is undoubtedly the invention of wi-fi. Today, wi-fi technology is everywhere, and it’s hard to imagine life without it. And while we may have a long way to go in being truly forward thinking as a nation, it’s nice to know we are capable of creating the most wondrous ways of bringing people closer together.

Gondwana Choirs comprises the most accomplished choral groups of young people in Australia. Led by Artistic Director & Founder, Lyn Williams AM, the organisation is synonymous with performance excellence and has a reputation for the highest standards of young people’s choral music in Australia and internationally. MORE >


Welcome to country

Protocols for welcoming visitors to Country have been a part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures for thousands of years. Despite the absence of fences or visible borders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups had clear boundaries separating their Country from that of other groups. Crossing into another group’s Country required a request for permission to enter. When permission was granted the hosting group would welcome the visitors, offering them safe passage and protection of their spiritual being during the journey. While visitors were provided with a safe passage, they also had to respect the protocols and rules of the land owner group while on their Country. A Welcome to Country is delivered by Traditional Owners, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been given permission from Traditional Owners, to welcome visitors to their Country.


Welcome from the Advance.org Chair

Yasmin Allen is the Chairman of Advance, a non-executive director at ASX Limited, Cochlear Limited and Santos Limited. Yasmin is also Chairman of the Digital Skills Organisation, Chairman of Faethm.ai, Chairman of the Harrison Riedel Foundation, Acting President of the Australian Takeovers Panel, a Director of the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra and a member of the board of The George Institute for Global Health, a medical research and commercialisation group.


Award Presentations

The Advance Arts Award Winner for 2020 is Christopher Doyle

The Advance Award for the Arts recognises Global Australians who are using their creative skills (across art and design, architecture, fashion, film, literature, music, and other performing arts) in innovative ways, such as working across creative mediums or introducing creative concepts into new markets. The Award will be presented by Robi Stanton, Vice President, International Television Distribution at Warner Bros. for Australia & New Zealand. Meet the finalists Garry McQuinn, Dr Christian Thompson AO, Christopher Doyle and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Commercial Creatives Award Winner for 2020 is Tim Kentley Klay

The Advance Award for Commercial Creatives recognises Global Australians who shape the delivery of creative endeavours (art and design, architecture, fashion, film, literature, music, and other performing arts) with a focus on sustainable commercial outcomes, and in so doing, extend the audience reach and push the frontiers of innovation. The Award will be presented by Carol Schwartz AO, Board Member, Reserve Bank of Australia. Meet the finalists Jess Conoplia, Charles Caldas, Tim Kentley Klay and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Education Award Winner for 2020 is Olivia Humphrey

The Advance Award for Education recognises Global Australians who have established new and innovative academic products, or approached learning disciplines with a fresh perspective, driving a positive impact for education and lifelong learning. The Award will be presented by Melanie Brock, Founder Nichigo Network and Advance Ambassador in Japan. Meet the finalists Olivia Humphrey, Professor Justin Wolfers, Professor Karen Thorpe and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Financial Services Award Winner for 2020 is Jennifer Nason

The Advance Award for Financial Services recognises Global Australians making a difference and looking at new ways to tackle issues and/or make an impact through their work in financial services. The Award will be presented by Senator the Hon. Jane Hume, she has been Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology in the Morrison Government. Meet the finalists Jennifer Nason, Paul Chapman, Shuyin Tang and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Life Sciences Award Winner for 2020 is Professor Jill Banfield

The Advance Award for Life Sciences recognises those Global Australians who are trailblazers dedicated to improving health and wellbeing outcomes and our understanding of living organisms. The Award will be presented by Professor Karen Day AM, Professor of Population Biology and Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the University of Melbourne Meet the finalists Professor Jill Banfield, Professor David Hunter, Dr Sandro Demaio, Professor John McHutchison AO and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Social Impact Award Winner for 2020 is Nicholas Wyman

The Advance Award for Social Impact recognises Global Australians working in the profit, non-profit or public sector whose sustained actions to improve society are making a positive impact on the lives of others. The Award will be presented by Deanne Stewart, the Chief Executive Officer at Aware Super. Meet the finalists Sophie Blackall, Samah Hadid, Andrew Hudson, Nicholas Wyman and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Sustainablity Award Winner for 2020 is Dr Bart Kolodziejczyk

The Advance Award for Sustainability recognises Global Australians who have created, innovated, designed or delivered sustainable processes or programs that not only make a positive contribution to local and global communities, but help improve the future of our planet. The Award will be presented by Professor Gregory McRae, Bayer Professor of Chemical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Meet the finalists Professor Jenni Evans, Caroline Angoorly, Dr Bart Kolodziejczyk and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Technology & Science Award Winner for 2020 is Dr Abigail Allwood

The Advance Award for Technology & Science recognises Global Australians who harness their research expertise and experience to drive innovation, solve problems, and create new markets that propel the frontiers of science. The Award will be presented by Robyn Denholm, an experienced Executive & Board Member of Tesla. Meet the finalists Dr Abigail Allwood, Professor Bryan Gaensler, Professor Daryl Williams, Dr David Pender and former winners of this Award.


Interval | 7.30pm

Peace on Earth, by Christopher Gordon from the closing performance of the Gondwana World Choral Festival conducted by Lyn Williams AM > Watch

COMBINED CHOIRS Featuring the Nagoya Children’s Chorus, Riga Cathedral Girls’ Choir, Boston Children’s Chorus, La Cigale de Lyon, Inner Mongolian Youth Choir, Estonian Television Girls’ Choir, Toronto Children’s Chorus, the Sydney Children’s Choir, Miami Children’s Chorus, Young Adelaide Voices and partner school choirs Abbotsleigh Chamber Choir, Pymble Chorale, SCEGGS Darlinghurst Choir | Artistic Director Lyn Williams | Piano Antonio Fernandez and Sally Whitwell | Arabic text by Gabr Elgafi | Tharawal translation by Matthew Doyle

Text
Nagun garawanga wadao darinan mina bamal
(Good dreams come to people of mother earth)
In terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis
Ala el Ard el Salaam, Waa lil Gamieea el Hanaa
Peace on earth, goodwill to all


Remarks | 7.45pm

The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO is Australia’s Ambassador to the United States of America, taking up his posting in Washington in February 2020. Ambassador Sinodinos was previously Australia’s Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and was a Senator for New South Wales in the Australian Parliament from 2011 to 2019. During his parliamentary career, he also held other key roles in and outside Cabinet, including Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Treasurer. Over a career spanning four decades, Ambassador Sinodinos has dedicated his professional life to the advancement of Australia and its people. On the election of the Hon. John Howard AC as Prime Minister of Australia in 1996, Ambassador Sinodinos was appointed the Prime Minister’s Senior Economic Adviser and in 1997, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, a position he held for nine years.


Pinnacle Award Presentations

The Advance Alumni Award Winner for 2020 is Premesh Chandran

The Advance Award for Alumni recognises graduates of Australian universities who are neither resident in Australia, nor Australian citizens and have leveraged their Australian education to achieve success and impact in their chosen field. The Award will be presented by Zoe Daniel, a communications specialist, journalist, speaker and author. Meet the finalists Premesh Chandran, Nukila Evanty, Dr Vandana Joshi and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Emerging Leader Award Winner for 2020 is Dr Susan Graham

The Advance Award for Emerging Leaders recognises Global Australians who represent the next generation of Australian innovators, thought leaders, creators and collaborators – the people who have the talent and the tenacity to showcase Australian ingenuity to the world. The Award will be presented by Peter Verwer AO, is the Australian Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Global Business and Talent Attraction. Meet the finalists Yong in Cho, Dr Susan Graham, Dr Samuel Wills and Dr Pichamon Yeophantong.


The Advance Asia Impact Award Winner for 2020 is Dr Rossa Chiu

One of Advance’s Pinnacle Awards, the Asia Impact Award recognises a Global Australian who is making an outstanding contribution in the world’s most populous region. The Award will be presented by Doug Ferguson. Doug is the NSW Chairman of KPMG and the Partner in Charge, Asia and International Markets. He is also on the board at Advance. Meet the finalists Thomas Ko, Cat Thao Nguyen, Dr Rossa Chiu and former winners of this Award.


The Advance Global Impact Award Winner for 2020 is Dr John McHutchison AO

One of Advance’s Pinnacle Awards, the Global Impact Award recognises those outstanding Global Australians who are pioneers in their field, whose sustained commitment enables them to deliver exceptional outcomes that have true global impact. The Award will be presented by Mike Cannon-Brookes Jnr, the Co-founder/Co-CEO of Atlassian.


The Advance Australia Global Icon Award Winner for 2020 is Sophie Blackall

One of Advance’s Pinnacle Awards, the Australian Icon Award recognises outstanding Global Australians with immense talent who represent Australia on the world stage to diverse audiences. The Award will be presented by Ita Buttrose, an Australian journalist, businesswoman, television personality, author and the new chair of the ABC.


Remarks and presentation | 7.45pm

The Hon. Scott Morrison MP is Australia’s 30th Prime Minister. Mr Morrison will join us and make some preliminary remarks before presenting the Global Australian Award 2020.


The Advance Global Australia Award Winner for 2020 is Dr Abigail Allwood

The 2020 Advance Global Australian Award Winner is the overall winner of the Advance Awards 2020.


The Advance Global Australia Award Winner for 2020 is Tim Kentley Klay

The 2020 Advance Global Australian Award Winner is the overall winner of the Advance Awards 2020.


Closing remarks | 8.30pm

Maria MacNamara is the CEO of Advance.org. She has specialist expertise in policy, politics, professional services and digital transformation. Maria spent over 25 years working in the professional services sector leading marketing and business development teams in Australia and New Zealand. She was the head of Strategy and Engagement at the Digital Transformation Agency within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and head of Strategy and Policy at WIRO in the Department of Customer Services in the NSW Government. Maria is an active participant in and supporter of the Australian innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. More


Closing

Gerib Sik Dance Troupe, Traditional Dances of Mer Island, Torres Strait > Watch


Resources

Media release – 16 October 2020 > More
Finalists for the Advance Awards 2020 > More
Watch the Advance Awards 2020 > More
About the Advance Awards > More


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