Presenter: Mark Sowerby
Organisation: Queensland Chief Entrepreneur

Mark Sowerby is one of Queensland’s most successful entrepreneurs and is best known for his role as the founder and former Managing Director of Blue Sky Alternative Investments Ltd.

Blue Sky is a successful ASX-listed, diversified funds manager, focussed on alternative assets investing across private equity, venture capital, private real estate, water, infrastructure, hedge funds and agriculture.

From its early beginnings in Brisbane, Blue Sky has now grown into one of Australia’s top 300 listed companies, employing over 80 people in Australia and New York. Mark remains an adviser and significant shareholder in the business.

10 years after starting Blue Sky Mark handed the business over to the team to spend more time with his family, and to help with projects that have a positive social impact.

In 2015, Mark received The University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award, was recognised as Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Queensland, and completed a successful crossing of the English Channel. Mark serves on the Board of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and Racing Queensland.

Mark is originally from Warren in western NSW, studying Agricultural Science at The University of Queensland (UQ) before completing a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment through the Securities Institute of Australia and a Masters of Business Administration at UQ.

TOPIC

The Queensland Government is ahead of the pack in its goal to lead the innovation agenda with the appointment of the influential business leader Mark Sowerby as its inaugural Chief Entrepreneur.

Mark will play a game-changing role in setting Queensland’s strategy to identify, attract and nurture opportunities to best position Queensland for innovation success.

The establishment of the Office of the Queensland Chief Entrepreneur is a key Advance Queensland program focussed on nurturing the state’s startup ecosystem, a key generator of jobs in our transitioning economy.

In this webinar, Mark will share his vision for working with local, national and international entrepreneurial communities to help develop and grow Queensland’s innovation ecosystem and attract investment.