Lumen Summer 2018 - Flipbook - Page 22
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Andrew Cooper,
photo by Mike Smith
Pictures
F
amily business in Australia is serious
business. Accounting for approximately
two-thirds of all enterprise and
contributing around $4.3 trillion to our
economy each year, the family business sector is
undoubtedly thriving.
According to University of Adelaide’s Family
Business and Research Group Co-Founder
and Director Dr Chris Graves, recognition of
the family business sector’s importance to our
economy is increasing.
“What we are seeing from a government and
policy level is a growing recognition of the
family business sector, how important it is to
our economy and also how different these
businesses are.
“Consider a normal family – family
relationships go through cycles, parenting,
retirement, marriage ups and downs. Overlap
these family stages with the responsibilities
of running a business and the dynamic gets
infinitely more complicated,” he said.
The University of Adelaide also sees these
challenges. Since starting the Family Business
Education and Research Group (FBERG) in
2011, the University has introduced family
business into the regular undergraduate
program at the Adelaide Business School and
is also offering a Graduate Certificate in Family
Enterprise.
“Whether you are a family or non-family
member employee, adviser or manager,
everyone needs to know what makes family
businesses unique and the challenges they face,
as well as to provide insight into what innate
strengths the family business has that can be
leveraged as a competitive advantage,” Chris said.
For more information about the
University of Adelaide’s FBERG, visit:
business.adelaide.edu.au/research/fberg
Andrew Cooper,
Coopers Brewery
Andrew Cooper recently made history by
becoming the first sixth-generation member
of the Cooper clan to work full-time for the
156 year old brewer.
And what a time to join the company.
Late last year, the largest Australian owned
brewer opened a $65 million malting plant that
has been hailed the most technically advanced
of its kind in the world.
As account manager of Coopers’ distribution
arm Premium Beverages, Andrew started his
career in banking. It wasn’t until he was a few
years into his career that he decided to switch
20
THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
things up and studied an MBA at the University
of Adelaide.
“I was around 24 when I got a strong sense of
clarity and conviction in what I wanted to do
with my working life, and that was to join
Coopers,” he said.
Like Andrew, not everyone in the family starts
out working in the business. Looking at
Coopers’ current management, there are family
members who have studied incredibly diverse
fields, including medicine, art, history and
economics.
“The current senior management team is fifth
generation, and there is certainly a diverse range
of backgrounds, qualifications and skills.
The different yet complementary skills,
I believe, have been a strong positive
contributor to Coopers’ success in recent
decades,” said Andrew.
In fact, there is a policy that family members
must work outside the family business first, and
they must be at least 30 before they join the
firm.
Andrew was 33 when he joined Coopers.
“I would never give back the experience I
gained, the people I met and the enjoyment I
felt during those years working elsewhere,”
he said.
“We actually have other sixth generation family
members gaining experience outside the
company in a vast array of areas right now,”
said Andrew. “I find that exciting and
encouraging for the future.”
Victoria and Richard Angove,
Angove Family Winemakers
They’re the fifth generation Angoves
continuing the 132 year old family business’
success, despite competition from commercial
and industrial wine makers and a plethora of
smaller wineries.
Victoria and Richard Angove, joint Managing
Directors of Angove Family Winemakers, took
the reins of the company when their father John
retired in 2016.
As siblings sharing the top job, Victoria and
Richard have a strong relationship.
“We realised very early on there was no room
for egos if we were going to successfully work
together,” said Victoria.
“The support and total trust I have in Richard
and his decision making is the best thing … and
the worst. Siblings always know how to push
your buttons!”
Both are University of Adelaide alumni –
