Gal Shivtiel
Managing Director, GIG Retail
MC and Keynote Speaker: International Consumer and Retail Trends
Gal has worked within the retail industry for most of his career – working in both marketing and trading roles for retailers in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Including Asda in the UK, Walmart in the US and China and Coles in Australia.
In 2009, Gal set up GIG Retail, a Global Strategic Retail Consultancy with a significant focus on understanding changes in shopper habits. GIG has since grown to a team of over 70 people and work with retailers and brands round the world. For retailers, their focus is on delivering strategic thinking on how to land the most customer-centric and effective retail strategies. Whilst for brands, the team work on bringing to life winning brand campaigns in retail.
Gal will be sharing with us some of the customer trends that are being seen around the world as countries come out of their COVID-19 lockdowns and will be sharing concepts and initiatives on how some retailers are addressing these trends to differentiate and win in their markets.
John-Paul Drake
Director, Drakes Supermarkets
Keynote Speaker: Supporting Local: connecting with your local community and its greater ecosystem
Roger Drake opened his first supermarket in Mitcham, South Australia in 1974, employing 4 staff. Fast forward 47 years, and Drakes Supermarkets now operates over 60 stores in South Australia and Queensland, employing 5,500 staff with an annual turnover in excess of $1 billion, while still remaining family owned and operated in South Australia.
John-Paul joined the family business in 1990 while still in school. Starting as a nightfill worker, pushing trolleys and stacking shelves, he progressed to managing departments and eventually entire stores. JP spent a number of years in Queensland running the state operations before moving back to SA to take up the role of Assistant General Manager under the tutelage of Bob Soang. Today, he is a Director of Drakes, and a leader of the business.
Having spent his entire life in the grocery industry, JP has developed a keen interest in digital and food trends, and their relevance to the grocery industry. More recently, JP has been the driving force behind the next cultural and brand evolution of Drakes, advocating for a business that talks directly to their team, customers and suppliers; building on the core values that Roger started. His desire to be honest, authentic and communicative is rare in an industry that traditionally operates behind closed doors
Trent Twomey
Guild National President
Keynote Speaker: Guild Update
Trent Twomey was elected as National President of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia in March 2021.
Trent has been involved with the Guild for over 10 years and was part of the successful negotiating team for the Sixth and Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreements.
He is Secretary of the World Pharmacy Council, immediate Past Chairman and Director of Advance Cairns, an Adjunct Professor at James Cook University, a Council Member of the Queensland Futures Institute, and a trustee for the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Trent and his wife are both pharmacists and own a small group of pharmacies in Northern Queensland.
Dennis Bastas
Chairman and CEO, Arrotex
Keynote Speaker: Delivering a better quality of life to all Australians through independent pharmacy
Dennis has extensive experience across pharmaceuticals – retail and wholesale – and is currently the Executive Chairman and CEO of the Arrotex Australia Group of companies and Chairman at Juno Pharmaceuticals.
In 2015 Dennis, in partnership with Strides Pharmaceuticals, acquired the Arrow business from Aspen Pharmaceuticals for $350M. After buying out the Strides ownership in Arrow Pharmaceuticals in 2019, he merged the business with Apotex Australia to form Arrotex Pharmaceuticals. Prior to this, Dennis founded Ascent Pharmaceuticals in 2003 and as CEO went on to build a successful, Australian and Asian generic pharmaceutical company which was ultimately sold to Actavis Pharmaceuticals in 2012 for $400M.
Dennis was also the major shareholder and Chairman of the Central Healthcare group of companies which he developed in 2010 and which included CHS, a pharmacy wholesaling business, and PharmaSave, a retail pharmacy group. Dennis went on to sell the Central Healthcare group of companies to Sigma Pharmaceuticals in 2014.
Dennis is also currently the major shareholder and Chairman of myDNA – a world leading pharmacogenomic and health genomic platform technology.
Dr. Ganesh Naidoo
Medical Director and CEO, Medmate Group
Keynote Speaker: The digital revolution annual pharmacy – engage more customers and create new sales channels
Dr. Naidoo BSc(biomed), MBBS, FRACGP is a leading digital health expert, medical doctor, co-founder and CEO of Medmate Group. He is an Australian General Practitioner based in Melbourne, Victoria.
Ganesh has significant clinical experience in multiple areas of Australia. He previously held senior executive roles as Head of Primary Care for Fullerton Healthcare and National Medical Director for Health & Co (a division of Healius Limited). Ganesh has a passion for digital health transformation.
He holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science from Monash University, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Queensland, a graduate of the General Management Program from the University of Cambridge and a fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
Frank Sirianni
Managing Director, Medici Capital
Keynote Speaker: How COVID-19 and the Wesfarmers/Woolworths bid on API could impact the value of your pharmacy
Frank holds Bachelor of Economics (Honours) and Master of Economics degrees. He has over 41 years’ experience in the health industry and consults to current and prospective business owners, lending institutions, industry bodies, Government, manufacturers and wholesalers. He was instrumental in the creation of the goodwill loan, and the business valuation and bank lending policies to support it. Frank’s strengths are his innovative and solutions driven approach, supported by high level analytical and research skills.