MEDIA RELEASE 06 11 18
QUESTION:
How do you get talented Tasmanians to return to the State?

ANSWER:
You create exciting new opportunities for them…and Tasmania

The FermenTasmania Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Philippa Dawson as its inaugural CEO – luring her back from Sydney and Canberra and a career building Australia’s export and investment opportunities and diplomatic ties around the globe through her position as COO of Austrade, her work with the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade and roles with the UN and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. 

“Philippa brings a wealth of experience and globally respected networks back to the apple ‘cider’ isle. We are so privileged to be able to work with her.  It is also exciting she is returning home to a job that will help provide future Tasmanians an opportunity to move or return to, and invest in, our fabulous State” Kim Seagram, FermenTasmania Chair

FermenTasmania is about building an incubator that will serve as a regional economic development driver, all based around fermentation: that delicious microbial alchemy transforming barley into beer, grapes into wine, milk into cheese and cabbage into kimchi. Aiming to add ever-more value into local produce before it leaves our shores, FermenTasmania is all about helping create businesses and career paths through the development of new products, the commercial research associated with new product development, skills and training initiatives and tourism opportunities.

Commencing her position on the 6th of November 2018, Philippa will hit the ground running with our successful Cluster Grant from Food Innovation Australia Ltd (FIAL) already in place.  Working closely with FermenTasmania co-founder Tom Lewis and the FermenTasmania Board, she will help drive this exciting project.  FermenTasmania is a collaboration between Industry who have been driving this project from the beginning, the University of Tasmania and Government, and will endeavour to showcase how a true triple helix partnership can really work. 

“I am really excited to be returning home to work on such a significant initiative as FermenTasmania.  The smart specialisation focus of the FermenTasmania concept builds on those areas of Tasmania’s competitive strengths in food and agriculture.  It aligns these with the significant global demands for quality produce and also provides great opportunities to combine Tassie know how and innovation with unique tourism experiences. Tasmania’s well placed to be recognised as a world centre of excellence for fermentation. I am looking forward to using the knowledge and skills that I have gained to help drive this industry-led with government and university partners”. Philippa Dawson, FermenTasmania CEO

Thanks goes out to Maree Tetlow and Northern Tasmanian Development Corp. who were instrumental in the recruitment process and to FIAL for assistance in the interviewing and appointment of Philippa and for the Cluster Grant which without we would not have been able to make the appointment possible.

FACT: Fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation known to man.
FERMENTATION TRANSFORMS… for more information www.fermentasmania.com
For interview requests please contact:
Kim Seagram chair@fermentasmania.com mob 0427 314 153
Philippa Dawson ceo@fermentasmania.com mob 0419 558 153

Have your say about the future of Tasmanian agriculture - what does the future look like and how do we get there?

Big or small - we all make a contribution and it is important that the project hears from as many in the industry as possible.   Here is more information about the Tas Ag Future project www.facebook.com/TasInAg/videos/1859769860736033/

Click on this link and find out how you can participate.  ​http://www.utas.edu.au/tia/research/research-projects/projects/tas-ag-future

To our FermenTasmania supporters near and far,

Thank you sincerely for your ongoing support for this emerging opportunity for Tasmania. As you know FermenTasmania is all about empowering the community - including business, the University and Government - to create a vibrant, sustainable future around the bedrock industries that are our agribusiness and food sectors.

• BUSINESS PLAN: Our operational business plan is pointing to us being self-funded by years 5/6 of operation, provided we are successful in the upcoming Food Innovation Australia Limited Cluster Support funding bid.  You can download Business Plan here.
• LOCATION: We are now actively seeking a development site for the physical structure of the project and want to ensure there is extra space for anyone wanting to set up their operations nearby to maintain access to the facility and equipment.
• FOOTPRINT: Working closely with Todd Henderson from Cumulus Studio, we have a schematic footprint for the 2000 sqm of the FermenTasmania facility, incorporating all the elements needed to create a world-class fermentation powerhouse. Taking a lead from the Mondavi Institute http://robertmondaviinstitute.ucdavis.edu at the University of California’s Davis campus, we need this to be forward thinking, inspirational and of the highest environmental standards.  You can download our footprint here.
• BUDGET: Process Partners, a FermenTasmania supporter, is an engineering firm that sets up commercial fermentation facilities around Australia. They have helped us develop a realistic capital budget for a facility of this vision at just under $8 million dollars.  We are currently seeking support from State, Local and Federal Governments to meet this budget.

The time is right. The opportunity is huge. We are working hard to make it become a reality!


Thank you for your time, energy and passion for this project and your skills and knowledge behind all we do, we look forward to continuing to work with you so we can build not only the facility but the future we want to be a part of.

Sincerely, 
On behalf of the Board of FermenTasmania Ltd
Chair - Kim Seagram
Executive Director - Tom Lewis