StartupSmart Awards 2012

Philip Weinman is a serial entrepreneur. He founded HiSoft in 1983, growing it into a $300 million turnover company. He then founded CTS Travel and Events before founding Deasil Management Group, which invests in start-ups.

In 1995, Philip founded CTS Travel and Events and four years later the company merged with Internet Travel Group, which then listed with a turnover in excess of $450 million. The Internet Travel Group was then acquired by Flight Centre.

Gillian Franklin is recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative marketers, with a passion and commitment to supporting women in business. She is managing director of her own company, The Heat Group one of Australia’s leading personal care companies. Gillian has grown the business from five employees working out of a coffee shop to a thriving company with more than 90 staff.

Prior to this, Gillian was the youngest ever GM at Revlon at the age of 25. She was inducted into the Australian Business Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998.

Fred Schebesta is a founder of Finder.com.au which runs a comparison network of sites which include: Credit Card Finder, Home Loan Finder, Life Insurance Finder and Savings Account Finder. Fred loves to save people money and help entrepreneurs with their online marketing.

Previously Fred was involved with Freestyle Media which was acquired in 2007.

You can follow him on Twitter: @schebesta.

Nicole Kersh is the founder of 4Cabling, Australia’s leading online Server Rack and Cable Wholesaler.

Nicole has steered her fast-growing company to success in SmartCompany’s Smart50 Awards in 2011, and in the StartupSmart Awards 2011. Nicole herself is also an inductee into SmartCompany’s Hot 30 under 30.

Bruce Jeffreys was part of the Sustainability Unit within the NSW Department of Planning, where he worked sustainable development for new residential homes and apartments. In 2003, with business partner Nic Lowe, he founded Australia’s first and now largest professional car sharing service, GoGet.

Paul Clements is a founding principal and CEO of Clements Dunne & Bell, a chartered accountancy and business advisory service. Previously, Paul worked for PKF Chartered Accountants. He has advised various small business and not-for-profit boards.

Oliver Milman is the editor of StartupSmart. He has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, most recently as a senior reporter at B&T.

Oliver previously worked on the UK online publication Startups.co.uk.

Amanda Gome is the founder and publisher of smartcompany.com.au and SmartCompany.com.au. Previously she was an editor and senior writer at BRW magazine where her passion and interest in entrepreneurship led her to founding and editing the Fast 100 list and the Emerging Companies section.

Over two decades in business journalism, Amanda has interviewed almost every entrepreneur in this country worth their salt … and plenty that weren’t! She is also an adjunct professor of business at RMIT University, lectures students in entrepreneurship and regularly comments on business.

James Thomson is the editor of SmartCompany.com.au. Most recently James was a senior editor at news and commentary website Business Spectator.

Prior to that, James was editor of BRW’s Rich 200, Young Rich and Executive Rich editions. James specialises in wealthy entrepreneurs and business strategy.