CEO focus groups gather leaders' views

Biotech and medtech leaders are participating this week and next in focus groups to share their views and perspectives on industry policy and bolster the 2014 Biotechnology Industry Position Survey, due for release in May.

AusBiotech, hosted and supported by Grant Thornton, is conducting invitation-only roundtable focus groups in NSW today and in Victoria next week to discuss federal government policy and AusBiotech’s advocacy in detail. A Queensland focus group was held yesterday.

The discussion and results will support the findings of the ‘Government Policy’ section of the 2014 Biotechnology Industry Position Survey, as well as informing the future direction of AusBiotech’s advocacy.

The focus of the discussion will be on tax; refining the design of tax incentives in Australia to support innovative companies and high-tech manufacturing to underpin Australia’s future and keep us internationally competitive by attracting and retaining business, and the resulting jobs and exports. AusBiotech advocates making tax incentives an asset for innovation and business, with four pillars:

• Retain the Research & Development (R&D) Tax Incentive, which is a top priority for the life sciences industry;
• Introduce the Australian Innovation and Manufacturing Incentive (AIM Incentive), a ‘patent box’-style incentive to keep home-grown intellectual property (IP) once it reaches commercialisation, as well as associated manufacturing, in Australia;
• Introduce fiscal incentives for investors in pre-revenue and start-up companies; and
• Restore the employee share scheme (ESS) to its pre-2009 form.

The confidential focus groups will feature a policy presentation by AusBiotech, followed by a facilitated discussion by Rory Gregg, Partner at Grant Thornton.

Gregg works with business leaders to help them think differently about change and build high-performing organisations. He regularly speaks on leadership and transformation topics at seminars throughout Australia