Directors

Richard Brooks
Chairman

Richard is a proven CEO, company director and board chair with strong leadership and operational skills. A diverse range of financial, management, marketing and advocacy skills have been gained from 18 years of hands on association management and board appointments following significant management experience in the timber and building industry. Well qualified and experienced in the diverse areas of association and small business management with a commitment to good governance practices and stakeholder consultation.

He has implemented diverse programs in the interests of industry with a particular focus on industrial relations, skills development, industry viability and sustainability. A firm believer in the need for advocacy at all levels in conjunction with broad consultation and effective communication if successful outcomes are to be achieved.

Peter Murray
Vice Chairman

Certificate in Business Facilitation, Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training.

Peter is the President of BECA and annually administer the national conference jointly with NEIS and NIIA. He runs a BEC on eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Business Management experience includes ownership and operation of small business (partner in home-based Management Consultancy; and Director of Investment Management company), management experience in large industry (finance, superannuation and banking), and managing the BEC at Box Hill Institute – Victoria’s Specialist Centre for Services to SMEs. I have also provided business mentoring and business counselling to a number of small business owners.

Peter Strong
National Independent Retailers' Organisation

Peter Strong has spent much of the last 20 years in change management at the business, community and national level.  He has worked for the Australian Government and with NGOs, the World Bank and the United Nations.  He has worked on national business and employment policy and international projects aimed at assisting countries and regions experiencing substantial economic and social change.  

This has included work in China where he has assisted unemployed women start small businesses through the development of a business incubator and business advisory services.  He also worked in Turkey with Government and community leaders preparing for that country’s entry into the European Community and for coping with the changes coming from industry and enterprise restructuring. He worked in the former Soviet Union on the major structural changes occurring in the early to mid 1990s.   

Peter has written several business related publications and represents small business organisations on a number of government and industry advisory groups including the Tax Office, the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission and Treasury. 

Peter is also Chairman of the Board for the Bendigo Community Bank branches in Canberra and owns a bookshop in Canberra that employs 5 staff.

Bob Stanton
Independent Retailers Organisation WA

Bob owns and runs Myaree Mini Mart in Perth WA. A small business expanding with further outlets being opened around the surrounding suburbs. He has 18 years of experience. He is also the President of the IRO and has increased its membership and effectiveness considerably, since taking over.

Vicki Stylianou
General Manager – Representation & Innovation, National Institute of Accountants (NIA)

Vicki came to the NIA in June 2007 from federal Treasury, where she worked in the areas of tax policy, financial literacy, prudential regulation and as the Treasury representative in the Office of Best Practice Regulation. Vicki is a lawyer by profession having practiced in commercial litigation for a number of years, both in Australia and overseas. Her role at the NIA includes managing the NIA’s technical and advocacy functions which incorporates public policy and small business. Approximately two-thirds of the NIA’s members work in and around small business.

Jaye Radisich
CEO 

Jaye Radisich was appointed as CEO of the Council of Small Business of Australia in February 2009. Prior to this, she was a member of the Parliament of Western Australia first elected in 2001. Ms Radisich served two terms before retiring undefeated in 2008, and is the youngest woman ever to be elected to the Parliament of Western Australia. During her term as an elected representative Ms Radisich was promoted to the office of Parliamentary Secretary for Energy; Resources; Industry and Enterprise. She also chaired the Economics and Industry Standing Committee after serving as a Member of the Public Accounts Committee.

Throughout her professional career, Ms Radisich’s broad range of involvement with small business in Australia includes work on policy issues like the Wine Equalisation Tax, buy local food campaign, retail trading hours, advocating for better telecommunications services and providing strategic support to small businesses in the Information Communications and Technology sector.

Ms Radisich holds Bachelors of Laws and Arts from the University of Western Australia, and has completed Executive Education at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.