Our
Capabilities
Export Connect services to food and agribusinesses are offered on a project or retainer basis and can include:
- National & international market insights and competitor audits
- Market prioritisation scorecards
- Export pricing and market selection strategies
- Market access requirements
- Market-specific pitch development
- Business matching with relevant export market retailers, distributors and e-commerce platforms
- Tailored market visit programmes
- Outsourced export market development functions
Export Connect also provides services to food and agribusiness stakeholders, including Government Trade Agencies and Industry Associations, such as:
- Export and national capability-building workshops
- Export and national pathway programs
- Group market visit programmes
- Inbound buyer missions
- Trade show support
Since founding in 2017, Export Connect has delivered:
Our Team
Mike Harley
Non-Executive Director
Mike brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience in general management, marketing, sales, strategy and innovation across global consumer goods markets, including Australasia, Asia, Latin America and Europe.
He was most recently Chief Commercial Officer at Ego Pharmaceuticals, leading Sales, Marketing and operational performance across Australia, the Middle East, the UK, China and Southeast Asia. Prior to starting his own business, he held executive roles with National Foods, Fonterra and Reckitt Benckiser in Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
For the past 12 years, Mike has delivered consulting, training and advisory support to major industry bodies (Dairy Australia, Wine Australia, Hort Innovation, MLA and Food SA) as well as SMEs and start-ups including The Healthy Grain (BARLEYmax®), Fresh Fodder and The Fruit Box Group. His corporate clients include TerryWhite Chemmart, Total Tools, Laser Plumbing & Electrical, Lamb Weston, Simplot, Huon Aquaculture, Beechworth Honey and Ego Pharmaceuticals.
He also developed national export and innovation programs with FIAL, supporting more than 100 businesses.
Mike is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Chair of Bicycles for Humanity – Melbourne, and co-author of Strategisation.
Howard Hurwitz
Market Development Director
Howard is a highly experienced FMCG sales and business development expert with an an outstanding record of achievement across Australian national key accounts as well as international export market development, specialising in the Asian, Pacific, and Middle East regions. He’s developed and launched proprietary and private label brands in national accounts across different categories and trade channels.
Howard has over three decades worth of experience in food marketing, having worked as the Export Manager for Cerebos Australia and more recently, as the the International Sales Manager and National Account Manager for Birch & Waite, where he was responsible for profitable sales and business growth nationally and across a range of international markets.
Oujan Paad
Business & Project Executive
Oujan is our Business and Project Executive, and another successful graduate of the Export Connect Internship Programme. Since joining Export Connect in November 2017, he has liaised with over 50 domestic and international clients and stakeholders to develop market appraisals for the GCC and Asia in addition to capability-building workshops and industry export strategy plans.
Oujan graduated from Macquarie University with a high distinction average in Commerce, majoring in Marketing and International Business. While completing his degree, he also worked as a Marketing Assistant for a prominent preventative healthcare company operating out of NSW and Tasmania, helping to develop creative and informative digital content by collaborating with Exercise Physiologists, Occupational Therapists, and other allied health professionals.
Oujan plays an active role in Export Connect’s internship program; collaborating with 5 universities across the state to recruit, manage and mentor the students as part of their business undergraduate degrees and MBA programs.
Alexia Matsas
Project Manager
Alexia joined our team at Export Connect in February 2021 as a Project Manager. Prior to this, she served as a Project Intern for 3 months and helped to develop workshop materials and pitch decks. Over the years, she has engaged with a multitude of food and beverage businesses, international buyers and stakeholders.
Her contributions include developing comprehensive market research reports, crafting tailored market-specific pitch decks, creating workshop material and managing our website and CRM platforms. Additionally, Alexia leads the organisation and facilitation of Export Connect’s Australian Inbound Buyer Missions, Market Visit Programmes and Pathway Programmes.
She holds a double degree in Business and Creative Intelligence and Innovation, with a specialisation in Marketing and Business Law, which she earned from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in 2020. Demonstrating her commitment to professional development, she also completed a Certificate IV in Project Management in 2022, further honing her skills and knowledge in the field.
Internship Programme
The Export Connect Internship Programme offers university students the chance to gain real-world export market development experience as part of their course curriculum, with a special focus on the food and agribusiness industry. From day one, our interns have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of real industry projects, enabling them to develop hands-on business skills, gain practical and up-to-date industry and market knowledge, and build their professional network. Our interns work across a broad range of tasks and projects – from export market assessments to buyer pitch development, export workshops, digital solutions and market specific food taster events.
“Being able to work so closely with Najib has allowed me to gain industry insight into the export/food industry which is an amazing opportunity at this stage of my career path. The small team has allowed for a very cohesive and friendly working environment.”
- Louisa
“I felt I was being listened to.... I got to present in front of the clients in Melbourne, as well as during Company Day 1 in front of the whole Export Connect Team. I also joined Najib during the ANZ bank breakfast and met ANZ.”
- Yuliya
“I was provided with a great deal of autonomy and responsibility in creating a new product from the ground up, an experience which really challenged my problem-solving and creativity skills. It was incredibly rewarding experience that I would recommend to anyone looking to gain experience and develop their skillsets.”
- Matthew
Partner Universities
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