The 2022 Ethnic Business Awards (EBA) were held last Saturday 10 December at the Four Seasons hotel in Sydney. Whilst this years awards lacked finalists with an Hellenic background the stories were nonetheless inspiring.
More than 300 people from many diverse backgrounds descended on the event, which celebrates excellence among business owners from Indigenous and migrant backgrounds.
In recognising the significant achievements of First Nations and migrant professionals, the awards highlight their contributions to the nation’s business, economy and multiculturalism at large.
The awards were founded in 1988 by Joseph Assaf AO, a Lebanese migrant who arrived in the country in 1967 at the age of 22 with “No English, no money and no family.” As Australia’s longest running business awards, this year marked the institution’s 33rd anniversary.
Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and the Arts Tony Burke headlined the event representing the prime minister, joined by various ministers, shadow ministers, ambassadors, consul generals among other dignitaries.
The 2022 Indigenous in Business award went to Robby Mallard, CEO of Mallard Contracting in Osborne Park, Western Australia. Mr. Mallard’s business operations developed from humble beginnings as an apprentice plumber in the WA town of Carnarvon.
He now runs four successful businesses with offices across the state. Today Mallard Contracting employs over 60 people, currently placed in the top 20 Aboriginal businesses in WA. Robby said in his EBA profile that “we will be judged not by how much money we make but by how many lives we change for the better’.
Kristen McPhail, director of Pachamama Early Education and Childcare in Lesmurdie WA, was honoured with the 2022’s Small Business Award. She left the USA for Australia in 1987 with little more than a suitcase.
Ms. McPhail started the Pachamama group in mid-2012 after 25 years filling executive roles in the financial industry. From six employees at its inception, the Pachamama group now boasts a staff of 57.
The 2022 Henry Ngai award for Medium to Large Business was awarded to Charlie Shahin AO, managing director of the Peregrine Corporation out of Kensington Park, SA.
Born in Lebanon as a Palestinian refugee in the wake of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, Mr. Shahin’s family migrated to Australia when the opportunity arose in 1984. Having settled in Adelaide, the struggles of a migrant’s life were only made too apparent. Without employment and with limited funds, his father Fred decided to purchase a service station with an adjoining house on the property.
From three employees including Charlie at its beginning, the Shahin family worked hard growing their business. By 1988 they’d established another two service stations with the business growing rapidly in the following years.
Today under Charlie’s leadership, the Peregrine Corporation is 6,000 employees strong; operating 170 service stations across the country, a number of fast food franchises and 224 giftshops.
With an annual revenue of almost $3 billion, Peregrine is one of the largest private companies in Australia, and the largest private employer in the state of South Australia.
As always, the EBA’s continue to enshrine the enduring contributions of Indigenous and migrant peoples to the social fabric of Australia.
