Sunshine Coast corporate leaders keeping low profiles reveal future vision
Meet the people behind the scenes of some of the region’s biggest companies and how they’re planning for the region’s future.
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It’s an exciting time for the Sunshine Coast as the region gets ready for the 2032 Olympic Games and continues to cope with the influx of southerners moving to Queensland.
While there’s much noise being made about our region we’ve checked in with some people behind the scenes ensuring the Sunshine Coast is a place worth visiting.
There are hundreds of Sunshine Coast residents who are achieving great things for their business and the community.
You may not have heard of them, but below are some of the men and women who are making waves.
Meet the Sunshine Coast’s secret power players.
Andrew Fairbairn
As a Noosa local, Andrew Fairbairn is fostering his passion for the region by working at Visit Sunshine Coast as the head of industry and trade development.
Mr Fairbairn, who studied at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said he’s excited by his job daily which he uses to elevate other businesses to prosper.
“What excites me is that I work for the regional tourism body and work with businesses to grow their businesses and promote business in my home town,” Mr Fairbairn said.
“I have a passion for talking to people and helping people, I work with over 700 members here at Visit Sunshine Coast and I get to see them grow and prosper.”
With the 2032 Olympics in sight, Mr Fairbairn said the Sunshine Coast has a real opportunity of showcasing to the world what’s on offer should people decide to visit.
“I always say ‘you never get a second chance of a first impression’,” Mr Fairbairn said
“The next five years is about what the first impression is for people who come to the Coast.
“The run-up to the Olympics is for a tourism point of view.
“The questions we’re asking now is ‘what will a guest review after the Olympics look like’ and ‘what needs to happen for that guest review’.
“How can we at Visit Sunshine Coast and through those 150 ambassadors position ourselves so we create that best first impression.
“The success will come working together, working to identify opportunities and striving for collaboration.
“We have 10 years to grow.”
Mervat Quirke
As the program strategic partnerships manager at USC’s Thompson Institute, Mervat Quirke is working to build relationships with the Sunshine Coast community, industry and government sectors to develop partnerships that support the health and productivity of the region.
The University of the Sunshine Coast alumna has worked at the Thompson Institute for the past four years focusing on world-leading mental health and neuroscience research institute.
“My role involves building trusted relationships with the Sunshine Coast community, industry and government sectors by producing programs that drive impact that boost the mental wellbeing of the region and reduce suicides,” Ms Quirke said.
“We’ve brought together 137 businesses, trained thousands of community members, and worked alongside individuals and organisations to collaborate on ways to reduce suicides.
“This project is one that champions our region’s resilience through a collaborative platform.”
The Thompson Institute recently was allocated $8m in federal funding to open a National PTSD Centre as part of its commitment to better understanding mental health.
“With 1.4 million Australians suffering PTSD, this is a much-needed centre that will address the debilitating symptoms of PTSD that affect relationships, employment, social connection and wellbeing,” Ms Quirke said.
“Having worked in community sector organisations for over 20 years, I’m so proud to be able to witness what a university can achieve in a social setting, and how a university can offer hope to people who have been struggling with treatment options.
“I also see us as being at the forefront of having a connected, thriving community that attracts the world’s leading researchers and practitioners in mental wellbeing.
“The innovative work coming out of the university has a strong social and for-purpose agenda that places people at the heart of everything we do.”
Debra Robinson
Sunshine Coast Council has appointed Debra Robinson to the position of customer engagement and planning services group executive.
Ms Robinson, who recently held the position of major projects and strategic property manager at council, said having opportunities to work with industry and community leaders on a range of critical projects was an exciting element to her new role.
“I am extremely passionate about the Sunshine Coast and while my new role as group executive customer engagement and planning is a very exciting opportunity, it is also a significant responsibility and a challenge that I am greatly looking forward to,” Ms Robinson said.
“One of the key priorities of my role will be contributing to the direction of the new planning scheme, which will shape the liveability, sustainability and prosperity of the Sunshine Coast into the future.
“I’m also very excited about the opportunity to shape council’s approach to customer facing services and how we support our community through the planning and engagement work we do.
“Reinvigorating council’s relationship with key community stakeholders will be another major focus, along with finding opportunities for a customised approach to our development and community response services.”
Ms Robinson will begin her new role on May 16, 2022.
Kathryn Giudes
Corporate tech leader Kathryn Giudes led a distinguished career spanning two decades where she designed and built large internet-based businesses.
Coming in at number 3 in the Sunshine Coast’s most inspirational women of 2022, Ms Giudes’ amazing track record includes 13 of 15 years working at Microsoft with projects such as Xbox and the Microsoft Store online.
After leaving Oregon University, she then worked briefly with Amazon and then began her own start-up for two years before rejoining Microsoft once again.
A chance encounter with an Australian financier named John Foster in Asia turned into a loving marriage, prompting her to move to the Sunshine Coast from snowy Seattle in 2014.
It was after her arrival that Ms Giudes’ world fell apart with her husband diagnosed and later dying from cancer after her third child.
The tech guru, in the face of economic and career loss, rallied around her children and was able to find work in two board roles due to an issue with accessing her husband’s estate after his death.
Mrs Giudes is now the managing director of macroDATA Digital Solutions on the Sunshine Coast, which operates green-friendly data centres in South East Queensland.
Elaine Jobson
Jetts Australia chief executive Elaine Jobson who is based on the Sunshine Coast has nearly 30 years’ experience in the fitness industry and has ties to billionaire mogul Sir Richard Branson.
Ms Jobson has held a number of executive positions for the world’s largest fitness brands which regularly took her around Asia, Europe and South Africa, as well as working with Virgin Active and Fitness First for Women overseas.
Ms Jobson was also appointed as a director of Be, formerly Comlink, in February 2022.
Jai Roots
Sunshine Coast resident Jai Roots has established himself as the co-founder and director of festival brand Jynx Entertainment.
In March, 2020, the company brought the Jungle Giants and Confidence Man to Nightquarter for a DJ set show, their first major gig for the Jynx House.
The former St Teresa’s Catholic College graduate, 20, then went on to create his largest music festival yet, which was expected to attract 6000 music fans to the Coolum Beach Sports Complex in February 2022.
After a successful festival, the company is bringing back a second line-up on June 25 at Aussie World.
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