Springfield founder wins visionary award as bio-tech precinct grows

Springfield founder Maha Sinnathamby has been named one of the world’s most visionary business leaders as plans for a bio-tech precinct in the planned city take off.

Maha Sinnathamby (illustrated) has picked up yet more accolodes. The founder of Springfield City Group was included in CEO Monthly magazine’s chairperson awards for 2022 being named property founder and visionary chairman of the year and joining award winners from the likes of Germany, Britain, Canada, USA and France.

The awards comes as Springfield’s new biomedical precinct BioPark Australia continues to grow. Production of materials used in lifesaving vaccines will begin over the Christmas-New Year period at Southern RNA, a biotech company based in the precinct.

The company is about to start advanced manufacturing of mRNA, vital materials in the production of vaccines including those used in the fight against Covid-19.

Springfield City

The company now has plans for a scalable mRNA therapeutics production facility that will allow for drug substance production and the manufacture of other therapeutics, vaccines and cancer treatments. Southern RNA will be a neighbour of another health tech firm Aegros, which earlier this month announced it was developing a new $352m manufacturing facility producing plasma medicines.

RNA head of operations Garry Heaney says Australia is set to become a global hub for mRNA therapeutics product development, with announcements by Moderna, BioNTech and more recently Sanofi about their plans down-under.

Sinnathamby says Southern RNA’s goals aligned with the founding vision for the city to enhance human and social capital. He says the 22-hectare precinct will bring the best and brightest together to provide solutions for this city and beyond.

“The ability to create vaccines that will provide sovereign certainty for Australia is a worthy goal as we’ve seen from the pandemic disruption of recent years,” says Sinnathamby.

Noble Exit

Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) chief executive Philip Noble is heading for the exit doors after 12 years at the helm of the financial powerhouse.

Noble says it has been a privilege to lead QTC and its multi-billion funding program and balance sheet. “I want to thank the wonderful people who have worked with me,” says Noble. Noble says he will now focus on personal business interests in the next phase of his career.

Earlier this year, Noble sold his luxurious Brisbane riverfront penthouse for more than $7m — nearly double what he paid for it just over two years ago.

QTC Board chair Damien Frawley thanked Noble for his service and leadership, particularly during challenging market conditions.

Philip Noble leaving QTC after 12 years

“Under his leadership, QTC has delivered strong results and enjoyed a high level of engagement with valued stakeholders,” Frawley says. “Philip leaves QTC in a strong position, and we wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

Neville Ide, a current director, will serve as interim chief executive while an executive recruitment process occurs.

Ide has more than 40 years’ experience in finance and treasury management, having held executive roles in government, finance and banking sectors, including Queensland Treasury Corporation for 12 years, and as a group treasurer at Suncorp Metway Limited.

Just desserts

With summer temperatures on the rise, the Emmanuel City Mission will have a ‘very ice-creamy Christmas’ with over 100 litres of chocolate gelato, cookies and cream, strawberry milkshake, vanilla bean ice-cream being delivered this Friday.

Local philanthropist and dessert lover Karl Sha organised the ice-cream which will be followed in the coming weeks with hot food deliveries. Sha says whilst it is convention to have dessert after you’re your main meal his dessert-first approach is a real conversation starter. He says starting conversations with local organisations, and the people they serve, is central to philanthropic efforts.