‘Brisbane buzz’ the talk of the town at Lord Mayor’s Business Awards

Business leaders spoke of the “Brisbane buzz” as they shook off the COVID-19 pandemic and celebrated successful enterprises at the 2022 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards at City Hall.

Anthony Ryan, chief executive of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency, told more than 640 guests that Brisbane business had in the past decade diversified to include complex IT software development and health professional services.

Some of the more than 600 business leaders who attended the 2022 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards at City Hall.Credit: Tony Moore

“There’s a hype around Brisbane at the moment, a real buzz,” Ryan said after congratulating businesses for remaining flexible during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on supply chains and staff.

“We thank you for taking risks and developing opportunities in what I truly believe is the greatest city in Australia – and in the world,” he said.

Elena Gosse OAM, chief executive of water disinfecting company AIS Water, was named Business Person of the Year for exporting swimming pool cleaning technology to 55 countries from Brisbane.

The winner of the Lord Mayor’s 2022 Platinum Award was trade business management software maker simPRO, which employs 480 staff in six offices helping 200,000 clients with its cloud-based software that enables executives and field staff to be in direct contact.

The businessmen behind the already award-winning redevelopment of Brisbane’s Princess Theatre – Steve Wilson, brothers Steve and Dave Sleswick, and Simon Wade – received the Investment in Brisbane Award for engineering a major contribution to the city’s music landscape.

Dr James Fielding, chief executive of audio technology company Audeara, was named Young Business Person of the Year and won the Outstanding Small Business Award for developing technically tailored headphones for people with hearing impairments.

Jon Stoddart received Brisbane’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his lengthy contribution to Queensland’s residential home industry as managing director and chairman of the Stoddart Group.

Needle-less skin patch company Vaxxas – developing a safe and affordable way of injecting mass vaccines throughout the world – received the Product Innovation Award.

2022 Lord Mayor’s Business Award winners

• Outstanding Small Business - Audeara Limited
• Product Innovation - Vaxxas Pty Ltd
• Environmental Sustainability in Business - Save Our Supplies Ltd
• Outstanding Social Enterprise - Australian Spatial Analytics Ltd
• Outstanding Micro Business - Kiddo childcare app
• Excellence in International Business - Populous
• Business Innovation - DoubleTake Sports Pty Ltd
• High-Growth Business - simPRO
• Investment in Brisbane - The Princess Theatre redevelopment
• Young Business Person of the Year - Dr James Fielding, Audeara founder 
• Business Person of the Year - Elena Gosse OAM, AIS Water
• Lifetime Achievement - Jon Stoddart, Stoddart Group
• Platinum Award - simPRO

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner reflected on the 17th year of business awards hosted by Brisbane City Council.

He said 2021-22 was complex and difficult for businesses as they struggled through the final stages of the pandemic and another major flood, then felt the impact of the war in Ukraine, including supply-chain problems and rising inflation.

“It is hard to imagine a tougher year,” Schrinner said. “But where else in the world would you rather be than in Brisbane?”

The Seven Sopranos sing Queen’s “We Are the Champions” at the 2022 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards.Credit: Tony Moore

Schrinner praised the courage of Brisbane businesses over the past two years as the city looked towards opportunities in the “runway to the Olympics and Paralympics”.

“As we prepare for a decade of city-defining change in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I want local businesses to have every chance to thrive and succeed,” he said.

“Our award winners each have a vision for the future, a passion for their cause, and the courage to try and create a better world.

“It’s that entrepreneurial spirit that’s driving Brisbane forward and helping to grow our $181 billion economy.

“The global impact of some of these businesses could be enormous.”