Former Port Adelaide star Shaun Burgoyne expands business into SA

Former Port Adelaide star Shaun Burgoyne has expanded his company into SA, creating business and career opportunities for local indigenous Australians.

Former Port Adelaide star Shaun Burgoyne is expanding his business interests into South Australia with the aim of creating more career opportunities for indigenous Australians in his home state.

Mr Burgoyne launched his Melbourne-based company, ACS Indigenous, with business partner Lewis Igini in 2020 as his AFL career was drawing to an end.

The facilities management and property services business develops long-term career and business procurement opportunities for First Nations Australians.

Following the acquisition by parent company ACS Property Services of Adelaide-based commercial cleaning company Zippy Cleaning and Maintenance Services earlier this year, there was an opportunity to expand the work of ACS Indigenous into South Australia.

Mr Burgoyne said ACS would focus on growing Zippy’s footprint across SA and Northern Territory, and building on Zippy’s work in providing career and business opportunities to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Shaun Burgoyne with ACS indigenous staff.

“It’s really exciting to be able to grow the business into my home state, which has given me so much throughout my footy career,” he said.

“There are fantastic opportunities within the South Australian economy to expand our reach from both a commercial and community standpoint.”

ACS Indigenous provides cleaning and maintenance services to local, state, and federal government bodies as well as across the education, healthcare and property management sectors.

It also offers leadership, employment and career pathways and mentoring to indigenous people.

Mr Burgoyne, who retired from AFL football last year after 407 games with Port Adelaide and Hawthorn, said his work with ACS Indigenous tied in well with his current role at Port Adelaide, which involves player development and mentoring, corporate and government relations and working within the club’s Aboriginal programs. 

“I get a lot of satisfaction from helping people, whether that’s in their career, on the sporting field or within their personal and community life,” he said.

“There’s a lot of businesses who now want to engage First Nation businesses as they feel it’s the right thing to do.

“At ACS Indigenous, we believe it’s not only the right thing to do, but we focus on creating long-term partnerships that create tangible business and social value for companies.”

Zippy was established by the Chiabrera family in 1985, and generates annual revenue of more than $20m across SA and Northern Territory. It employs more than 490 people.

Originally published as Former Port Adelaide star Shaun Burgoyne expands business into SA