SUMMIT 2025 Wrap up

On October 16, the Maitland Business Chamber proudly hosted the 2025 Maitland Business Summit at Maitland Town Hall, a vibrant day of connection, learning, and inspiration. With 40 exhibitors and a full house of attendees, the Summit united the region’s brightest minds and boldest businesses under the theme “Look Up. Look Ahead.”

If you couldn’t make it, here’s a glimpse of what was an unforgettable celebration of Maitland’s evolving business landscape and a collective call to look forward, grow, and shape what’s next for our business community.

A Strategic Partnership for Regional Growth

Summit 2025 was delivered in collaboration with Maitland City Council, aligning with the Council’s newly adopted Economic Development Strategy 2025–2035, a bold vision that outlines the next decade of opportunity for our city.  This forward-thinking strategy focuses on four key pillars:

–            People and Future Skills

–            Thriving and Connected Places

–            An Innovative and Diverse Economy

–            Productive and Equitable Partnerships

These shared priorities set the foundation for growth, innovation, and inclusivity across the region. Together, the Chamber and Council are building a Maitland that’s resilient, future-ready, and deeply connected to its community roots.

Keynote Spotlight: Tain Drinkwater CEO Newcastle Jets

Setting the tone for the day, Tain Drinkwater delivered a keynote that left the audience inspired and energised. Drawing on her experience in elite sport and leadership, Tain explored the power of perspective, culture, and shared purpose in achieving lasting success.

Look Up: The Power of Perspective

Reflecting on her time with the Brisbane Broncos NRLW team, Tain shared how a shift in culture transformed performance. A difficult first year gave way to success through values-based recruitment and unified leadership, leading to back-to-back premierships. But when alignment faltered, so did results, a powerful reminder that culture defines outcomes. She also reflected on the extraordinary journey of the NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball teams during the pandemic. Through trust, transparency, and consistent communication, both teams navigated uncertainty and met in the Grand Final – proof that shared purpose, and courageous leadership can overcome even the toughest challenges.

Look Forward: Where Strategy Lives

Tain Drinkwater’s keynote delivered a powerful reminder that strategy means nothing without shared purpose. She encouraged business leaders to embrace adversity, build resilience, and lead with clarity, reminding us that success whether in sport or business is always a team effort.

Tain also highlighted the vital role small businesses play in driving job creation, storytelling, and resilience, forming the backbone of Maitland’s growth. Drawing parallels from her leadership with the Newcastle Jets, she showed how sport connects communities, enhancing regional pride and vibrancy. Her call to action was clear: collaboration among local businesses is the key to amplifying Maitland’s collective impact and shaping a stronger future together.

Entrepreneurial Energy:  Rob Camilleri Director Tough Mudder

Building on Tain’s message of resilience and purpose, Rob Camilleri brought a candid and energising perspective on entrepreneurship. Drawing from his experience leading Tough Mudder Australia and co-owning the Newcastle Jets, Rob shared the lessons that drive sustainable business growth.

His key insights for business leaders included:

• Hire for passion, not just qualifications. People who are truly invested will drive your vision forward.
• Think in terms of a scalable platform. Is your business structured so it can grow, adapt, and deliver consistent results? Can it scale up, and would it be a good investment?
• Lead with honesty, transparency, and humanness. Have the difficult conversations that matter, and approach challenges with integrity.
• Learn from mistakes and keep moving forward.  Every setback is an opportunity to grow into the next chapter.

NSW Small Business Commissioner: Supporting Small Business

Continuing the focus on resilience and support, we were honoured to welcome Catherine Ellis, Acting NSW Small Business Commissioner. Catherine outlined the services available to help small businesses navigate challenges including dispute resolution, mediation, and advocacy.

Catherine’s message resonated strongly with the audience that support is available, and small businesses are encouraged to reach out for guidance to help them adapt and grow.

Armchair chats with our Major Sponsors

Adding a local perspective, the Armchair Chats gave attendees a chance to hear directly from some of Maitland’s most engaged business leaders.

A huge thank you to our major sponsors Turnbull Hill Lawyers, Hip Pocket Workwear & Safety, Beam Bookkeeping, and ETC Training Company for making these conversations possible.  Each discussion offered real-world insights into the challenges and opportunities facing local businesses today, from workforce development and innovation to culture and leadership. We’ll be sharing more takeaways from these chats soon – stay tuned!

In summary, the 2025 Maitland Business Summit was a fantastic showcase of the energy, innovation, and collaboration that define our local business community.  The day captured the true spirit of “Look Up. Look Ahead.”

As we build on this momentum, we invite you to stay connected and keep the conversation going — join us at our upcoming November panel luncheon to continue sharing ideas, strengthening partnerships, and driving Maitland’s business growth together.