Top business leaders go under the hammer for charity auction

SYDNEY, Australia, 2 March, 2016: An impressive line-up of Australian business leaders are auctioning off one-hour mentoring sessions in ChildFund Australia’s inaugural MentorMe Auction, which kicks off today.

The MentorMe Auction will take place online with bidders competing to win a mentoring session with one of 10 high-profile Australian business leaders. Mentors herald from a range of different industries, and include advertising guru and media personality Todd Sampson, Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry AO (recently voted Australia’s most influential woman), LinkedIn ANZ & SE Asia Managing Director Cliff Rosenberg, magazine industry heavyweight Jackie Frank and more!

Proceeds raised through the MentorMe Auction will help create livelihood opportunities for young people and families in some of the Asia-Pacific’s poorest communities, while auction winners will have the chance to sit down with their chosen mentor for an hour of expert guidance and career advice.

“This is a rare opportunity to be mentored by some of Australia’s most respected and influential business leaders, while also having an impact on the lives of children living in extreme poverty,” said ChildFund Australia CEO Nigel Spence.

“All of the mentors have a story to tell and a wealth of advice to share, from start-up entrepreneurs to financial sector gurus to media moguls. By auctioning their time, they are not only helping young professionals here in Australia but supporting vital small business projects in our region.”

Cliff Rosenberg, Managing Director, ANZ and SE Asia of LinkedIn, said it was an easy decision to take part in the MentorMe Auction because investing in young people and helping others is so important.

“I strongly believe the onus is on all of us to shape a better future for generations to come,” he said. “I’m absolutely supportive of anything we can do to invest in and develop future talent.”

CEOs and business leaders participating include:

• Ann Sherry AO, Carnival Australia Executive Chairman
• Todd Sampson, Leo Burnett Non-Executive Chairman
• Cliff Rosenberg, LinkedIn ANZ and SE Asia Managing Director
• Michael Rose AM, Allens Consultant & Former Chief Executive Partner
• Roberto Mercade, Coca-Cola South Pacific Business Unit President
• Sue Ismiel, Sue Ismiel & Daughters Founder & Global Brand Ambassador
• Chris Gray, Your Empire CEO
• Jackie Frank, Pacific Magazines Group Publisher Fashion and Health
• Jason Burrows, Jungle Managing Director / Executive Producer
• Jenny Boddington, QBE Insurance Group Global Head of Bancassurance

Full biographies for all of the mentors can be found here: http://mentormeauction.org.au/

WHERE WILL THE FUNDS GO?

Proceeds from the MentorMe Auction will support ChildFund’s livelihood projects, including:

• Small business loans for women in Vietnam’s remote ethnic minority communities;
• Restoring livelihoods lost in the Nepal earthquakes;
• Agricultural resources and training for families in Sri Lanka; and
• Vocational and life skills training for street children and young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Myanmar.

Bidding opens 2 March 2016 at 10am (AEDT) and closes 16 March 2016 at 5pm (AEDT). Bid now for this once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn from the best – with funds raised helping to create life-changing opportunities for children and families in our region.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has today announced at the Paris climate talks that Australia will provide $1 billion in funding to its Pacific neighbours over the next five years to help them deal with the impact of global warming.

ChildFund Australia welcomes this commitment to supporting developing countries in our region. However, we are disappointed that this announcement refers to existing funding, rather than a new program of investment.

Australia currently contributes around $200 million annually to climate change programs in the Asia-Pacific through its overseas development assistance program, and there are no plans for additional funds to be allocated.

Nigel Spence, CEO of ChildFund Australia, said: “Given that our aid budget has already been slashed by over $11 billion in the last three years, we are extremely concerned about the Government’s ability to deliver effective, transformative programs, which both reduce poverty and counteract climate change.”

Pacific nations currently produce some of the lowest levels of carbon pollution globally, yet are the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change. Not only must countries in this region prepare for the impact of rising sea levels, but many are already dealing with the devastation caused by extreme weather events, including droughts and cyclones.

ChildFund believes it is only right that Australia, which has actually increased its carbon emissions in the past 12 months, should assist its nearest neighbours with programs to mitigate or prevent the worst outcomes of global warming. This is vital if we are to prevent communities from back-sliding into poverty, or witness a worsening of living standards in already vulnerable communities.

ChildFund also supports recommendations by the Australian Council for International Development for the Government to establish far more ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a clear commitment to achieving zero levels well before the mid-century.

Mr Spence added: “It is reassuring to see the new Prime Minister recognise climate change as an urgent and important issue; we know the devastating impact it can have on children and families already living in poverty.

“But right now Australia is on track to having the lowest level of aid investment ever in its history. If the Government is serious about providing support to its nearest neighbours, we need more investment in our region, not just a reallocation of funds from one spreadsheet to another.”