The Jewellers Association of Australia has appointed Amanda Hunter as its new executive director. Hunter, will take over from outgoing CEO, Ian Hadassin, on June 23.
Announcing the appointment in an official statement, JAA president Selwyn Brandt said Hunter’s appointment is an exciting move for the JAA as she has “27 years of business experience across a range of levels along with an astounding subset of skills”.
Hunter’s business achievements include building events management agency The Forum Group from scratch to a turnover of $10 million, being a finalist in the 2005 NSW Telstra Small Business Awards, and featuring on the 2006 BRW self-made female entrepreneurs list.
During her time as managing director of The Forum Group (1996-2006), Hunter worked with both start-up businesses and global corporations including Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Sony, and Coca-Cola. She also played a key role in helping “to grow Oracle Corporation’s annual user conference attendance by more than 500 per cent across a six-year period, moving it from a cost to profit making scenario in the process”.
More recently, Hunter was employed as the general manager of TRET (Total Real Estate Training) from January 2012 to June 2014, sales manager at McGrath Estate Agents (October 2010 to October 2011) and a coach and business consultant at Ignition Coaching (July 2007 to October 2010).
Aside from holding a business degree from Sydney’s University of Technology, Hunter is also qualified in counselling and coaching and is an experienced business and life coach.
“I aim to bring fresh ideas and perspectives given the range of roles and industries I have worked in over my 27 year career − to bring strong business skills to manage the organisation and take it forward strategically.
“I believe the knowledge I have gained on specific projects I have worked on can be applied to this industry. I want to be a strong link between the Board, the industry in general and the consumers and to re-energise the team – after all, a change can be as good as a holiday!”
Hunter said the professionalism and scope for improvement within the JAA has her excited about the new role.
“Growing the JAA whilst helping the members also grow their businesses is very appealing and fits well with my past coaching and sales management experience. I also love that there is a mix of small and large businesses given I have worked in small businesses and large corporations plus had the experience of starting, building and selling my own business.”
“I love that there is a Board that is passionate and willing to give their time and that I will add to this teams skill set to take the JAA forward and that I will also get to learn from them about an industry that while new to me is perfect to take my skill set to as a new challenge.”