ANZ has announced the selection of nine small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for its 2022 Business Growth Program. This program, lasting nine months, is designed to assist businesses in establishing a foundation for long-term growth.
The program was developed by Professor Jana Matthews, ANZ Chair in Business Growth and Director of the Australian Centre for Business Growth at the University of South Australia-Business. It targets ANZ business customers with fewer than 200 employees and more than $5 million in annual sales.
Isaac Rankin, Managing Director Commercial and Private Banking at ANZ, stated: “Helping our customers start, buy and sustainably grow a business is at the core of our Commercial business at ANZ." He added that the program provides leaders with essential tools and skills to scale their businesses sustainably. The selected participants were chosen based on their recent performance and eagerness to learn.
Rankin noted that six out of the nine selected businesses operate in construction, freight, or logistics sectors, highlighting growth in these industries during the pandemic.
Reflecting on past success, companies from the first year of the program in 2015 have seen significant increases in revenue and profit while creating numerous jobs and expanding exports globally.
Program Director Dr. Jana Matthews commented: “We believe that each company we select has the potential for high growth." She expressed satisfaction with past participants' positive feedback about recommending the program to other executives seeking growth knowledge.
The CEOs or managing directors of each selected company must nominate at least two other executive team members to participate in three-day growth modules. These sessions involve structured learning tailored to help companies grow. Additionally, teams receive mentoring from Growth Experts who have firsthand experience starting and growing businesses.
The selected companies include Milawa Transport Services Group, Danterr Pty Ltd, Gewurzhaus, Link Cold Storage & Transportation, Virtue Homes, SA Construct Pty Ltd, Thrive Media & Communications, Physio Plus Group, and Hully.