Advance.org is pleased to announce the appointment of retail and logistics leader Richard Umbers and mobile technology entrepreneur Warrick Cramer to its Board, bringing globally recognised expertise and networks in digital transformation to the organisation.
Richard Umbers is best known for driving significant digital transformation within some of the world’s premier retail and logistics brands, including Myer, Woolworths, German retailer Kaufland and Australia Post where he restructured the parcels and logistics business to capitalise on the growth of online commerce.
Warrick Cramer joins the Advance Board after several years based in Europe as CEO of Vodafone’s Global Innovation Centre, known as Tomorrow Street, that focused on scaling late stage starts-ups. He also established the highly successful Arch Summit, recognised as one of the top industry events in Europe that connected business and technology leaders and brands to showcase new technology opportunities and partnerships. Warrick was previously based in Melbourne where he founded a number of technology businesses.
Advance Chair, Yasmin Allen, said: “We are delighted that Richard and Warrick are joining us at Advance. They have both played significant roles in driving global businesses through major transformation as well as in leading technological, organisational and cultural change.
“They are both recognised as leaders and innovators in their fields and exemplify the achievements of our expat community in some of the world’s leading businesses and markets,” she said.
“Richard and Warrick are major change agents. Richard in the field of retail, logistics and ecommerce while Warrick’s focus, as an entrepreneur, is on building strategic alliances globally in the technology and innovation sectors.”
Commenting on his appointment, Richard said he was delighted to be joining Advance, an organisation that nurtures valuable and enduring connections between expats and Australia. He said it is also a timely opportunity for Australian business to look to its talent overseas, as many sectors undergo rapid change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There are opportunities for global Australians to return and take up new business opportunities, particularly in those areas born out of the shifts to ecommerce and online.
“This includes new digital companies, such as those operating with cybersecurity or AI, as well as the more traditional firms that support ecommerce, in the packaging industry or in ecommerce distribution, for example.”
Warrick said he was excited to be joining Advance. Driven by his passion for technology he understands the vital importance of building networks and collaboration to drive innovation and success.
“In terms of the amount of talent that is out there with people returning to Australia, who may not get a chance to break in, I think Advance is so important in connecting the dots and making those links for those people returning who have so much to offer from their international experience and connections.”
Warrick believes Australia offers abundant opportunities for businesses to prosper through international growth by making better use of its well-connected expat business community.
“Australia has so many benefits especially in terms of its safety and sophistication and is very well placed to quickly pivot to global trends and opportunities.
“There is also huge potential to unlock and deepen that global perspective, and de-risk our businesses, by opening up new markets through leveraging those global connections that expats bring to the country to expand businesses outside of Australia.”
ENDS.
Media Contact: Lisa Macnamara | E [email protected] | M 0418 158 120
NOTES TO EDITOR
Warrick Cramer
For more than twenty years, entrepreneur Warrick Cramer has been turning his mind to the business of digital transformation and the evolution of what is next for society. Driven by a passion for technology, global collaborations and the exchange of ideas, Warrick has paved the way for many start-ups and new technologies.
Warrick was most recently the CEO of the Vodafone’s Global Centre for Innovation in Europe, known as Tomorrow Street – a joint venture between Vodafone and the Government of Luxembourg to scale late-stage start- ups, assisting them to reach key global markets and make real change.
Warrick drove strategic alliances that successfully worked across government and Vodafone’s multiple markets in Europe, the US and Asia. He also established the inaugural Arch Summit in Luxembourg in 2018. The major tech industry conference was set up to highlight new technologies, enabling collaboration and networking for the thousands of attendees, industry figures, and brands from across the world.
Prior to moving to Europe, Warrick was an established entrepreneur in Melbourne. Among the businesses he founded was Micro P, a mobile payment company which developed a highly successful payment security authentication system that still used by several banks today.
Since returning to Australia in early 2020, Warrick has been consulting to a number of organisations in the start-up sector.
Richard Umbers
Richard Umbers
In a near three decade career spanning retail, ecommerce and logistics, Richard Umbers has been at the forefront of the rapid technological changes which have helped to reshape the relationship between businesses and their customers.
British-born Umbers is best known for leading digital transformation and has worked with many leading brands, including Aldi and Woolworths in the supermarket sector. He was CEO of Australian department store Myer; and CEO of StarTrack, a division of Australia Post, where he led the highly successful ecommerce program to capitalise on the significant growth in online shopping.
In his most recent role, Richard was based in Stuttgart working for German discount retailer Kaufland, as a divisional director of Buying, and also played an advisory role on the planned expansion to Australia.
More recently, and having returned to Melbourne, Richard has been consulting within the retail sector, drawing on his rich experience in ecommerce, logistics and supply chain.