Conor McKenna
BA(Lit) GDBA MBA(Adv) MAICD, Churchill Fellow 2009
Managing Director, Twoeyes Venture & Advisory
Conor McKenna is the Chairman of the Kid Sense Group of Companies. A major and active shareholder in Kid Sense, he is responsible for directing Kid Sense Strategy and Operations.
As Founder and Managing Director of Twoeyes Venture & Advisory, Conor is a strategic advisor who helps entrepreneurs, business owners, CEOs & Boards make their company more valuable. In doing so, his focus is on developing business strategy & improving operational performance.
Conor is a patented inventor; a venture-backed entrepreneur; multiple-business owner; equity investor & Company Director. Over a 20 year career, he has lived in 5 countries & worked in 20 industries, developing startups, spinouts, SMEs & non-profits.
With qualifications that include an Advanced MBA, Conor is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors & the Australian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (AVCAL). In 2008, he was awarded the SA Government’s Venture Capital Scholarship to attend the Venture Capital Institute, Atlanta. In 2009, he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to attend the ‘Private Equity & Venture Capital’ program at Harvard Business School, Boston.
A Member of the SA Business Development Council since 2006, he advises the Minister for Small Business on matters relating to the business community. He is former Chair of the Subcommittee for Innovation & Entrepreneurship & a former Member of the Subcommittees for Business Funding & Family Business.
Founder & driving force of multiple ventures, Conor has broad operating experience: from founder of multiple start-ups to holding a key role with the Australian subsidiary of a US multinational, where he was responsible for a $50M budget & reported on 1 Billion units in ‘Just in Time’ supply.
Conor is the inventor of a patented wine packaging technology that is now a successful global product innovation. The company he founded has commercialised the technology; raised $8 million in venture financing; secured strategic partners in key global markets & developed large-scale manufacturing capacity on 3 continents.
A pioneer of SA's Venture Community, Conor founded the SA Chapter of the AVCAL. In early 2000’s, he also founded 2 entrepreneurial networks, First Tuesday Adelaide & Entrepreneurs Guild.
Paulette Kolarz
Founder and Managing Director, PK Bespoke Human Resources
PK Bespoke Human Resources is a boutique Human Resource business that intimately works with organisations to tailor their specific HR, Recruitment and Training/Professional Development requirements. Differing slightly from other HR Consulting businesses, Paulette likes to keep a ‘hands on’ approach and work very closely with organisations to not only advise on areas of improvement but also help deliver the required outcomes. She is also an accredited provider to deliver one of the international best practice sales, leadership and attitudinal based Brian Tracy training and development programs.
From 1999 to 2009, Paulette held the role of General Manager, Human Resources, Organisational Development & Corporate Affairs for Harris Scarffe Australia, while at the same time acting as the Manager of the Adelaide City Store. In recognition for her contribution to business in South Australia, Paulette holds the honour of having been selected as the youngest recipient of the Telstra Women in Business Award in 2008.
Paulette is a Member of the Business Development Council which is an Advisory Council to the Government focused on small to medium businesses in South Australia. Since 2007, Paulette has also been a Board Member of the Bedford Foundation, a large not-for-profit organisation whose charter is to create a brighter future for people with a disability. Since 2007, she has also been Chairperson of Urban Myth Theatre of Youth and a Member of the Salvation Army’s Council for Major Gifts & Community Partners.