The Feltex Australia journey: A case study in merging cultures

Presented by
Charles van Heerden, General Manager, Human Resources Feltex Australia
&
Barbara Palframan Smith
President, IABC Australia NSW Chapter
Director, BPS Communications

BIOGRAPHY – Charles van Heerden

Born in Africa, Charles lived in New Zealand before moving to Melbourne almost 3 years ago. Charles brings broad international experience to his role as General Manager Human Resources for Feltex, over the last six years.

Not only has he been in senior line and HR Management roles, but he has also worked as a consultant. As General Manager for Change Management Consulting International he managed the transition process for a New Zealand Top 40 company in the energy industry.

Charles holds degrees in Psychology and Industrial Relations, with post-graduate studies in Change Management. He has published several articles on Managing Change and has been a speaker at various international conferences.

COMPANY PROFILE – Feltex Australia

Established over 50 years ago, Feltex Carpets is a New Zealand listed company, and one of the biggest carpet manufacturers in Australasia. Feltex has built a reputation as a leading manufacturer of superior-quality carpet for residential and commercial markets, with well-known brands.

The Feltex Group includes a wool scouring plant, six spinning mills, three tufted carpet
mills, a woven carpet mill and offices in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Exports include customers throughout South East Asia, Japan, USA, the Middle East and other key world markets.

BIOGRAPHY – Barbara Palframan Smith

Barbara Palframan Smith is President of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Australia NSW Chapter and Director of BPS Communications. Her company specialises in corporate, financial and organisational communication .

STRATEGIC CORPORATE COMMUNICATION 21 – 22 SEPTEMBER 2005

Barbara has had extensive corporate and consulting experience in investor relations, business, financial and culture change communication. She has worked as a senior communicator across a wide range of business and industry sectors in Australia, New Zealand and Southern Africa, with spells in the UK and the US.

Organisations that she has consulted to include: Integral Energy, Feltex Australia, Ipac Financial Services, during its merger with AXA, Cabcharge, WHK Financial Services, the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand, Auckland University of Technology, and the Barlow Group, a Fortune 500 company. She has also worked as a senior consultant in a Sydney-based financial PR consultancy where her clients ranged from listed companies to those undergoing IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, and restructurings.

Barbara has won several Gold Quill Awards from the IABC for her corporate communication work. She has been a speaker at a number of conferences, including three IABC Conferences in the US. Barbara has also won international awards for investor relations communication. She is Regional Editor of the IABC’s Communication World publication and on the editorial board of The Journal for Employee Communication Management. She holds BA and BA Hons. Degrees in English and a Post-graduate Diploma in Communication.

COMPANY PROFILE

IABC NSW

The International Association of Business Communicators Australia NSW Chapter is part of a global network of 13,700 communication professionals and is the largest IABC Chapter in Australia. Our members are drawn from a cross-spectrum of organisations, including the corporate, consulting, government and not-for-profit sectors. Our overriding commitment is to contribute to the success of our organisations through effective communication practice.

BPS Communications

BPS Communications is a specialist company that delivers:

• Expertise in business, financial, marketing and employee communication programs
• Communication solutions linked to business issues
• Strategies that deliver consistent, integrated internal and external messages
• Effective programs relevant to client needs
• A track record of working to deadlines and budgets
• Experience across a range of international companies