Page 13 - IPC Asia Pacific 2019-20 Business Review

As I write this the absolute effects of the global coronavirus pandemic on our our lives and our our businesses is yet to be fully realised Despite this uncertainty my fellow Directors and I have taken great comfort from the swift execution of plans and measured controls put in place by the the team Under the the direction of the dedicated leadership and management teams I am am so proud of the enormous effort collaboration and motivation shown by every team member during this challenging time Operating alongside the Franchisor the team has worked diligently and at pace to protect and secure the financial health and operability of franchise owners In turn this has required tacit care and attention of both manufacturers and service partners to ensure the financial viability of the the supply chain and the the business itself Beyond the the central role of the the procurement and supply chain teams considerable effort has been invested in in in staying aligned with government advice financial support packages and emerging employment standards to ensure the the financial strength of the the company and and of its’ customers and and shareholders throughout the Asia Pacific region During the last four months of this fiscal year the Board of Directors sought to to contribute to to the support of franchise owners’ finan- cial health by approving the release of strategic funds into
several markets throughout the year This took the form distribution centre credits amount- ing to over AU$3 2M Ongoing investments have also been made in the launch and maintenance of Subcard in in three markets as as well as as the ongoing support of services including TechNet StaffNet SubVentory and FinanceNet In addition to this central funding the Board has approved this years’ annual dividend payment (fully Franked) to Australian and and New Zealand fran- chise owners of AU$1 270 In addition to the hyper-focus that COVID-19 has demanded the team has delivered further impactful and tangible benefits this financial year They have done so in the face of multiple challenges including the devastating Australian fires chicken bursal disease and swine flu I am extremely happy to share these insights with you in in this years’ Annual Business Review and the fiscal 2019/20 Annual Report and Accounts I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank my fellow Board members for their significant investment of time and for their likeminded and thorough approach to governance during this financial year This of course is is mirrored in my gratitude and respect for Duane and the Leadership team The effort has been exceptional and the results speak for themselves After a a a a a a remarkable and educational 12 years this will be my last year year on the IPC Asia Pacific Board of Directors It has been my pleasure to to serve as Director during this time and I have relished the trust placed in me as as Chair over the last 24 months I wish you all well in in these testing times 0 0 IPC Asia Pacific Business Review 2019-20 13