Top 100 CEO Interviews
Issue No. 31 - October/November 2006
Big Business Benchmark
Now more accurate than ever as a measure of which majority South Australian-owned enterprises are making the running in our business community, the Top 100 Index has become an indispensable reference.
Major sponsor BankSA took a keen interest in the process this year: BankSA General Manager, Commercial and Regional Business Banking Lindsay Hick sat down with our list creator Max Franchitto to go through the results.
Lindsay Hick: What did you observe during this year's Top 100 research that most interested you?
Max Franchitto: Once again we've discovered more depth to local business activity. The presence of 20 new entrants to the list demonstrates that.
We thought we had reached the bottom of the mine but when we kept digging we found more gold.
The publicly listed companies' attitude was much the same, but there were mood swings among the private companies.
Some that were hesitant to participate last year were enthusiastic this year. Some that we assumed would be in it this year, because they were enthusiastic last year, said no.
For the first time this year we will be publishing a 'missing in action' list to explain the obvious absences.
LH: Were there any industry concentrations coming through?
MF: It was interesting that the technology sector was no longer predominant. Food and hospitality was strong, the construction industry also – although that can be volatile – and franchising and retailing was surprisingly durable. There was also an increase in financial services groups.
The shift is probably partly a function of the research. When we started in 2004 technology and biotechs were active, but this year we were able to cast the net wider and sector representation is more even.
LH: It’s positive to hear an increasingly healthy range of diversity emerging among our top businesses. Would you say our industrial base is becoming less conc...
