Hosted by the Kiama and District Business Chamber, the Mayoral Breakfast was held at the Mercure Hotel in Gerringong on Friday 6 October.

As attendees ate a fine breakfast the President, Cameron McDonald, welcomed the guests, and acknowledged Council, the Mercure Hotel, the Business Award finalists and winners, and any new Business Chamber members. 

Mayor Neill Reilly then addressed the gathering. He reflected on the journey and highlighted the challenges and opportunities related to accountability, transparency, and financial sustainability. He emphasised the importance of lessons learned from past experiences in guiding Council’s pursuit of a responsible and stable future.

Mayor Reilly acknowledged the difficulties faced by Kiama Municipal Council in the past but expressed optimism about resetting their course for a better financial future. He stressed the need for investment in the community, particularly in infrastructure, revenue streams, and innovation while carefully managing the risks.

He underlined the importance of collaboration within and outside Council to achieve shared goals. Mayor Reilly mentioned the possibility of setting up a Council-owned business to promote innovation and collaboration between the public and private sectors, emphasising the benefits of public ownership.

His speech also touched on topics such as roads and infrastructure, technological and digital transformation, preparedness for severe weather events, affordable housing, town centre planning, and environmental well-being.

In conclusion, Mayor Reilly called for resilience and transformation, emphasising the potential for innovation, collaboration, and community-centric growth. He expressed a vision of transforming Kiama Council into a respected and vibrant place. The speech ended with a call to action for everyone to shape a prosperous future for Kiama.

Special guest speakers were Agrifutures Rural Leader Cressida Cains, Co-Founder of Pecora Dairy, and Cathryn Lyall, Partner at Seed Space Venture Capital, who discussed their respective journeys in agriculture, markets and financial technology.

Cathryn Lyall is a Director of K&DBC, and also a highly experienced senior executive and strategic adviser with over 34 years of expertise spanning capital markets, finance, banking, government, and fintech in Australia and the United Kingdom. She currently holds the position of Partner at Seed Space Venture Capital and is also the Co-Founder of the not-for-profit organization Seed Money Australia. Cathryn serves as a Non-Executive Director (NED) on numerous boards, including Wisr (ASX: WZR), the national industry body Fintech Australia, and various fintech startups both domestically and in the UK.

In addition to her professional roles, Cathryn is a passionate advocate for diversity within the Financial Services sector and has provided mentorship to many women in Capital Markets and emerging fintech entrepreneurs. Her achievements have earned her recognition in prestigious lists such as the Financial News Top 100 Women, Innovate Finance Top 100 Women in Fintech, and Top 35 Women in Fintech Investment. She also dedicates her time as a mentor for Aspiring Rare Birds.

Cressida Cains and her partner Mike embarked on their journey in 2011, establishing Pecora Dairy in Knights Hill, a region within the Kiama Local Government Area. They achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first in the country to obtain a license for producing raw milk cheese. Pecora Dairy has consistently earned recognition for its exceptional quality, pioneering role in the industry, and commitment to innovation. Over the years, it has grown into a national brand.

The most recent accolades for Pecora Dairy include winning the prestigious Champion Cheese of Show title at the 2023 Sydney Royal Cheese Show, achieving this feat twice in the past three years. In 2020, they also secured the National Delicious Produce trophy, further solidifying their reputation for producing outstanding dairy products.

Cressida is also actively involved in the Kiama Farmers Market committee, contributing to the local agricultural community. Her dedication and contributions to the industry were acknowledged when she won the NSW/ACT Agrifutures Rural Women's Award in 2020. She also received national recognition as the National Runner-Up for her work with Dairy Cocoon, an online platform and support hub designed to assist small dairy farmers in developing their own branded products. Cressida's commitment to the dairy industry and her endeavours have had a positive impact.

What makes someone successful? Cressida’s advice for women is to back themselves if they have a great idea, and said, “Find your passion – dig in and do the work!” She also advocates building a social media profile, which is “powerful and free”, as a way to get your story out there. She said that “Knowledge is available – information and courses can be done online. Knowledge is power.”

Cathryn agreed and added that people are drawn to authenticity.