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| ALCC Celebrates Partnership, Enterprise and Enduring Success |
** “Market disruption does not destroy opportunity—it reveals new possibilities for those prepared to act with confidence and vision.”
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ALCC Celebrates Partnership, Enterprise and Enduring Success
16/09/2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l:“The Chamber’s strength is built on the loyalty of its sponsors, the vision of its members and the partnerships that turn opportunity into lasting achievement.”
The Australian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce (ALCC) hosted a special Sponsors and Partners Luncheon at Doltone House in Sydney, bringing together prominent business owners, senior executives, entrepreneurs and community representatives.
The luncheon celebrated the Chamber’s longstanding partnerships, welcomed new sponsors and highlighted emerging opportunities across Australia’s property, construction, finance and business sectors.
** ALCC Vice-President Dr Anthony Hachem (PhD) served as the master of ceremonies and extended a warm welcome to the Consul-General of Lebanon in Sydney, Raymond El Chamlati, along with the Chamber’s sponsors, partners, members and supporters. He also acknowledged the Honourable John Ajaka, Chairman of MyGuardian, who was unable to attend.
Dr Hachem said the luncheon was dedicated to recognising the organisations and individuals whose commitment enables the Chamber to connect business professionals, strengthen commercial networks and create new opportunities between Australia and Lebanon.
Reflecting on the ALCC’s recent 40th anniversary, he said the Chamber remained focused on expanding its network, welcoming new businesses and ensuring that sponsors received genuine value from their involvement.
New sponsors welcomed to the ALCC included C&A Surveyors, Sydney Wide Certifiers, SHC Insurance Brokers, JC Geotechnics Pty Ltd, ITF Hire and Fienza.
Dr Hachem also acknowledged Arab Bank as a valued partner that had supported the Chamber since its earliest years, together with the ALCC’s diamond, platinum, gold and silver sponsors.
He thanked members of the Arab media, including Middle East Times International Editor-in-Chief Camil Shalala and Said Mikhael, for their continuing support of the Chamber and the broader Australian-Lebanese community.
Sponsors Are the Foundation of the Chamber
ALCC President Salim Nicolas, OAM, delivered welcoming remarks in which he expressed his deep appreciation to the sponsors and partners whose commitment had contributed to the Chamber’s growth and success.
“Without you, the Chamber is nothing. You make the Chamber what it is today,” Nicolas told guests.
He also thanked Doltone House for providing the venue free of charge and for supporting the ALCC for more than two decades.
President Nicolas described the Chamber as an extended family united by friendship, enterprise and a shared commitment to strengthening Australian-Lebanese business relations.
Guests were invited to reserve Friday, 6 November, for the Chamber’s annual Business Awards Gala Dinner.
Commercial Property Outlook Remains Positive
Michael Bannett, General Manager of Property and Construction Finance at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, thanked the ALCC for the invitation and reflected on his association with the Chamber over the past 20 years.
He acknowledged Sarkis Nassif and Dr Joe Rizk, recalling that he had worked closely with Dr Rizk as an analyst in 1996 and had gained valuable professional experience under his guidance.
Addressing the outlook for Australia’s construction and property sectors, Bannett acknowledged the considerable negative commentary surrounding both industries. However, he urged business leaders to view periods of market disruption as potential sources of opportunity.
While residential construction continued to face significant pressures, he said several areas of commercial real estate—including prime retail, industrial and office properties—were performing relatively well.
Rental income remained resilient, property values were generally holding firm and non-discretionary retail assets continued to attract domestic and international investors.
Bannett highlighted strong economic activity in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, where significant investment was flowing into major projects. Defence expenditure was also supporting regional centres such as Townsville.
Turning to Sydney, he acknowledged that rising construction costs, financing pressures and weaker project feasibility were creating serious challenges, particularly in Western Sydney.
However, disruption within the private-credit market could bring additional development sites onto the market at revised prices, potentially making previously unviable projects feasible.
“Periods of market disruption do not eliminate opportunity—they create new openings for businesses with the courage, discipline and vision to seize them.”
Bannett identified Queensland’s estimated $120 billion Olympic infrastructure program and the rapidly expanding data-centre sector as major sources of future work for construction companies and subcontractors across Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland.
He said the Commonwealth Bank remained willing and able to support businesses operating in the property and construction sectors. He also introduced his colleague Jim Robinshaw, who leads one of the bank’s Sydney teams of approximately 12 to 14 property bankers.** During a question-and-answer session, Bannett said the bank’s development-finance portfolio had recorded solid growth during the previous three years, increasing by approximately 25 per cent in the period leading up to Christmas.
Activity had since slowed considerably following recent interest-rate increases and changes announced in the federal budget.
Bannett estimated that investment applications through the retail bank had fallen by approximately 15 to 25 per cent, reflecting uncertainty among buyers and investors.
Nevertheless, some investors were beginning to return after assessing the changing market conditions.
He rejected suggestions that investors should avoid Western Sydney. Instead, he said land values could adjust because of pressures affecting private-credit-backed developments, potentially bringing more sites onto the market at realistic prices.
Bannett also noted growing bank support for build-to-rent developments in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Adelaide. As property values adjusted and rents increased, investment returns could become more attractive and less dependent on taxation incentives.
Asked about interest rates, Bannett said the bank’s outlook anticipated one further increase, possibly following the release of inflation data in October.
He warned that another rise would place additional pressure on households because wage growth was not keeping pace with borrowing costs. At the same time, he acknowledged that persistent inflation was damaging the economy and driving up costs across many industries, including construction.
Despite these challenges, Bannett remained optimistic about the long-term outlook, arguing that well-positioned businesses could benefit from the opportunities created by changing market conditions.
The session concluded with applause and an expression of appreciation for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s longstanding support of the Chamber.
Elephant’s Foot: From a Backyard Garage to International Success
Eddy Saide shared the remarkable story of Elephant’s Foot, an Australian waste-management and recycling business founded in 1976.
The company began in a backyard garage, where brothers Harvey and Michael developed machinery in response to growing demand for recycling solutions.
While they were assembling one of their early machines, an uncle remarked that it resembled an elephant’s foot. That spontaneous observation inspired the company’s name, which was registered in 1976.
For several years, the business employed only four people before beginning to expand during the 1980s.
Saide first encountered Elephant’s Foot as a customer in 1992. His career with the company began in 1999, following the collapse of the recycling business where he had been employed.
As he prepared to telephone his wife with the distressing news that he had lost his job, he received an unexpected call from Harvey.
Rather than merely offering sympathy, Harvey invited him to join Elephant’s Foot, having known and trusted him as a customer for almost a decade.
At the time, Elephant’s Foot employed only 12 people and operated on a limited weekly schedule. Today, it employs approximately 130 people across Australia and another 60 overseas.
The company now operates nationally and has expanded into the Middle East, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon.
Saide said the company’s longevity was founded on passion, commitment and a genuine love for its work. Its strong family culture was reflected in the loyalty of its workforce, with around 70 per cent of employees having served the company for at least 15 years and three employees remaining for more than 30 years.
He also acknowledged Arab Bank for supporting his ambition to acquire and further develop the company. The bank’s confidence in him, he said, had helped transform his dream into reality.
“Businesses do not survive for 50 years through good fortune alone—they endure through passion, loyalty, resilience and people who believe in what they are building.”
Saide wished the other businesses represented at the luncheon similar success and longevity.
** Jared Morgan of M3 Properties
Jared acknowledged the pressures facing the property and construction sectors but stressed that every market and asset class performs differently.
He said the residential market continued to face revenue and development pressures, particularly as increasingly difficult conditions prevented many projects from getting off the ground.
However, these challenges would inevitably restrict future housing supply. With Australia’s population continuing to grow and the number of available dwellings remaining below demand, he believed the property sector’s long-term fundamentals remained strong.
“If we look beyond the immediate challenges and take a 12- to 24-month view, the fundamentals remain positive: Australia’s population is growing, while housing supply continues to fall short of demand.”
Sydney Wide Certifiers Pursues Further Growth
Sydney Wide Certifiers General Manager Shane Michael introduced the company and outlined its provision of building and subdivision certification services across New South Wales.
Since becoming general manager approximately 18 months earlier, Michael said he had helped the company nearly double in size.
Sydney Wide Certifiers is an unrestricted A1 certification business with seven certifiers working in-house. Michael said the company intended to continue expanding its operations and strengthening its position within the certification market.
C&A Surveyors Expands into Canberra
C&A Surveyors Sales Manager Malik Alachi presented an overview of the company, which has operated since 2009 and provides a broad range of land-surveying services.
The company works across residential, commercial and high-rise construction projects and also provides three-dimensional laser-scanning and modelling services. Its clients include Tier 1 builders.
C&A Surveyors employs approximately 60 people throughout New South Wales. It recently opened an office in Canberra and plans to expand into Brisbane next year.
JC Geotechnics Builds on Strong Foundations
JC Geotechnics Director Joseph Chaghouri introduced the company, which he established in 2019 with the encouragement of Dr Anthony Hachem.
The company now employs 10 people and provides geotechnical and environmental services across commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects in the public and private sectors.
Its portfolio includes projects connected with major transport infrastructure, Sydney Metro and local councils.
JC Geotechnics has also opened an office in Brisbane, positioning the company to benefit from Queensland’s expanding construction industry and preparations for the Olympic Games.
Chaghouri thanked Dr Hachem, Holdmark and the company’s clients and supporters for contributing to its growth.
Fienza Strengthens Its Commercial Presence
Fienza NSW Sales Manager Chris Windsor represented the Australian-owned wholesale bathroomware business, which has operated in the national market for approximately 15 years.
The company supplies products for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries through its network of retail and industry partners.
While maintaining a strong retail presence, Fienza is increasingly expanding into medium-density and multi-residential commercial developments. The privately owned business has also begun pursuing opportunities in the United States.
SHC Advances Consumer Protection
Stefan Hicks outlined SHC Insurance Brokers’ role in introducing latent defects insurance to Australia, describing it as an important development in the national conversation surrounding construction standards and consumer protection.
He noted that relevant legislation had recently passed in New South Wales and that an associated insurance provider had received approval from the NSW Building Commissioner to offer latent defects insurance.
SHC also provides a broader range of construction-related insurance services, including professional indemnity, contract works and coverage for allied trades and businesses operating throughout the construction sector.
Celebrating Enterprise and Enduring Partnerships
The luncheon concluded with the presentation of certificates of appreciation to the ALCC’s new sponsors.
Guests also received bottles of Lebanese wine from the town of Talliya, presented with the support of Australian distributor David Isaac Head of Marketing at Harkola.
The organisers thanked the sponsors, partners, members and guests for their continuing support and encouraged them to attend the Chamber’s forthcoming Business Awards Gala Dinner on Friday, 6 November.
The occasion concluded on an optimistic note, celebrating the achievements of Lebanese-Australian businesses, the strength of enduring commercial partnerships and the importance of supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs. |
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