The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) has announced the appointment of Luke Achterstraat as its new Chief Executive Officer effective 30 May 2023.
Prior to his appointment, Achterstraat has served as the NSW Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia. He also was the Chair of the Expert Housing Advisory Panel for the NSW Government and has worked in a series of senior advisory roles in the Federal Government, including for the ministers for trade, investment, tourism and international education.
In a statement, COSBOA said that Achterstraat brings a “wealth of experience in various leadership capacities within membership organisations, small business management, advocacy, and policy development”.
Achterstraat’s appointment came after a rigorous recruitment process. COSBOA stated that he impressed the board with his commitment towards “ensuring small businesses in Australia are not left behind” as well as his enthusiasm to work with small-business owners, industry associations and government in order to address critical challenges such as skills gaps, supply chain bottlenecks, regulatory burdens and cyber crime.
“Luke will bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table, which will benefit our members, partners, and industry stakeholders, as well as help to achieve COSBOA’s goals,” COSBOA Chair, Matthew Addison, said. “We are excited to have him onboard and believe that he will be a valuable addition to lead our team.”
Addison expressed confidence that Achterstraat will steer the organisation forward in the midst of a challenging period for Australian small businesses.
For his part, Achterstraat said that he will leverage his significant professional experience and his personal history with small business in Australia.
“From a personal perspective, my grandparents came to Australia in the 1950s and started their own small business to create a livelihood for our family; I know first-hand the joys and challenges of running a small business” Achterstraat shared.
“I see the opportunity to lead COSBOA as an honour and responsibility. The combined small businesses represented by COSBOA’s members have the potential to be a key part of the solution to drive growth, productivity and prosperity for the Australian economy,” Achterstraat added. “I aspire to make sure small business is front and centre of every policy discussion at a time when they have never been more important.”
