Arrow Di Dixon's move to head up innovation district, Lot Fourteen

This podcast series is brought to you by the committee for Adelaide and Grant Law PR. We talk with passionate Boomerangs and arrows in this series and hear why they have chosen South Australia as their home to live and work. Boomerangs are people who are originally from South Australia, moved abroad and have returned. Arrow is a people who have chosen to make South Australia their new home. Hi Grant, we're here today for our latest podcast episode and we're here with Died Dixon who is the state project lead of Lotte 14. Hi Died, how are you today? I'm good thank you Peter, thanks for having me here. Hi Died. Hi Grant. So Died is an international arrow, having come from the UK and has also worked in the Gold Coast for a number of years and then found her dream job here in South Australia. Do I can you tell us a little bit about why you moved to South Australia? When we first, myself, my partner migrated back in 2001, the only state that actually reached out to us when we arrived was SA and that kind of stuck in my mind. We didn't come here, we knew someone on the Gold Coast which was why we sort of landed there to see where our lives would take us. But that was interesting to me and we've repeatedly talked about that. So I think that's a really important point that things do stick with people, because they are arriving in a country and they don't really understand how it all fits together. But my exciting journey to arrive in Adelaide was not one that I planned for, so it was quite an unexpected arrow journey in terms of thinking I'd really well been become well established. In Queensland, I've been there 18 years. Obviously, better, really strong network was working on an innovation district there, had been part of the comm games legacy. Then I was approached about a role that was here in Adelaide at lot 14. At first, I was just more intrigued about another innovation district and what was happening elsewhere in the country. But the more I talked to people here, I could just pick up on some amazing passion and just real belief in what was happening here. I was keen just to come and have a look. So came just to see what was happening before I made any commitment to an interest in the job. As soon as I saw a lot 14 and spoke to people both in the business community and also in government, there's just such a clear vision, a clear strategy around everything and just such a buy-in from so many different levels, which I've seen elsewhere, but not with a clear and clean pathway to how that was going to be achieved. So for me, it was a chance in a lifetime to deliver on a lot of things that I'd been challenged where they elsewhere that were intended to be outcomes we've never quite managed. So it was a job that kind of came to me, but at first I resisted, but once I came to Adelaide and saw what was happening, it just was a no-brainer, a chance in a lifetime. And Ty, can you tell us a little bit more about a lot 14, just for those who might not be familiar with it? Yeah, and that's another interesting thing when I was given this proposal for a lot 14. It obviously sounds a bit like a place on a plan that doesn't really mean very much, but obviously as soon as you can live and breathe it and see it, it means a lot more and that name is quite applicable from its historical origins where it is in Adelaide. But not 14 is really a really strong emerging innovation district that has some really interesting additional layers to it that I haven't seen elsewhere. So we do have the traditional ecosystem of start-ups, scale-ups. We've managed to get global businesses there. It's a really strong baseline, but the catalyst partners such as the Australian Space Agency, Australian Institute for Machine Learning, the Cyber Collaboration Centre, those catalysts sort of strategic partners have really driven the clustering of other businesses around it. And I have to say to people all the time here in South Australia, this isn't normal at the pace that lot 14s happened at and the fact that we've refurbished six heritage buildings and they're now fully occupied with high tech industry in the core sectors of space, defense, cyber and high tech and creative within such a short period of time and we have a really strong criteria because for me lot 14 is just part of a broader ecosystem. The state of SA has a really strong narrative to share with the world around its innovation ecosystem and its other hub. So we're trying to work really closely with our partners at the moment particularly at Tom's Lee and Biomed City, but also at Morse and Lakes and other areas and really focused on how do we use the growth and the attraction of having such a special precinct because these precincts are very rarely located within a CBD. I don't know another example globally where you have such a district that's adjacent to a CBD, universities, cultural institutions, public transport, but then has this strong network more broadly across the state and so I think that's what really is the point of difference in the value proposition for lot 14 but I think the state has a lot more to celebrate and be proud about more broadly that is probably an area that can be elevated. Can you elaborate a little bit further on that in terms of what we should be looking at celebrating as well? Because lot 14 is such an amazing precinct and everybody I think in almost every podcast grant I think you can attest to it, everyone talks about how amazing lot 14 is. What else have we got to celebrate? I think that there's what's been interesting for lot 14 and its emergence here is as I say the fact that people think this is maybe normal and that's where I think essay from someone coming from interstate is very humble about what it does and what it does well and I know because obviously from moving into state there's a lot of people watching what's happening here in Adelaide and particularly a lot 14 and now asking how are we making this happen and I can think it's back to the first question around well it was set up strongly with a strong vision, strong political but also strong business support and it makes sense and it's really about staying true to what those core strengths are as a city so to say for a lot of innovation districts they focus around sort of the commercial outcomes, they can very quickly become commercial or tech parks, very generic, quite siloed in activities but because of the focus on defense space and high tech which is where essay does have some strengths that's really what can be celebrated more broadly. I think lot 14 has been a global platform which is still emerging in terms of spreading the word to the rest of the world but all the other elements across the state in those sectors and the supporting business and industry has a lot more opportunity from that. We'll begin to hear a little bit more on your views of how Adelaide has differed from your past life in Queensland obviously as a migrant from the UK it must have been like paradise going to the goal cost and certainly is a great reflection on Adelaide to say how much you're enjoying it here but what was it like, what would you see the differences between Queensland and South Australia from a business perspective? I think from a business perspective it's interesting so Queensland particularly the goal cost is obviously very transient most people are from somewhere else and it took me I think only took me a couple of weeks here in Adelaide before I stopped asking where people were from because everyone looked to be and said Adelaide whereas in Queensland you asked that question and usually people are from somewhere else so I think the business networks are just different they're stronger in different ways here in Adelaide there's obviously a very strong sense of community almost everyone's an ambassador for the state people have a strong commitment and passion and I think for me there was there's a lot of genuineness in the networks when I arrived people were extremely open with introducing me to their networks very openly there was nothing to hide and there were relationships that have been well established so by me being introduced by someone else people immediately then became part of my network and I've now been here nearly three years I feel like I've been here a lot longer and it didn't take very long to get that feeling so I think I think there's there's there's falls and against in Queensland because of that transient nature you get a lot more poverty diversity you've got such a good credential record in terms of the work you've done all over the world what's been your favourite job so far and why and you don't have to say well I do have to say a lot of 14 because yeah obviously I took a bit of a jump of an leap of faith coming here changing my whole life which I thought was pretty well set up and reestablished from moving from the UK to Queensland and this job here at lot 14 has really given me all of the ability as I mentioned earlier to really just address the challenges I've seen when working in other infrastructure delivery projects and innovation districts that there's always a lot of parties with great intent they all have clear objectives and aligned priorities but if unless someone has a key coordination point to deliver on them it's always going to be quite problematic because everyone has their underlying organizational or agency agendas so for me having been empowered in this role which is how it was set up to be empowered and be able to make decisions across agencies to create a cross agency team which is quite a new thing for government to consider so my team's made up of different agencies seconded into so it's a sort of skills mobility opportunity it really has delivered but I suppose I'm only at that point of being able to do the role because of my past experience. So the fact that I've had fortunate or being in the right time at the right place opportunities to deliver major pieces of infrastructure to do a whole lot of stakeholder engagement to do marketing and communications across a broad range of parties and then also to have a passion around land use planning and economic deliverables and community engagement. It's kind of all those academic qualifications and practical employment experiences have led me to the path of my favourite job being here and I laid it lot 14. So it died. You're on a plane and you sit down next to someone who's a senior decision maker and a big global tech firm clearly in Australia to susit where they're going to establish their headquarters. How do you sell lot 14 and South Australia to them? And I will say this has happened to me. So I do carry cautious and collateral with me at all times and ready for the elevator pitch. I think for me it's and there's nothing to hide behind and I will say coming from interstate you I it's now very apparent to me that everyone in Australia says the same things about their cities and their states. And so from a global perspective that's where we do need to be smarter and it is about businesses are smart. They're not going to particularly locate themselves geographically on a whim in this virtual world. But if anything, I think COVID has definitely shown that there is a desire for human beings to have that human interaction and especially a lot for team we've seen that that just has not skipped to beat in terms of people wanting to be together wanting to collaborate and have that collision of disciplines and opportunities to come up with. Exciting global solutions. And so that the real value proposition themselves pitch for me about lot 14 is that we're staying true to what we're good at here in SA we've got niche strengths in research and commercial and business opportunities and the defense cyber and space sectors in particular and a lot for team we have a layer of creativity which is really. And so we're going to look at the data that we have brought forward some some very different and innovative ways of thinking so lot 14 number one selling point in terms of a point of difference is that it's got really core strategic partners we have national space headquarters here we have these key partners businesses can gain from that we have the ability to support small startups to scale up but we also have companies like Microsoft Amazon and Google so you've got that ability to cross pollinate across the size of businesses. And so that's a very important location and there just isn't another innovation district I don't believe in the world that so well position next to a botanic garden next to cultural institutions next to universities with the CBD across the road on public transport and in a very mobile and livable city. So I tell us because for people who may not have been to lot 14 before or have heard about it there's still a lot of work that's happening like they like you said the beautiful heritage buildings have been transformed. They'll cool just want an amazing award for one of your buildings there's still so much work that's happening tell us a little bit about that. And happening and to happen and I think that's and that's what's really exciting like we've just started and I talk about the precinct now we've established ourselves but now we're moving into growth phase and there's a future sustainability phase to come and say 4 to 6 years time. So what's what's on the horizon is that new wave of new infrastructure so as we have six heritage buildings fully occupied over 1400 people working currently in the precinct. We have a waiting list of people where this is where we're trying to work really closely with the CBD and find places for these people that are interested in Adelaide because they've heard about lot 14 to be able to come and locate themselves while we then deliver new infrastructure. So we've got an exciting currently called entrepreneur and innovation center which is a 40,000 square meter 15 story build which will completely change the landscape it will sit behind the heritage buildings within an innovation plaza. So really looking at quality public realm and exciting place to be but that will be very that's not a commercial build so again really conscious of not competing with the CBD and being a point of difference that that's a very defense and secure focus building. So working with our partners at the Commonwealth and in the private sector for the tendency within that and we're hoping for that to start construction late this year or early next year. We've obviously got a cultural facility being developed within the precinct which has early works underway and we've recently agreed with the Commonwealth as part of the Adelaide City deal for funding for a digital technologies academy again and working title but that's a facility that's going to address the skill shortage that we have so that's always the hardest thing for everyone around the world particularly at the moment in the digital space. So how do we create the right skills and have them ready for industry needs were well behind the same as the rest of the world. But so we're actually going to create a facility within lot 14 will meet the demands of the skills that we're trying to attract so that our businesses can really see that there's a commitment to that pipeline of skills. So this is about building on what our universities are offering and TAFE and other RTOs and really providing an agility around technology so where an industry will have a need for a certain technology skill set for say two years before another way of technology comes in and this is a facility that will address that and be very industry focused. And then after that there's obviously additional development sites that will come as the next wave and I'm often asked when when will the precinct be finished and my question always is well they never are the infrastructure we're aiming to be completed by 2028 but in terms of the precinct by them it'll be a whole new wave we'll be talking about new industry sectors that we haven't even thought of and needs strengths that we have so there'll be that constant wave which is way why the curation of these precincts is so critical. And the role that I hold and that responsibility is really important to stay true to that for the state that we have that ability to address needs and produce quality infrastructure but that is multifunctional going forward. Dye you just talked about future industries that may become involved with lot 14 which you know it sounds perfect for how we're going to develop and evolve as a state. What do you perceive for the future of essay and what key industries are going to help drive that? I think the fundamental industries that I've mentioned defense space cyber are not going to change for the state the opportunities are there now and the state has grabbed those and is really proving itself that it's it's it's punching above its weight and all spheres people are taking notice nationally and internationally. So I think again it's about what are our needs strengths are working very closely with our universities in terms of emerging commercial opportunities and where their research bases are and how those linking to the future thinking so. I think it's it's it's maintaining that and quite often innovation districts can get distracted by what may be a sudden flavor of the month in terms of industry so for me that's what I've been really impressed with here in in out of eight is that commitment to. What it knows it's good at and then what are the areas within those broader industry sectors that should be focused in on. I think then it's about facilitating the relationships that different companies can then bring to the table which I suppose is where I say you see the magic happening at lot 14 which is where you get companies that are only actually coming together and thinking about how they can solve problems because they're they're having conversations that wouldn't naturally happen so. We have things like the relationships with in a more technologies as a satellite building company at lot 14 alongside myriotus and internet and things company alongside having smarts at CRC as a federal government research agency with a whole national network of partners they will come together and are now building the first state satellite that will be launched so. So I think this sort of initiatives or what should be celebrated and focused upon so I think the future lies in that focus on maintaining the core industry sectors but but looking at how the collaboration drives innovation and I suppose and but noting that that's very much a lot 14 centric view and I think that's where so we've just established a district alliance working groups are to work very closely with the other districts because that's where there's real valuable so that. We'll value in terms of future industry growth so in AI we're doing some amazing work that's happening at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning through the University of Adelaide and their partners but how can that be applied within the health sector so we're doing some work that goes across into Biomed City but also we're not wanting to create a heavy manufacturing sector at lot 14 so how do we that the company is then. So the idea generation may happen at lot 14 but the manufacturing can be supported at tonsley so again it's about having that that future view of that it's not always about one innovation district there may be times that they have and flow which is obviously what's happened with lot 14 fairly recently but the value is is maintaining that whole ecosystem so that we can draw on the strengths that maintain those strengths that say has. Tell us what do you love so far about Adelaide when you're not at work. I must admit and a lot of my team do already say I've probably seen more of essay than most people here. I definitely don't let the grass grow and I have swan with sea lions, swan with a giant cuddle fish, hiked mountains, hiked coastlines taking a lot of advantage of the great boutique accommodation and in the regions here. And tiny houses and I was looking for for great new adventures and probably one of the main attractors and deniably is obviously. wine may play a role in the attraction here and how you can spend quite a lot of time and I'm very fortunate I live in Brighton so I think I've managed to maintain that balance between having the coastal life that obviously drew me to Queensland and spent a lot of time on the water and along the coastline and do a lot of running but also being able to be in the wine areas and districts which are also accessible which is another great attraction of Adelaide for myself in terms of that personal ability to travel around so easily. Sounds like the perfect mix. Yeah well you've got Petriti wines about three keys from Brighton. I think you could maybe say two and a half. So Dye, is there anything you're reading at the moment or any podcast you're listening to anything you'd like to share with there with our listeners? I do do a lot of reading which probably is more easy read just to rest the brain a little bit but I am currently I'm reading a book that was lent to be Women in Leadership by Julia Gillard which is actually extremely insightful and I think it's very obviously timely. I'm not necessarily automatically drawn to gender-focused sort of reading but for me and in the position I'm now in it obviously becomes more interesting to learn about women's experience in leadership and how they're perceived and lessons learned and be inspired by others such as Jacinta at Herne and the likes and this book I'm completed it yet but is very much picks those types of leaders and just gives insight into that. Podcasts at the moment I was recently recommended Simon Sinek, a bit of optimism that may have come from moments of not despair but of challenge and just how to really for me I'm very much about open honesty communication and team building and morale and I hope I help my team to be on the journey that I feel I am on personally and so I'm always keen to know how to make sure we look at how our glass is always half full and not half empty and particularly working within a government environment but trying to deliver business outcomes it's an interesting dichotomy in terms of being able to to stay true and optimistic and I definitely have had that supported a government and business level since being here but I like to yeah listen into things like that that just give you some checkpoints or things that you can can bring for others as well and share. Great. We are an absolute powerhouse dying I think we as a state are so fortunate and lucky to have you here so thank you so very much for coming today we really appreciate your time. Thank you for listening to our podcast brought to you by host Skrant Law and Peter St. Claire we hope you enjoyed it don't forget to follow us on socials simply search for Adelaide Connected. We host podcast monthly so stay tuned to hear from more inspiring Boomerangs and arrows who have chosen South Australia as a place to live and work.