Joe Perri

President / Victoria Chapter, Australia Malaysia Business Council

The story begins over six decades ago. An obscure immigrant couple of Italian descent, whose only real chance at survival at the time, was to pick up what was left of their mangled existence after the second World War, exit their motherland, and start over in a whole new world—the forever home they would soon recognise as Australia. The man goes ahead, slogs to save a few coins, and sends them back for the woman. She then joins him in Sydney where they exchange vows before settling down in Melbourne.

PREMIUM PEDIGREE

The pair’s labours haven’t fallen on futile ground. The testament of their triumphs and tribulations are captured through a single fruit of their union—a male offspring who’d go on to become a walking legend. That human treasure is who the world today celebrates as Joe Perri, the president of the Australia Malaysia Business Council’s (AMBC) Victorian chapter. A master of ship who directs with heart and depth, his origins mark a set of footprints indelibly printed on the sands of a past bent on making history.

Holding dear beliefs, lessons, and strength of character passed down from parents who dared to dream, his remarkable trail, according to the man himself, is the sum total of a heritage rooted in sheer perseverance. “Their love, care, and guidance have stayed with me always and continue to provide me with a beacon and are the values and morals which sit at the core of my character when relating to my own wife, family, friends, and clients, and so on,” Perri notes.

DYNAMIC DOER

Although well into his fifties, he continues to look to his exemplary guardians as his ultimate source of inner zest. Smiling on the path already trodden, he’s anxious to plot the voyage that remains. It’s been 10 years since his immersion in international trade relations began. He was propositioned to use his wealth of marketing and communications expertise to assist the newly appointed national president of the AMBC at the time. Eagerly accepting, he then proceeded to join the organisation in his home base as member.

“The activities of the council, friendly nature of its members, their diverse backgrounds, and business interests in Malaysia motivated me to go beyond just being a member and led to my joining the Victorian executive team.” Here, his skills in marketing, public relations, communications, and more were put to good use. As a result, the appointment followed his election to VP and subsequently president, three years ago. Nine years before his first AMBC commission, the marketer founded his personal venture, Joe Perri & Associates.

“I’m a very positive glass-half-full kinda guy who enjoys working and engaging with people. Life’s too short not to have it filled with enriching experiences, which is why I enjoy my career path.” Picking up on that last point, his duties are divided into two streams—a commercial side where he helps businesses achieve goals through marketing and PR processes as well as a CSR side which he commits to in a voluntary capacity as president.

CONSCIENTIOUS COMMANDER

He adds cultural understanding and appreciation are feats to tackle, and that the way forward is to have the Asian and Western ways of conducting business adjust accordingly so the best of both worlds is the ultimate outcome. Facing these hurdles won’t be a cinch, but the implications on leadership and prospect of having to flex his captain of industry is justification enough for a heightened sense of exhilaration on his part.

“What an exciting time to be in business. International trade is quite frankly in overdrive,” the AMBC head quips.

It’s become increasingly clear to Perri that no country or economy can operate in isolation; every nation is now part of the global ecosystem. To maintain success and strengthen mutually-beneficial trade and investments between countries, alliances are a necessity—and more so, since Malaysia is Australia’s eighth largest trading partner. “The Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement enforced in 2013 was a significant step forward and will continue to be a platform to build on with more trade between the two nations.”

HAPPY CAMPER

On family, Perri’s consists of his wife, Luigina, two children, Danielle and Matthew, a goldfish as well as a “spoilt cat”. The latest to join that lineage is his son’s fiancée, Juliet. Their wedding takes place in October—the festivities for which the entire household is keenly anticipating. For senior, coming home to a loving family is one of the truest blessings in life. He may be a trade specialist, but the people mentioned above aren’t anyone he’d exchange for anything else.

Adding to that list, he is just as proud to have seen the world. Speaking of going places, the wanderlust-lover recently spent a weekend away with loved ones at a small township called Metung in the beautiful Gippsland Lakes area, a four-hour drive from Melbourne. “It was literally divine.  No tourist attractions, McDonalds, theme parks, cable TV or even a decent cell phone signal. Each morning, we woke to the sound of dolphins, seals, and pelicans in the water.” Now, he can’t wait to get back in a month.

故事的开端要追溯到60年前，一对意大利血统的移民夫妇，在二战之后，离开自己的祖国来到这个全新的国度－澳大利亚，并且在墨尔本定居之前许下结婚誓言，他们的子孙后来成为了土生土长的澳大利亚人。

这是澳大利亚–马来西亚商务理事会 (AMBC) 维多利亚分会会长 Joe Perri 的家族故事，他的出身标志着一个不可磨灭的历史痕迹。

“纯粹的毅力是我的家族先辈留下最珍贵的遗产。他们的爱、关心和指导也一直伴随着我，并且成为塑造我的性格、价值观和道德的关键核心。”

他仰赖的家族信念，也使他与自己的妻子、家人，朋友和客户相处应对时，显得更从容自如和互相尊重。

虽然早已步入50知天命之年，但他还是继续寻找模范监护人，也许这是他内心始终保持热情的原因。他微笑地走过一段道路，现在的他急于绘制剩下的航程。

具有丰富市场营销和交流专业知识的 Joe Perri，加入国际贸易组织至今已经10年。当时，他接到协助 AMBC 新任全国会长的工作提议时，立刻欣然的接受。

当然，由于出色的表现，最终的结果是：他当选为副会长，随后成为会长。其实在这之前，他的个人创业公司，Joe Perri & Associates 成立已久。

“我是属于看到杯子里还有半杯水的人(表示想法乐观)，喜欢工作或与别人来往沟通，人生苦短，所有事物我们不能完全经历，这就是为何我乐于享受我的工作。”

他目前的职责分为两块：在商业端，他透过市场营销和公关流程协助企业达成目标；至于企业社会责任方面，他承诺在自愿而具备能力的情况下担任会长。

他补充，互相理解与赏识的文化是解决问题的最大功臣，如果要在拓展亚洲的业务道路上前进，必须和西式行事风格相应调和，方能取得两全其美的成果。

Joe Perri 清楚认知到：任何国家或经济无法孤立操作；每一个国家现在是全球生态系统的一部分。为了保持加强各国间的互利贸易和投资，联盟是一种必然的结果。

纵然面对困难和障碍，但对于行业的领导和掌控前景却加剧了他的兴奋感。 “进行商业运营时是最激动人心的时刻，老实说目前国际贸易的情形是超速了。”

谈到家庭，他与妻子 – Luigina，一对儿女 Danielle 和 Matthew，最新加入的家人是他儿子的未婚妻，Juliet。儿子与未来媳妇深受祝福的婚礼将在10月举行，就是这位乐观男性的真实幸福家庭生活。

他休闲生活中最向往的地方－吉普斯兰湖区“Metung”美丽小乡镇，距离墨尔本4小时的车程。

“Metung 没有旅游景点、麦当劳、主题公园，有线电视，甚至手机信号。早晨醒来只能聆听着海豚、海豹和鹈鹕欢腾的声音。”