People who make the DIF this month profiles Collins Rex, the owner of ideas generator and actuator, Rex Ideas. As the new iAwards Chief Judge she will be leading a panel of iAwards judges sharing their Tips and Traps for success. Collins has been involved in the DIF for years and in 2018 was part of the DIF Hub program where she shared her export experience. 

Collins is owner of ideas generator and actuator, Rex Ideas, and a Director of the Global Trade Professionals Alliance (GTPA).

Collins has for some 20 years been involved in the Australian ICT industry, through associations with Australian technology firms and various ICT industry clusters (several of which she initiated and managed).  And she understands the value of services and technology in an increasingly connected world.  As a self-confessed “AI tragic” and agtech enthusiast, Collins is passionate about the intersection of technology, business and art, and acknowledges the role technology and digitisation play in business growth.

Collins has owned and operated highly successful communications and consultancy businesses on two continents, and in her professional capacity assists clients across a range of international training, marketing, product development and communications areas, where she leverages her background as an award-winning radio announcer to hone businesses’ pitching and presentation skills.  She numbers governments, trade organisations, industry associations and not-for-profits amongst her clients, and she is regularly called upon to speak at international events.

Welcome to the new iAwards Chief Judge

Collins has for some 13 years served as a member of the AIIA’s iAwards judging panel and Judges’ Council, and also as an international judge at APICTA, the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards. In March 2021 she took up the mantel as iAwards Chief Judge and is extending a personal invitation to you to consider joining the iAwards Judging Panel.

The success of the iAwards is driven by the contribution of professionals who volunteer their time to judge submissions. These volunteers help to select the best in Australian innovation and in the process they are exposed to some truly remarkable technology achievements. As a judge, you will be required to review no more than 20 submissions. These submissions include a small amount of text and a 3-minute video. The voting system is entirely online. If you're interested connect with Collins on LinkedIn.

A wealth of export experience to share

For well over three decades now, Collins she has worked as an international business specialist, consulting to and upskilling individual companies and organisations wanting to expand their horizons.  Amongst other things, she has developed training materials and delivered courses in international business across a range of subject areas, from sales skills and pitching for success, to basic export skills and Free Trade Agreement utilisation.  And she has delivered this training in markets as diverse as Australia, South Africa and Peru, and online to hundreds of people in dozens of countries.  She has also delivered three highly successful Australia Awards: Women Trading Globally programmes to women entrepreneurs from across the Pacific and South Asia, and she continues to mentor these women on an ongoing basis.

In 2018, Collins joined the DIF Hub program and shared her export experience with Kelly Hutchinson, DIF Festival Manager. 

Collins is currently (on behalf of the Global Trade Professionals Alliance) delivering an Australian government-funded project to build support services for small business in six Asia-Pacific countries.  Working with stakeholders in these markets, she is developing a range of tools, online training courses and business disaster recovery guides, aimed at helping MSMEs in those markets recover and grow post-COVID-19.

Collins sits on the international advisory board of the Netherlands-based eCommerce Foundation, and she is a member of the World Customs Organisation’s Working Group on eCommerce.  With degrees in English, Psychology and Sociology, Collins is keenly interested in the human condition.

iAwards Tips and Traps

This year’s iAwards Chief Judge, Collins Rex has brought together a panel of experienced judges to discuss what they are looking for when choosing our best innovations. Collectively, these experts have judged thousands of entries over the years so their insights will give you the edge you need take your entry to the winning level.

This is a priceless opportunity to learn from the best and get the advice that will hopefully take your entry to a finals quality entry. And it’s a FREE event. The gems of advice will be worth it!

There will be an opportunity to email in advance or pose questions during the session to our judges to access the best minds in the business.