Panel set to judge SA’s top young leaders
David Rohrsheim will lead an expert panel of judges for this year’s 40 Under 40 Awards.
David Rohrsheim, who returned to Adelaide in March to manage the $50 million South Australian Venture Capital Fund, has agreed to chair the 12-member panel of judges for the 2020 awards.
The 38 year old was the Regional General Manager for Uber during the ride sharing company’s launch in Australia and New Zealand before taking up the post for Artesian to manage the state’s venture capital fund.
Rohrsheim said he was excited to lead the 40 Under 40 judging panel because it gave him an opportunity to reacquaint himself with what is happening in South Australia.
“There is a very selfish aspect,” Rohrsheim said.
“I’ve been away for a while so for me it’s great opportunity to participate and get to meet the group. Both the people that get recognised and all the folks that apply.”
The 40 Under 40 Awards are run by InDaily and celebrate people under the age of 40 who are leading the way in different industries and sectors important to South Australia, including, for the first time this year, social enterprise.
The program recognises not only the personal determination and commercial drive of these entrepreneurial leaders but also the philanthropic pursuits that balance these individuals’ professional achievements.
Rohrsheim said that in the wake of the bushfires and in the midst of COVID-19 he wants to look for the people who went out of their way to help.
“It’s the people who look after others rather than just trying to deal with their own problems, those will be stories I want to tell,” he said.
Rohrsheim will also be looking for South Australia’s growing group of entrepreneurs with good ideas.
“What I’m doing right now is meeting startups every day,” Rohrsheim said.
“So the SA government’s got a venture capital fund of 50 million bucks for investing in South Australian startups.
“My job is to meet Australians with crazy ideas and sometimes we get to give them money.”
Rohrsheim will chair a panel made up of representatives of various industries, including biomedical technology through to the arts this year.
The judges are:
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- David Rohrsheim – South Australian Venture Capital Fund, Portfolio Manager
- David O’Loughlin – KWP!, Director
- Brendan Rinaldi – ANZ, State Manager
- Arman Abrahimzadeh – City of Adelaide, Councillor
- Yvette van Eenennaam – Adelaide BioMed City, General Manager
- Rhana Devenport – Art Gallery of South Australia, Director
- Jo Skene – OTR, Head of Community and PR
- Matt Illman – William Buck, Director
- Carmen Garcia – Community Corporate, General Manager
- Jim Plouffe – Solstice, Publishing Editor
- Piper Alderman – Tim O’Callaghan, Head of Piper Alderman Adelaide Office & National Deputy Managing Partner
Nominations are still open, with judging to commence in August before the awards are held in October.