David Koch, otherwise affectionately known by the public as Kochie, is one of Australia’s most recognised and respected faces. Before Sunrise, Kochie was a (self-proclaimed) finance nerd who started as a cadet on the business pages of The Australian newspaper before joining BRW magazine soon after its launch in the early 1980s.  Kochie is an entrepreneur at heart, owning and operating small businesses for 35 years. Family business Pinstripe Media is a leading business, finance and tech content marketing and publishing company. In 2020 Kochie co-founded Ausbiz, Australia’s only live streaming financial markets channel. Drawing on his personal experience and extensive knowledge of business and finance, David will provide an insightful economic update covering current market trends, financial forecasts, and the forces shaping our economic future.

Geopolitical volatility is creating some of the biggest challenges that family businesses face today, while also opening new opportunities. To not only survive but thrive in the years ahead, business leaders need to understand how geopolitical disruptions will shape the challenges and opportunities for their industry.  Merriden will provide business-relevant insights into the evolving state of world affairs and the geopolitical impact on supply chains, trade and economic policies, competition, consumers, and markets.

Following David and Merriden’s sessions, Robyn Langsford, KPMG Global Family Business Lead and Australian Lead of Family Business & Family Office, will facilitate a Q&A focusing on current economic and geopolitical trends.

David “Kochie” Koch is a leading business and finance commentator and one of Australia’s most recognised personalities. He is also Chairman of AFL powerhouse Port Adelaide Football Club.

Kochie is an entrepreneur at heart, owning and operating small businesses for 35 years. Family business Pinstripe Media is a leading business, finance and tech content marketing and publishing company. Pinstripe operates content brands such as Kochie’s Business Builders, Start Up Daily, Flying Solo as well as Your Money and Your Life.

In 2020 Kochie co-founded Ausbiz, Australia’s only live streaming financial markets channel.

Kochie was a pioneer of Australian breakfast television; building the Sunrise brand and taking the program to number one in its time slot for 20 consecutive years. He holds the record for longest-serving breakfast television host, broadcasting a record 16,000 hours of live TV and over 50,000 interviews.

In 2012 Kochie was appointed chairman of the Port Adelaide Football Club to steer the organization out of financial crisis and back on the road to sustained success both on and off the field. Over the past decade Port has made the finals 5 times, doubled annual revenue, is consistently profitable, operates award winning community programs and entered the AFLW.

Business and sport aside, Kochie’s a family man through and through. He’s been married to wife Libby for 45 years, has four adult children, and eight grandchildren (and counting). In 2007 he was honoured as Australian Father of The Year.

Community projects have always been a priority for Kochie and wife Libby. They’re big supporters of Father Chris Riley’s Youth off The Streets and patrons of the YOTS-managed “Koch Centre For Youth” at Macquarie Fields. Kochie was also a founder and Advisory Board member of the Organ and Tissue Authority which is the Government body charged with reforming Australia’s organ transplant system to bring it up to world’s best practice.