Gosse in the running for national Ethnic Business Award

Joseph Assaf set up an initiative 27 years ago to honour the contribution that migrants make to the Australian community.

This year, Russian-born Australian Innovative Systems (AIS) CEO Elena Gosse was selected as one of four national finalists in the Medium-Large Business Category, and one of 12 overall finalists in the Ethnic Business Awards.

As world news centres on migrant crises, refugees and asylum seekers, these awards refreshingly celebrate the hard work, determination, enterprise, innovation and hurdles that each finalist has had to overcome in order to achieve outstanding business success in Australia. An additional award category for Indigenous Australians was added in 2010, the first national business award of its kind.

After leaving behind a successful entertainment career in Russia and arriving in Australia as a single parent to two daughters (one of whom lives with a disability) Gosse found herself unable to speak English and unemployed. After marrying her Australian husband Kerry, they purchased a small, family business – a water disinfection and pool chlorine generator company – complete with three staff and a very modest annual turnover.

Seeing opportunities for the business that others had not dreamed of, Elena set about learning English and furthering her education including completing multiple TAFE and University courses and acquiring a (second) degree - a Bachelor of Business with a double major in Accounting.

Rising through the ranks of AIS to the top job of CEO, she fought immigration bureaucracy, cultural and gender discrimination and her own self-doubts to emerge triumphant, making AIS the multi-million dollar export business success story it is today.

Gosse says that being a finalist in the EBAs was a highlight in her 20+ year Australian business career.

“I have always admired the contributions that other immigrants have made to this country and to be recognised as one of them is an incredibly humbling and wonderful experience,” she says.

“My parents and siblings still live in Russia and I know they will be very proud. I hope that my story provide inspiration for other immigrants, as proof that it is possible to overcome many obstacles in life and achieve your dreams and success.”

She says that she would be forever grateful for the opportunities Australia provided and believes in giving back to her community as a way of expressing her gratitude.

“As well as running a female mentorship program, I am a member of the Queensland Government’s Red Tape Reduction Advisory Council and a board member for Access Community Services Limited. Access is a community based, not-for- profit organisation providing settlement, employment, training and youth support services to migrants, refugees and the general community in Queensland.

The winners will be announced at a Gala Presentation Ceremony in Adelaide on November 6, 2015 and share in cash and prizes, including $10,000 for individual category winners, from founding partner and major sponsor, National Australia Bank.

Other awards

This nomination comes as part of a busy period for Gosse and AIS. In August the company gained considerable kudos in the prestigious national awards organised by Business Review Weekly (BRW).

AIS picked up the gong for the Best Innovation Culture in Australia, and also placed 23rd in the BRW Most Innovative Companies List. The awards came on the back of their EcoLine Home technology for freshwater residential swimming pools. More than 500 entries were received nationwide by the award organisers.

Gosse says the Best Innovation Culture award was a great honour for her company and proof that, in order to truly encourage and support innovative thinking, a culture of innovation must first be embedded and valued across every level of a company.

“We often say that innovation is part of our corporate DNA at AIS,” she says. “These accolades are a tribute to the expertise and creativity that each member of our staff contributes to the whole, as well as the company’s proud, 20-plus year history of innovation which includes world firsts such as our EcoLine freshwater technology.”