About
Photo Courtesy of the APEC Secretariat, www.apec.org
Executive Training
Photo Courtesy of the APEC Secretariat, www.apec.org
Executive Training
Strengthening regional economic integration and prosperity across Asia and the Pacific is the Centre’s driving purpose.
We have an enviable record in designing and delivering tailored training programs and capacity building programs for government,
business, not-for-profits and academic institutions.
Strengthening regional economic integration and prosperity across Asia and the Pacific is the Centre’s driving purpose.
We have an enviable record in designing and delivering tailored training programs and capacity building programs for government,
business, not-for-profits and academic institutions.
Photo Courtesy of the APEC Secretariat, www.apec.org
Executive Training
Strengthening regional economic integration and prosperity across Asia and the Pacific is the Centre’s driving purpose.
We have an enviable record in designing and delivering tailored training programs and capacity building programs for government,
business, not-for-profits and academic institutions.
Australia
Emily Owens
Business Name: Toffee Collective
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Business Website: www.toffeecollective.com.au​
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About me:
I'm Emily Owens—an award-winning director and producer with over two decades of experience bringing stories to life on screens big and small. I’m also the proud CEO of Toffee Studios and The Toffee Collective, a film studio and production company based in the heart of Melbourne. This year, I added a new title to my name: cowgirl. I packed up my city life and moved to a farm, where I now live alongside eight lovely cows, two horses, three beehives, a flock of chooks, a few dogs, cats, rabbits—and plenty of fresh air. The locals call me the “L-plate farmer,” and honestly, they’re not wrong. This new addition to my work life has grounded me in the most unexpected and wonderful ways.
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A funny story about my business:
Well, Toffee is a true love story that started on Tinder. That’s where I met my partner Matt ten years ago. He was a carpenter, so when he asked me out on a date, I told him I’d only say yes if he built me a film studio. Fast forward a decade, and he’s now building our second studio. He swears it’s the last time—though to be fair, he said that last time too. We transformed an empty South Melbourne warehouse into a full-scale production studio with our own hands—painting walls, laying floors, dragging in furniture. Proudly, Toffee Studios is now a regular shoot space for Netflix productions, Stan, Channel 9 and more.
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My expectations of the program:
By joining the APEC Women’s Business Activator program, I’m hoping to connect with like-minded women across the region, expand my leadership capacity, and gain strategic insight into scaling Toffee Studios and The Toffee Collective sustainably—especially as we step into new areas like AI, education, and international markets. I'm also keen to share what I’ve learned building a creative business from the ground up and to be part of a network that champions bold ideas, collaboration, and real impact.
Maggie Timbi
Business Name: Project Two Mile
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Business Website: www.projecttwomile.com.au​
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About me:
My name is Maggie, and I am the founder of Project Two Mile an initiative I started in 2020, named after the most notorious squatter settlement in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Project Two Mile is an initiative with a singular purpose – to economically and purposefully uplift the lives of marginalised women by providing a global platform for their artwork and crafts. I am looking forward to learn to build and grow a sustainable social enterprise.