10 minutes with… William Buck managing partner Adrian Chugg

You’ve been at William Buck for more than two decades now – what’s kept you with the team?

Three key reasons – my colleagues, our clients and our culture.

In any workplace, it’s so important to be surrounded by people you enjoy working with and respect. I have been privileged from day one to have colleagues who share similar values, are great at what they do, motivated and all-around good people.

I have had the opportunity to work across a very diverse client base, including some of South Australia’s most successful businesses. Forming close relationships with clients, getting out on site to see their business operations first-hand and providing support across a variety of areas is invigorating and rewarding.

Continuous learning is important to me. William Buck has built a strong culture that encourages professional development and I have been afforded many opportunities throughout my career to learn and improve.

You stepped into the top job last July. How did that feel and what do you hope to bring to the role and to the organisation?

I was honoured and humbled to take on the leadership of a firm that’s been operating in South Australia for more than 78 years. I was also conscious to be taking over the reins from Jamie McKeough, who had been in the position for 18 years and led us through a strong growth period.

My aspirations are to lead our firm into the next stage of growth and development.

Having worked closely with clients for more than two decades, I feel I bring a deep understanding of the unique and evolving requirements of South Australian businesses. I am looking forward to working with my team to ensure we continue to provide the best possible advice to our clients to help them prosper.

What are some of South Australia’s economic challenges?

South Australia is not immune to the economic headwinds on the national and international front.

One of the biggest challenges across almost every sector is around managing the increasing costs of doing business, from labour to materials to red tape.

Rising rents are not only causing pain in the residential property market. Higher construction costs are fuelling higher rents for local businesses.

With consumers under significant financial pressure, it is more difficult for owners and operators to pass on higher operating costs.

Faced with a devastating drought, the state’s primary producers are among the hardest hit. We work closely with many regional businesses and families, and the level of stress on this sector cannot be overstated. The ripple effect is being felt across regional communities and among the suppliers.

What about its strengths?

The traditional strengths of the South Australian economy in areas like food, wine and manufacturing remain. However, when you look closely at which businesses are doing well, it’s not really defined by an industry sector.

It’s more about the businesses that have identified a niche in the supply chain, leveraged strong R&D and innovation and are selling a highly valuable product or service to a customer that can afford it.

Local businesses that have taken these actions are among the strongest performers.

What opportunities are there for local businesses right now? What trends should they be tapping into or what should they be doing to future-proof?

Defence and technology are two areas where momentum is really building nationally and internationally. South Australia has a strong pedigree across both, and I see opportunities continue to emerge for local businesses.

Automation is also becoming more entrenched in modern workplaces, and not just within manufacturing. In an increasingly competitive environment, businesses that can leverage technology to work smarter and more productively will be at an advantage.

If you could do a quick health check of SA’s SME sector, what would you say about its status?

Our SME sector is understandably cautious, given the uncertain economic outlook, but is not sitting on its hands. There is a lot of activity underway to both manage costs but at the same time explore additional growth avenues.

South Australian businesses are tightening their belts and/or introducing more productivity measures to protect their bottom lines. At the same time, we’re seeing some cashed-up businesses seeking well-priced bolt-on acquisitions to help boost revenue.

I think we’re in for a year of divergence in the local economy – a separation between the innovators and high-value operators at the top, and the underprepared and inflexible who will continue to struggle.

It’s quite a turbulent time internationally. How does this impact local businesses and what can they do to feel more stable?

International factors can have a significant impact on a business, whether it’s an exporter, an importer, or just competing nationally with other global operators. The recent announcement of US tariffs will no doubt impact the South Australian economy, given our high level of trade with the US.

For a local business, it’s important to focus on what you can control but remain conscious of what’s going on around you.

In the current environment, we’re seeing businesses continue to look at ways to generate greater efficiencies and grow markets. That may be through more effective use of technology, workforce management, better streamlined systems and processes, pursuing strategic acquisitions and market diversification.

As a leader, what qualities do you look for in a potential hire?

Communication skills and attitude rank above everything else in my view.

A certain level of technical acumen is expected, so we look for people who have high social intelligence and who can engage in meaningful conversations and build personable relationships with our clients. So much of that depends on the ability to effectively listen and communicate, often explaining complex matters in clear, easy-to-understand terms.

Attitude and a positive work ethic are also very important, and that comes with an ability to work well in a team environment.