“We manufacture at scale, so productivity is existential,” Johnson notes. “Staying in front of the curve—on AI, robotics, process control—is how Australian manufacturers remain competitive.” GOVERNANCE, CULTURE—AND THE NEXT HANDOVER Family businesses live or die on governance and culture. Johnson Group treats both as working verbs. There is a formal family constitution, reviewed and refreshed every five years, that keeps family governance and business governance aligned— but distinct. A family board meets regularly to communicate expectations and realities, and there’s an explicit norm of early, honest feedback. “If a good mate is drifting, you call it early,” Johnson says. “We try to do that in the family too—head off issues before they compound.” Culture, meanwhile, is tight-knit by design. Many of the firm’s leaders grew up with Mark and his brother, Robbie, who leads operations; others have logged 20, 30, even 40+ years at Johnson Group. That longevity breeds trust—and a responsibility to develop the next cohort. Upskilling internal talent is a priority, especially in regional communities where recruiting specialists from the city is a harder ask. “We’ve built a smart team around our own gaps,” Johnson says. “Now we’re leveling up the B-graders into A-graders with targeted training, tech exposure, and leadership support.” 14 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 07, ISSUE 11
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