9 May 2025

News 2025

Postgraduate Achiever: Ines Wen

[This article is a follow-up to the previous story posted on 31 July 2024 – see Webnews]

Graduate House PhD student Ines Wen has been a University tutor during Semester 1 in #BUSS4907 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation and since 2024 is author of three research papers all accepted for conference presentations about her thesis topic How Disruption Catalyses the Innovation Process in State-Owned Enterprises in Global Contexts. Ines has been accepted to present her most recent research paper Unfolding Innovation Processes for Sustainability within State-Owned Multinational Enterprises at the Academy of International Business (AIB) Sustainability Special Interest Group[1] International Symposium in Shenzhen, China.

The AIB Sustainability SIG symposium is a flagship international event that will bring together leading scholars (including Ines), policymakers, and industry experts to discuss cutting-edge research and practical solutions for integrating sustainability into global business strategies. With a focus on emerging markets and technological innovation, the symposium aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and generate actionable insights for sustainable international business practices.

Ines is also going to the 11th Biennial Conference of the International Association for Chinese Management Research 11-15 June 2025 and at the awards ceremony she is to be presented with a significant cash prize for her first paper. This event is China’s largest management research conference and takes place in the ancient city of Xi’an with over 1,500 participants.

Ines has also been Sydney Area Director at Toastmasters International[2] since July 2024. Ines supports the clubs of NAB, Deloitte, AMP, RMG (Macquarie) Toastmasters clubs and organised the Humorous, Evaluation, Impromptu, and International Speech Contest in Sydney CBD for club development and individual growth during 2024-2025.

Pic above: on the left is Antonia Badger, daughter of Pauline Lloyd Waddy, and Ines is on the right.

Ines joined Toastmasters International at the age of 18 in 2011. Whilst volunteering she has championed the benefits of Toastmasters in each of the cities where she has lived and studied—Taipei and Shanghai and now Sydney. Her contributions and achievements have been significant and across international borders to support communities, particularly during COVID-19. For example, as President of Shanghai CHJ High-Tech Park Toastmasters Club Ines and her colleagues strategized plans for rescuing individual club members locked-down by authorities in Shanghai and Wuhan and achieved significant growth of District 85 (Shanghai).

Ines was born in on the shores of Sun Moon Lake a major tourism site in Nantou near the city of Taichung in Taiwan. Ines joined Graduate House in 2024 and studies in the University of Sydney Business School.


[1] AIB Sustainability Special Interest Group is a community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to advancing research and dialogue on sustainability issues within the field of international business. The SIG fosters collaboration and innovation in addressing global challenges such as climate change, social responsibility, and sustainable development. It serves as a platform for sharing insights, best practices, and research that explore how international firms and institutions can contribute to a more sustainable global economy. AIB is hosted at Michigan State University, USA.

[2] Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organisation that helps people improve their public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in 1924 Toastmasters International has over 300,000 members in more than 14,000 clubs across 150 countries. District 70 is Australia, Central Division is Greater Sydney area and Area 16 is Sydney CBD where Ines is currently Director.