Nikki Govan was eight when her parents bought a family business which involved, among other things, shadecloth cutting, sewing and supplying to the gardening industry.
Both her parents worked full time. On weekends, Nikki worked in the family business and after leaving school she spent a year working with them on a full-time basis.
The business later diversified into metal fabrication to supply shade houses and other horticultural industry needs, and expanded by buying a bedding manufacturing business.
Nikki’s father, David Seymour-Smith, valued his business networks, and served on boards including the Nursery Industry Association, the South Australian Business Chamber, the Racing Industry Development Authority, the TAB, and as president of the battling South Adelaide Football Club. Nikki always admired the way her father looked after his staff, saying he empowered them, trusted them, helped develop their careers, engaged them and supported them. Her father’s community-mindedness and willingness to serve on organisations for the greater good was a significant influence in Nikki’s career.
Many of us know Nikki as the co-owner (with her husband Doug) of the iconic Star of Greece restaurant at Port Willunga, or as the South Australian Business Chamber’s deputy chairwoman, or as chairwoman of the Southern Adelaide Economic Development Board. She also served as chief executive of Advantage SA – prior to it becoming Brand SA – for more than two years. She has run her own successful PR and marketing business and served on numerous other boards and organisations and in management roles for more than 20 years.
Nikki’s election as the South Australian Business Chamber chairwoman by her board colleagues reflects their recognition of her decades’ worth of experience in management roles and on boards, her deep understanding of small business and regional challenges, and her knowledge of industries critical to SA such as manufacturing, tourism and hospitality. Nikki’s strong work ethic extends to being mother to a very lively six-year-old daughter, studying law part time, and being a supportive partner to her husband, who runs another iconic business, the Victory Hotel. Nikki has extensive connections across many industries, across the community, and she even gets along well with politicians on all sides of the divide. She’s young, articulate, innovative and progressive. In so many ways, Nikki represents the new face of small business.
She knows what it takes to make a business a success, including working long hours when needed, exploring technology, investing in substantial premises upgrades, managing staff across long weeks, employing casuals and supporting vocational training. She has dealt with the risks and vagaries of weather and how it impacts on trade; late nights away from home and balancing business budgets. And she’s a savvy operator, which is reflected in the success and reputation of her business.
We warmly welcome Nikki to the role of our chairwoman and the wealth of experience she brings. We also welcome her passion for our state and her desire to see our business and employer community prosper in a way that creates new opportunities for all South Australians.
Image: Nikki Govan, owner of the Star of Greece restaurant at Port Willunga, has been appointed chair of the South Australian Business Chamber. Picture: Tom Huntley.
Nigel McBride is chief executive of the South Australian Business Chamber.
This article was originally published in the South Australian Business Journal on Tuesday 23 October 2018.
