Markwell and Associates is an Aboriginal-owned and operated business specialising in connecting Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to facilitate culturally meaningful, mutually beneficial and sustainable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, government, business and community.
Ken Markwell
Director
Ken is a Mununjhali man from the Yugembeh Language Group. His people are from the Beaudesert area in South East Queensland, and he also has cultural responsibilities for neighbouring Wangerriburra country and connections to the Gold Coast and Tweed.
His passion is empowering Indigenous prosperity. For Ken, that means:
- connection to country and mob, particularly the unfettered right to drive social and economic and cultural prosperity from our traditional lands and waters
- access to the highest quality education
- job-relevant training that’s demand driven
- business ownership with sustainable growth
- home ownership, creation of wealth and intergenerational wealth transfer
- employment across all sectors, in all parts of the country, at all levels.
This inherent understanding comes from Ken’s own experiences, and that of his family. His grandmother, who had a profound impact on his life, lived at a time when it was legislated she only receive a Year 4 school level education. Thanks to her inspiration, Ken has gone on to become the first member of his generation to graduate with a university degree, run his own business and achieve home ownership. He knows how important these achievements are in Australia generally, and how they are even more critical for Indigenous Australians.
What Ken brings to the table
As an Aboriginal man, Ken has unique lived experiences that have shaped and deepened his cultural values.
He has worked across the corporate, community and business sectors and at all levels of government. Ken understands how the system works, and how the system wants and needs to work with Indigenous Australians.
He is uniquely placed to connect Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in ways that deliver culturally meaningful and mutually beneficial outcomes, and that create long-lasting relationships.
Formal qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts (Archaeology and Paleoanthropology), University of New England
- Bachelor of Applied Science (Conservation and Park Management), University South Australia
- Qualified Workplace Assessor and Trainer
- Australian Institute of Company Directors Course
Career highlights
- Led Indigenous Business Australia’s Traditional Owner and Sustainability Unit
- Director and leader of Ernst and Young’s Indigenous Sector Practice
- Led multi-disciplinary teams at Commonwealth and State Government levels
- Owner and operator of Markwell and Associates, delivering outcomes in Indigenous heritage, tourism, economic, environmental and business sectors.
Associates
One of our unique approaches is to leverage trusted partnerships with Associates to maximise value and outcomes to our clients. We are proud to partner with the following respected businesses:
- CTG Services (100% Indigenous owned)
- Environment Land and Heritage
- Clayton Utz
- Nous Group
- Incus Group
- Blue Sky Economic Development
Our clients
Markwell and Associates is proud to have delivered exceptional outcomes for the following clients.
Our supporters
Markwell and Associates acknowledges the valuable assistance provided by our wonderful supporters.
Our logo
The Water hen
The water hen is one of Ken’s yurries (totems) from his country. It symbolises his connections to country and people.
The Two rivers
Ken designed the two rivers to have two meanings:
- The two rivers are the Logan and Albert Rivers from his traditional country, Yugambeh. They start at the McPhersons Range New South Wales/Queensland border (the boundary of our country), meet near Eagleby, and flow into Moreton Bay. They represent the connections his people have from freshwater to saltwater country since time immemorial.
- The rivers also symbolise Reconciliation. The dotted lines are non-Indigenous people and the unbroken lines Aboriginal people. The confluence of the rivers represents the shared journey we now take towards reconciliation.
