Western Sydney story: Brendon Noney on why education is the key to future prosperity

Born to migrant parents from India and raised in the working-class suburb of Pendle Hill, Brendon Noney realised at a young age that education would be the key to his future prosperity. Through his work at HWL Ebsworth, a large law firm with a local focus, he has developed enduring ties with some of Greater Western Sydney’s most influential businesspeople. Since 2013, he has also served as president of the Western Sydney Business Connection, an organisation that aims to facilitate networking between some 6,000 business leaders across the region.

“When I was growing up, in many instances I didn’t want to let people know that I came from Western Sydney. But now, I wear it very proudly – and I think a lot of people from Western Sydney who have done well for themselves are similarly proud.

“I grew up in Pendle Hill. My parents came here from India in 1971 and I was born two years later. We didn’t have a lot of possessions as kids, but there was a lot of love in the house. Not having a great deal encouraged me to study, because I saw that as my way to succeed. I did my tertiary education in the city, at Sydney Uni. Back then, Sydney Uni and UNSW were the best places to study law and medicine and engineering, but these days, I’d certainly do my law degree through Western Sydney University because its courses and academic staff and facilities are all so good. As a Western Sydney boy, I’m very proud of the fact that we can now offer world-class university courses right here in the west.

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“HWL Ebsworth is the largest law firm in Australia by partner numbers and having a Western Sydney office is incredibly important to us. Many of the firm’s clients are decentralising from the Sydney CBD or are solely based in Greater Western Sydney. And we’re picking up new clients all the time. Only last week I signed a new client based in Blacktown with a $300 million turnover. Our dedicated office at Norwest played a role converting that client.

“The Western Sydney Business Connection’s tagline is ‘Connection for Growth’ and that’s exactly what we do: connect some of the leading businesses in Greater Western Sydney with each other and with government so they can benefit from each other and collectively grow the region. We also help set the agenda for future economic activity in Western Sydney. Currently, we’re doing a lot of work on developing the region’s visitor economy to bring more people to stay and play in the west, ensuring people are spending their money in cafes and restaurants, hotels and theme parks.

“My message to migrants who are weighing up different parts of Sydney is, ‘There’s opportunity in the West. Come and take it.’ There’s enormous opportunity here. You can still get reasonably priced real estate – you’re not paying $1.5 million for a run-down shack like you do in the inner west. Major businesses like Woolworths have their headquarters here. And it’s very Aussie and very multicultural at the same time. You’ve got the best of both worlds. I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve when I say this, but I think it’s a place of more acceptance than some other parts of Australia. We put our arms out and welcome people – that’s what we do. Everyone’s welcome.”

ADVICE

For some new business entrants to the area, Western Sydney may seem like a challenge in terms of attracting and retaining talent. How useful is a business network to this exercise, and what would your key advice to a manager be? 

“In my time working in Western Sydney, I have found participating in business networks to be a critical means of establishing trusted relationships, be they with clients or with other lawyers and law firms. In our profession, building trusted personal relationships is the name of the game – and by establishing those relationships through business networks, opportunities arise to attract and retain talent. Participating in Western Sydney’s business networks is also a way for companies and individuals to demonstrate their dedication to the region. It’s an authentic thing to do, and colleagues in both Western Sydney and elsewhere will recognise that.” - Brendon Noney, Western Sydney Business Connection

 “Our clients who succeed within a non-CBD space, frequently do so by adopting a “hyper-local” strategy: this involves investing time and energy into the local business community, and making sure your product offering is tailored to the community you serve. Business forums and platforms are a valuable platform for exchange and feedback, and can be a great away of meeting potential partners.” – Adrian Oldham, Michael Page

Looking to make the most of the opportunity in the West? Speak to one of our regional experts today.