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We are pleased to announce Simon Griffiths, Co-Founder and CEO of Who Gives a Crap as Keynote speaker for the Independent Brewers Association’s annual conference, being held on the Sunshine Coast on August 30 to September 1.

Each year BrewCon, and the associated Indies Awards, is where the beer industry comes together to do business, learn, celebrate, and party. This year will be no different, in fact it might even be bigger after a year off in 2020.

Simon is an engineer and economist turned social entrepreneur. In 2007, after turning down his dream job as a corporate high-flyer, he moved from Australia to South Africa to immerse himself in his true calling: development aid.

Driven by a passion to use business to give back, in 2010, Simon had the idea to start a toilet paper company that builds toilets in the developing world. In 2012, he launched Who Gives A Crap with a crowdfunding campaign by agreeing to sit on a toilet on a live stream until he had pre-sold $50,000 worth of toilet rolls. The multi-award-winning launch attracted global media attention and generated more than $1 million in PR value.

Since launching, Who Gives A Crap has tripled in size year-on-year, primarily relying on word-of-mouth to fuel growth. In five years, Who Gives A Crap donated more than $1 million, reaching a milestone in 2020 of $8.3 million.

Other BrewCon program announcements are coming soon so stay tuned for notice on; expert speakers, panel sessions and seminars on a wide range of matters. This includes research and data, brand and marketing, sales, beer quality and technical brewing, sustainability, technology, and innovation.

“With almost 2000 attendees, this year’s BrewCon will feature more than 80 exhibitors and loads of opportunities to learn, catch up, network, and have fun. We have built a super exciting program that shouldn’t be missed,” said Pete Philip, Independent Brewers Association Chairman.

“We’re chuffed Simon agreed to be involved in BrewCon 2021 as many independent breweries use Who Gives A Crap products, and feel very much in touch with the values of Simon and his company,” said Kylie Lethbridge, General Manager of the IBA.

“To stretch the alignment even further, Simon is also well known as the co-founder of Shebeen, a non-profit bar in Melbourne’s CBD that opened in February 2013 and ran for just over three years,” said Lethbridge. “It sold exotic beer and wine from the developing world, with 100% of profit from each sale going to a development project in the drink’s country of origin.”

Simon is one of Australia’s most prominent social entrepreneurs. His work has been covered by countless media outlets around the world, and his Keynote will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

BrewCon tickets are on sale. Just head to the BrewCon website to reserve yours before they sell out. On-site Accommodation is also booking up quickly so make sure you get on to that by using the Accommodation Form.