Dr Michael Schaper

Deputy Chair, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Dr Michael Schaper’s work has a special focus on small business, franchising, industry associations and business liaison with the national competition and consumer protection regulator.

Michael has previously managed a community small business centre; been an adviser to government at both state and federal level; and held lecturing, professorial and dean roles at a number of Australian universities. He is currently an Adjunct Professor with Curtin University and a senior honorary research fellow at the University of Western Australia, and chairs the advisory board of Griffith University’s Asia-Pacific Centre for Franchising Excellence. He holds a PhD and a Master of Commerce, as well as a Bachelor of Arts. His latest books are Entrepreneurship & Small Business: Asia-Pacific and Governments, SMEs and Entrepreneurship Development. Dr Schaper is a member of the ACCC’s enforcement and adjudication committees.

A previous president of the Small Enterprise Association of Australia & New Zealand, he has also previously served as Small Business Commissioner for the Australian Capital Territory, chairperson of the ACT Small & Micro-Business Advisory Council and a director of the International Council for Small Business. In 2009 he was recipient of the ‘National Small Business Champion Award’ by the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia. Michael is also a Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants, and a divisional councilor with the Australian Institute of Company Directors.