Just What Is A Productivity Commission, And Does Penang Need One?
Venue: Penang Institute
Date: Wednesday, 1 April 2026
Time: 3:00 – 4:30pm
Speaker: Michael Schaper MComm, PhD, FAICD
Moderator: Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng (黄基明博士)
About the Talk
Over the last two decades, many governments have established Productivity Commissions—independent, statutory agencies designed to foster robust economic debate and future-oriented thinking, particularly around productivity. The first of these was Australia’s federal Productivity Commission, a model now followed by several countries and state governments.
What is a Productivity Commission? What role can it play in modern society, especially at the state level? How does it operate, and what outcomes can it achieve? This talk will explore these questions and consider lessons Penang can draw to improve productivity and competitiveness.
About the Speaker
Michael Schaper MComm, PhD, FAICD has extensive experience in research, public policy, industry representation, and academia. He is a member of the national board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, chairs the Australia federal government’s Shadow Economy Advisory Forum, and holds chair positions at Energy Consumers Australia and the Energy & Water Ombudsman of Western Australia. Michael is also an Adjunct Professor at the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy and a senior visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. He has authored books on competition, franchising, entrepreneurship, and business policy, and previously served as Deputy Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
About the Moderator
Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng (黄基明博士) is Executive Director of Penang Institute. With a Ph.D. in Sinology from Stockholm University, he has studied nation-building in Asia and Malaysian politics for three decades. Formerly Deputy Director at ISEAS and an Ericsson Electronics staff member, he is founder-editor of Penang Monthly & ISSUES, and a regular writer on regional affairs.