Experience

Auckland Business Chamber

• New Zealand
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Innovation Specialist

  • Aug 2022 - Present

  Innovation Advisor within the Regional Business Partner Network, working with Auckland business owners and entrepreneurs seeking to build capability in business management and innovation. Actively identifying and assisting those with the aspiration, commitment and opportunity to innovate and grow, thus creating and sustaining quality jobs. Innovation Advisor within the Regional Business Partner Network, working with Auckland business owners and entrepreneurs seeking to build capability in business management and innovation. Actively identifying and assisting those with the aspiration, commitment and opportunity to innovate and grow, thus creating and sustaining quality jobs.



Tātaki Auckland Unlimited

• New Zealand
• Government Administration
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Business and Innovation Advisor, Innovation.

  • Jan 2015 - Jun 2022

  Working with emerging technology companies to access resources (including: grant and investment funding; training; and specialist expertise) in partnership with Callaghan Innovation, NZ Trade and Enterprise, Auckland tertiaries and specialist consultancies. Includes:• Presenting funding applications to Callaghan Innovation Investment Committees (won over $10M R&D funding for 80+ ventures in CY20). Sitting as Observer on Return on Science Investment Committee meetings.• Being Judge and Mentor for university entrepreneurship programs (undergrads, postgrads and academics) -currently engaged with 8 university spinout companies (plus others, indirectly). Guest lecturer on innovation support and speaker at industry events. Hold monthly drop-in clinics at University of Auckland's Newmarket Innovation Precinct (Covid permitting). Mentoring & coaching of later-stage / later-career deep tech innovators in wider ecosystem.• Working with early-stage inventors, scientists and engineers to navigate Auckland’s outwardly-daunting innovation ecosystem and connect them with peers, innovation events, places and experts. Help them rapidly progress down Knowledge Curve to de-risk proposition, using industry tools like the Innovation Canvas to shape their value proposition. Regularly mentor at industry hackathons.• Contributing to internal Auckland Unlimited and Callaghan Innovation business improvement programs (retaining focus on Customer Experience) as well as contributing to external policy documents (e.g. recent submission to MBIE on the future of New Zealand’s Research, Science, and Innovation (RSI) system as laid out in the Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways Green Paper). Show less

• Senior Advisor / Team co-Lead for $50M Activate Tāmaki Makaurau funding programme

  • Dec 2021 - May 2022

  Activate Tāmaki Makaurau was the delivery programme for $50M of the Auckland business support package announced by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Small Business on 22 October 2021. This programme was created in 6 weeks (usual delivery 6+ months), resourced by 14 partner organisations (including Whāriki, Pacific Business Trust, EMA, Auckland Business Chamber, Retail NZ), all personnel working remotely through Covid Alert Levels.I was seconded to co-lead the Assessor team of 8-16 PTE's, working with my other co-leader to shape and support our rapidly-evolving decision-making processes and to resolve our team's escalated customer issues. Included mentoring team members and regular one-to-ones. Show less



Swiftsure Innovation Limited

• New Zealand
• Investment Management

• Partner

  • Apr 2013 - Mar 2015

  Swiftsure Innovation offered workshops and advisory services to assist ventures in commercialising ideas and technologies into sustainable, shareholder-value creating businesses, via: - Opportunity assessment -an early view of viability and potential value; - Market validation, value proposition creation and business model design; - Addressing funding needs and capital raising; - Moving from start-up to established business, growth planning and governance; - Evaluating migration of activities offshore (e.g. sales or manufacturing); and - Succession and value realisation (exit) strategies. Swiftsure Innovation used our experience both from working with companies of all sizes and from commercialising initial ideas through to growth, innovation and turn-around projects. Our core objective in all our client engagements was to transfer this knowledge into our clients’ people and processes. Show less



Kiwi Innovation Network (KiwiNet)

• Auckland, New Zealand

• Commercial Projects Manager

  • Oct 2014 - Dec 2014

  Fixed Term Contract: progressed stakeholders' commercialisation projects through KiwiNet's commercialisation process, including preparing presentations to Investment Committee for funding. Fixed Term Contract: progressed stakeholders' commercialisation projects through KiwiNet's commercialisation process, including preparing presentations to Investment Committee for funding.



Auckland

• Auckland

• University study and contract work

  • Jul 2011 - Dec 2012

  At University of Auckland's Business School, enrolled for Master of Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship (MCE). Achieved A- average grade in papers, qualifying for Post-Graduate Certificate in Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship. Simultaneously performed contract Technology Commercialisation work for an Engineering Services client introducing a technology new to New Zealand. (Masters project not undertaken due to focussing on Swiftsure Innovation and clients' commercialisation opportunities.) Show less



Comworth

• Consultant, Business Strategy

  • Sep 2010 - Nov 2010

  Worked with Senior Management Team on analysing Comworth’s current business (environment, market sectors, products, channels and end-user analyses) then deciding market sector and channel opportunities to pursue further. Worked with Senior Management Team on analysing Comworth’s current business (environment, market sectors, products, channels and end-user analyses) then deciding market sector and channel opportunities to pursue further.



Wirecard

• Germany
• Financial Services
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Operations Senior Executive

  • Dec 2009 - Apr 2010

  A fixed term contract where I was responsible for implementing, on time, a company-wide operational review, seeking to streamline delivery of GFG’s consumer electronic payments software to its customer-base of banks and Mobile Network Operators (MNO’s). Included introducing standard management practises (e.g. measuring throughput, inspecting deliverables) within GFG and implementing capacity planning. Also responsible for the mentoring and coaching of GFG’s new Operational Management (four DR’s: Software Development, Software Support, Finance and HR) and supervision of 35 staff. Show less



Cecam Consultancy Ltd

• Commercial Manager

  • Mar 2006 - Oct 2009

  Cecam supplied live Dispatch and Management fleet management software and associated GPRS-based data comms to the New Zealand Taxi Industry. Cecam manufactured the in-car equipment as well as the software/hardware at base (controlling a fleet's bookings and payments). I was responsible for all commercial functions (e.g. sales, accounts, operations) and oversaw the technical staff (timely manufacturing, hardware installation and software development). Cecam supplied live Dispatch and Management fleet management software and associated GPRS-based data comms to the New Zealand Taxi Industry. Cecam manufactured the in-car equipment as well as the software/hardware at base (controlling a fleet's bookings and payments). I was responsible for all commercial functions (e.g. sales, accounts, operations) and oversaw the technical staff (timely manufacturing, hardware installation and software development).



Spark New Zealand

• New Zealand
• Telecommunications
• 700 & Above Employee

• Business Development Manager

  • Jan 2003 - Sep 2005

  Developed and supplied new wholesale telecommunications services to TelstraClear Developed and supplied new wholesale telecommunications services to TelstraClear



Southern Pacific Inflatables

• Consultant, Export Management

  • Sep 2002 - Oct 2002

  Commenced CE certification of manufactured inflatable boats plus obtained Industry New Zealand funding for exporting. Commenced CE certification of manufactured inflatable boats plus obtained Industry New Zealand funding for exporting.



REACH

• Hong Kong
• Telecommunications
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Account Manager, Europe

  • 1999 - Sep 2001

  Expanded Telstra's London-based wholesale business into Europe by establishing start-up operation in Frankfurt. Revenue peaked at NZD 3M per month. Expanded Telstra's London-based wholesale business into Europe by establishing start-up operation in Frankfurt. Revenue peaked at NZD 3M per month.



Clear Communications

• Manager, International Carrier Relations

  • 1992 - 1998

  Established and managed the business relationships, and all commercial aspects, of the international telecommunications network between CLEAR and overseas telecommunications companies. Managed business casing and subsequent build of new international infrastructure. Established and managed the business relationships, and all commercial aspects, of the international telecommunications network between CLEAR and overseas telecommunications companies. Managed business casing and subsequent build of new international infrastructure.



WesternGeco

• Oil and Gas
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Group Leader

  • 1983 - 1990

  Supervised computer processing of seismic exploration data for international gold and oil clients. Worked in Wellington, London, Venezuela, Nigeria, South Africa and Dubai. Supervised computer processing of seismic exploration data for international gold and oil clients. Worked in Wellington, London, Venezuela, Nigeria, South Africa and Dubai.