Experience

Deep Blue Company

• Australia
• Real Estate
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Information & Technology Officer

  • Jul 2020 - Present

  DBC is digitising the property journey through sale to settlement. Offering Conveyancing and Inspections, it has 5% share and is targeting 20%. Responsibilities: • Enable business growth through the provision of human centred products and technology solutions. Definition of the product and technology strategy and roadmap. • Leading product, technology delivery and Tech Ops - a team of product managers/owners, UX, designers, BA’s, QA’s, developers, tech leads, architects, and Tech Ops professionals (45-55 people). • Co-owner of Offer to Own product facilitating property transactions across Agents, Buyers, and Solicitors. • Owner of the DBC “platform” product enabling the end-to-end digitisation of the property transaction process for customers, participants, and operational teams utilising process automation, event grids, data lake, and AI/ML. Achievements: • Developed and launched new to market prop-tech offering, Offer to Own (Oto), in Sept 2021 after extensive discovery and development. Oto is an end-to-end digital platform and marketplace of services facilitating transparent property transactions from Open for Inspection (OFI) to settlement. Brings together Agents, vendors, buyers, and solicitors to manage offers, negotiate contracts, report key milestones, access services and ensure settlement. • Kicked-off, defined and delivered various initiatives (website relaunch, App, key operational platforms, Oto, process automation), drove up value, reduced risk, and shortened time to market. • Facilitated the definition of strategy, championed ongoing roadmap prioritisation, and implemented a live roadmap considering value, priority, and resources. Uplifted data driven decision making. • Transformed way of working and development practices from highly functional and waterfall to agile, x-functional, collaborative, and embracing CI/CD and automated testing. Uplifted functional maturity.



Startupbootcamp

• Netherlands
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Mentor

  • Jan 2019 - Present

  The largest corporate backed accelerator helping start-ups drive revenue and scale globally. Software School coaches entrepreneurs to found tech companies. Responsibilities: • Mentor in Start-up Boot Camp’s incubator / accelerator programs (Smart Energy, Sport Tech, Eco-Tech and Fintech), various SaaS offerings, a Prop-Tech start-up and Reliable Education’s Software School. Achievements: • Defining and gaining board approval for the business model, product and technical scope for a new Prop-Tech property marketing start-up with unique IP using machine learning and artificial intelligence. • Mentored several start-ups and facilitated an agreement to conduct a trial with one start-up at Vicinity. • Ideation, assessment, and concept development of tech ventures including a logistics SaaS insights platform, child cyber safety service, risk management platform, consumer data privacy service, Fintech and Retail/ecommerce businesses. • Assisting my 8-year-old daughter to found and operate an extra-curricular science club.



Vicinity Centres

• Australia
• Real Estate
• 700 & Above Employee

• General Manager - Digital Strategy & Product

  • Dec 2016 - Dec 2019

  Operates more than 60 Australian shopping centres, is facing disruption and is embracing technology and data to grow customer value and revenue. Responsibilities: • Drive digital transformation for consumers & Retailers (ecommerce & physical Retail). • Delivering digital roadmap & operating digital products and platforms. • Provision using Build/Incubation-Buy-Invest-Partnership. • Driving operational efficiency, data acquisition, guest experience, Retailer first & ancillary income. • Innovation, transformation, & stakeholder management. • Lead a digital product, UX & strategy team (10 people). Achievements: • Delivered digital strategy for revenue growth (board endorsed) & 5 foundational capabilities. • Led & co-led strategic Horizon 2 squads: (a) Retailers (Fintech, Financial Services, Last Mile, Media, Retailer Portal), (b) Consumer (Personalisation, Wifi, Wayfinding, platforms), & (c) Business (Venture Capital, transformation). • Co-created the first squads, an innovation playbook & risk-governance framework, & an enterprise program office. Represented Vicinity in the media & with customers. • Delivered: a) Retailer Portal to engage Retailers. Increased NPS for lease renewals by 28%, reduced operating costs. b) Passport providing offers to tourists. Captured redemption data. c) Wayfinding across all platforms. Halved costs, improved experience & data capture. d) Consolidated multiple CMS’ into one. Halved costs, improved efficiency & time to market. e) Marketing Automation (personalisation) & paid media. • Proposed: f) An Integrated digital-physical Marketplace. Expanded revenue opportunity by 30%. g) Searchable Mall. Estimated 15% more web-traffic, 5% more foot-traffic, & influenced 1-5% of in-Centre revenue based on Westfield & INTU data. h) Fintech / Business in a Box (POS) for Retailers allowing shoppers to pay without lining up. Opportunity ~$200M pa. j) A loyalty program & platform. k) Data commercialisation via media targeting (market size ~$250M pa).



BetterView.com

• Australia
• Human Resources Services

• CEO / Chief Product Officer (Consulting)

  • Sep 2016 - Nov 2016

  Disruptive HR/Recruitment-tech SaaS start-up - helping job seekers to showcase their expertise and provide hirers a means to find and acquire talent. Responsibilities: • Leading a cross-functional team of up to 10 people, strategy, roadmap and execution. Achievements • Improved product-market fit by pivoting strategy and product to focus on actual consumer behaviour and commercial opportunity informed by consumer data, various other dataset, and commercial insights. • Pitched an alternative business model aimed at accessing top talent in hidden networks.



REA Group

• Poland
• Investment Management

• Executive Manager - Product & Delivery, Developer Asia Pacific

  • Jul 2015 - Aug 2016

  • Accountable for product portfolio financial performance and user engagement for the Developer (new builds) business unit, which was in scale-up mode and the fastest growing in Australia.• Lead a diverse team of 45 (product, BA's, UX/Design, IT) for a product portfolio, across all devices (Apps, native, web) for consumer and customer.• Drive business unit strategy, ideation, innovation, roadmap, execution and in market performance across a portfolio of existing and new products to achieve target of 25% pa revenue growth.• Collaborative lead REA and Line of Business. Engagement with key customers.Achievements include:• Grew revenue >3x over 4.5 years, improved margin and consistently achieved the highest annual growth rate in Australia using GTM approach, pricing, penetration, and product innovation.• Increased revenue opportunity 6x in new apartments by delivering a SaaS Property Platform (allowing developers to sell globally through networks of financial advisors and agents) by a successful acquisition and a technical and business integration program.• Launched platform for managing customer leads data, increasing customer value. Built initially for Developer but adopted by all of REA.• Improving end-end product development process (reducing waste, increased output, and improved outcomes) by fostering commercial insights, data driven decisions and process (agile, lean, innovation and collaboration) across product and technology.• Launched new customer product innovations (New Homes, Builder Profiles, and various others).• Developed strategy using an original framework and gained alignment across customers and teams.

• Head of Product - Media & Developer

  • Feb 2012 - Jun 2015

  • Accountable for financial and product performance for the "Developer" (new builds) and "Media" (property related services) business units which were the fastest growing and in scale-up mode.• Lead a team of 12 managing a portfolio of existing products and developing new multi-device consumer & customer products.• Incubate 3 of 5 strategic Horizon 2 adjacencies initiatives (moving services, personal & home loans, off-market).• Complex commercial negotiation & stakeholder management across REA and partners.Achievements• Increased business unit revenue 2.5x in 3.5 years (the highest in REA Australia) and improved margin:a) Developed, launched, optimised and grew a new product (Project Profiles) from 0 to 75% of Developer revenue in 4 years.b) Uplifted team productivity & capability (grew team from 2-12 and delivery squads from 0-6)c) Negotiated multiple acquisitions (PropConnect, Roomz, and 1Form) and numerous commercial partnerships (CBA, NAB, Aussie, AFG, Fast Connect, and Split IT, now Loan Market).d) Grew Media revenue by 60% in a single year.e) Relaunched the Share accommodation site (100% increase in traffic and listings).• Doubled REA’s future revenue opportunity and increased share price by 10% through incubating and launching 3 entrepreneurial & disruptive “Horizon 2” businesses:a) Household moving services & connections (personal loans, trades, electricity, gas, water, phone, ISP, pay TV)b) Mortgage brokerage / financial services (REA’s entry into Fintech which increased share price by 10% / $0.75b). Now a major business for REA (since invested in loan documentation start-up Sympology and acquired brokers Smart Line and Mortgage Choice).c) Property Platform (SaaS) allowing Developers to sell via financial advisors, accountants and agents.• Uplifted backlog ideation and grooming and financial forecast planning through data driven decision making and increased rigour while still being Agile and lightweight.



LocalBuzz Media Ltd

• CEO, Founder, Company Director

  • Jan 2010 - Dec 2011

  LocalBuzz was a free multi-national online business directory with user reviews and special offers in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Canada, and Singapore with another 36 more multi-lingual countries in development. Responsible for strategy, business planning, fund-raising, product development (roadmaps, requirements, agile delivery), marketing, operations, financial management, and director’s duties. Vendor management. Achievements: • Delivered a global online search product and platform using outsourcing (India, Ireland, Australia, Germany). • Growing to 6 countries within 3 months using cloud hosting and scalable technology platforms.



Local Search Solutions & One Local Search

• Online Audio and Video Media
• 1 - 100 Employee

• CEO, Founder, Company Director

  • Dec 2005 - Dec 2011

  OLS owned the IP and LSS housed the developers that was spun out from True Local / Australian Local Search after acquisition by News Ltd. These entities were set up to commercialise existing IP, develop new IP and build new products and ventures. Responsibilities included governance, business development, product management, customisation and development, screening new investment opportunities, venture valuation, new product and concept definition and strategy. Achievements: • Co-securing deal in Ireland with Independent News & Media (INM) for yourlocal.ie. • Negotiated deals in UK with INM, Associated Press Digital and Johnston Press.



Yourlocal (Crespen Ltd, OLS, LSS)

• CEO, Founder, Chief Sales/Marketing/Product Officer, Director

  • May 2007 - Dec 2009

  A joint venture, Yourlocal is an online social and local business directory across web and mobile for Ireland and part of the UK and marketed across radio, TV, print and online. My responsibilities included reporting to the board and responsible for leadership, general management and financial performance. Line responsibility for sales and marketing, product / technical (front end and back-end systems). Fund raising through INM, high net worth individuals and Venture Capitalists. Achievements: • Delivered all marketing (TV, Print, Radio and Internet), RoI assessment and optimisation. Aligning YourLocal’s SEM consumer acquisition campaigns to support paid customers. • Achieved sales > €1.1m and 2,000 customers after 10 months (Dec 2008), despite the GFC. • Grew to be Ireland’s fastest growing online directory and second in size only to Golden Pages.



Blippster

• United States
• Executive Offices

• CEO, Founder

  • Jun 2008 - Sep 2008

  Start-up: Geo-location service for mobile devices without GPS aimed at social networking and 3rd party apps. Assembled team, built prototype, and shut down after deciding venture was not viable. Start-up: Geo-location service for mobile devices without GPS aimed at social networking and 3rd party apps. Assembled team, built prototype, and shut down after deciding venture was not viable.



True Local

• United States
• Farming

• Founder, Chief Product/Technology/Strategy Officer, Director

  • Mar 2004 - Dec 2006

  Starting as Australian Local Search (ALS) and later becoming True Local, it was an online business directory start-up offering SME’s directory adverting in competition to Yellow Pages Online. Aimed to be a local search version of AdSense. Sold to News Ltd in Dec 2005 after 18 months. Responsibilities: • Leading strategy, business development (negotiation, partnerships, ongoing management), product (ideation, specification, development, implementation and on-going management) and operations. • Following the acquisition, I assisted the incoming management team with product, technology and integration and provided strategic advice to News Ltd senior executives on various strategic initiatives and partnerships. Achievements: • Sold company to News Ltd and earned the principal investor 7x return after 18 months. • Delivered revenue run rate of A$6m (33% of customer base and 25% of traffic of Yellow Pages Online). • Exceeded 50% of Yellow Pages traffic 6 months after acquisition using News’ network & SEM. • Secured distribution partners such as Yahoo!, News Ltd, MSN and others (to generate traffic). • Grew team to 75 people over 18 months. Exhausted local job network provider candidate base. • Explored partnership vs build for including job posting and quoting (e.g. service seeking). • Developed coupons for local businesses (e.g. groupon) and reviews.



Hawthorn Media (became Australian Local Search)

• Founder & Managing Director

  • Nov 2003 - Mar 2004

  Precursor to True Local / Australian Local Search (ALS). My start-up duties included concept definition, opportunity development, financial modelling, business planning and fund raising. Pitching to various investors, venture capitalists and angels. User testing. Achievements: • Raising funding after securing a Yahoo! branding and traffic deal (only one of its kind globally). Precursor to True Local / Australian Local Search (ALS). My start-up duties included concept definition, opportunity development, financial modelling, business planning and fund raising. Pitching to various investors, venture capitalists and angels. User testing. Achievements: • Raising funding after securing a Yahoo! branding and traffic deal (only one of its kind globally).



Blake and Perry

• Consultant

  • May 2002 - Feb 2004

  Innovation, commercialisation, and strategy to facilitate survival, development and growth. Assignments for three IT&T / Internet start-ups, Sensis, Brazin Group, Barwin Health, The Ingenuity Group, ecoco (media start-up), and a tour operator start-up. Innovation, commercialisation, and strategy to facilitate survival, development and growth. Assignments for three IT&T / Internet start-ups, Sensis, Brazin Group, Barwin Health, The Ingenuity Group, ecoco (media start-up), and a tour operator start-up.



Sensis (previously Pacific Access)

• Manager – YPOL & YPC Product Management, Development & Strategy

  • Jun 2000 - May 2002

  Sensis owns and operates the Yellow Pages, True Local and White Pages directories and the Whereis mapping product in Australia. Nov 2001 - May 2002: Manager – YPOL & YPC Product Management, Development & Strategy Leading the product management team driving product strategy, development and management for Yellow Pages OnLine and Connect (accounting for 90% of online revenues). Accountable for product management and development, revenue and EBIT. Assisted in acquiring Citysearch through product, strategy and operational due diligence. May 2001 - Nov 2001: OnLine Product Strategy Manager Leading and mentoring the strategy team responsible for the development of business unit strategy, product strategy and new initiatives. Nov 2000 - May 2001: eStrategic Development Manager, Online Leading and mentoring team accountable for strategy, product concept development, business justification and implementation of new initiatives. Improved the Marketspaces initiative by reducing investment (from $40 million to $6 million) and increasing speed to market (from 24 to 15 months). June 2000 - Nov 2000: Senior Project Manager, OnLine Advertiser Solutions Project management of the commercialisation of a new initiatives and products including launching the Employment Marketspace (powered by SEEK) ahead of time and under budget.



Morgan & Banks (TMP Worldwide)

• Recruitment Consultant, Technical Team (Hi-Tech/Electronics/Teleco)

  • Nov 1997 - Jun 2000

  Comprehensive human resource and recruitment consulting services for Hi tech, electronics and telecoms sectors. Comprehensive human resource and recruitment consulting services for Hi tech, electronics and telecoms sectors.



Invetech (Vision Systems)

• Business Unit Manager, Design Group

  • Jan 1994 - Oct 1997

  Business and technology consulting services including product development, manufacturing, R&D and strategy. My roles included: Jan 1995 - Oct 1997: Business Unit Manager, Product Design Group Leadership and Management of multi-disciplined product development project teams, new business development and account management, business planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting. Achievements include: • Improving revenue (from 60% to 120% of target) and profit (from 35% to 136% to target) for FY 96/97 by rebuilding team, launching new offerings, careful delivery and business development. • Winning the 1996 Australian Design Award for the Gogas LPG nozzle for Shell. Jan 1994 - Jan 1995: Project Leader & Engineer, Product Design Group Project leading multi-disciplined design and product development projects, business development and writing proposals for new and existing clients.



Boeing

• United States
• Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Lead Software Developer

  • Feb 1992 - Dec 1993

  Contract between Boeing - DeHavilland (later Bombardier Aerospace) and the University of Toronto. Development, testing and commercialisation of numerical airfoil analysis software for aircraft design. Contract between Boeing - DeHavilland (later Bombardier Aerospace) and the University of Toronto. Development, testing and commercialisation of numerical airfoil analysis software for aircraft design.