Experience

Michael has a solid domestic and international business career with emphasis on innovation, creativity, strategic planning, organisational & change management. He has worked in and consulted to governments at ministerial adviser level and master planning and as CEO and in senior executive in commerce and industry. Michael has a strong technology background.

His career started in banking and progressed into SME start-ups, for which he won a Productivity Improvement Award and two Mobil “Pursuit of Excellence’ nominations. Some 40 years later, he retired as chief executive of the largest hotel and motel group in Australia having won an AFR / Telstra National Award for the Best Use of e-Commerce in achieving a Business Plan.

In the intervening years, Michael coordinated the NSW Bicentennial Arts and Entertainment program following many successful years in the performing arts. His diverse background also covers international projects in the environment for federal governments. A consistent theme in Michael’s career has been people management, motivation and organisation start-ups and turnarounds, often on a very large scale.

He now brings his many years of experience as a chief executive and advisor-mentor to assist chief executives, chairmen and women, board members and senior executives. Michael is an engaging speaker on leadership, ethics and succession issues. He facilitates international strategy meetings for ASX200 boards and ‘C’ level executives and was lecturer/writer for modules of the AICD Company Director Course for a decade. Michael is a trained mediator and Foundation Member of the Creative Skills Training Council.

Michael is Inaugural Chairman of the UNESCO designated Noosa Biosphere Reserve, Queensland’s first biosphere. He holds a number of other independent director roles.

 

Business qualifications and business experience (selected)

• Accredited, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation, Australian Institute of Mediation and Arbitration, 2004
• Certification, AusIndustry, National Accreditation in World Competitive Service, 1997
• Graduate, Environmental Business Planning and Management, George Washington University USA, School of Business and Management Studies, 1995
• Graduate, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, NSW Enterprise Centre in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 1982
• Graduate, Economics, Psychology of Selling, Computer Programming and Sales & Marketing, Sydney Technical College and Macquarie University, 1974
• CEO, iMentor-pro (now ARG)
• Country Manager, Merryck & Co Ltd
• CEO, Best Western Hotels, Motels and Resorts
• CEO, Nature Inherited (on behalf of NSW Treasury Corporation) CEO, Brisbane Marketing
• Advisor, International Union of Public Transport, Brussels
• Group General Manager, State Transit Public Affairs and Tourism Services
• Executive Producer, NSW Bicentenary Arts and Entertainment

Selected client organisations

Clients include: Rail Infrastructure Corporation, Westpac, Vero, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, AkeSolutions, AsA, Rio Tinto, Singtel Optus, Acreis, Cuscal, BT Financial Services, Miller Heiman, The Brisbane Club, McKenzies, Tower Insurance, BAT

Registrations, Memberships and Affiliations

Fellow, Australian Institute of Management (AIM) Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)