Mentor List

Mr Stuart Ellis AM, is Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC).

AFAC is the National Council for fire and emergency services across Australia and New Zealand, and is the facilitator and custodian of contemporary knowledge and practice, for the benefit of our members and through them, the community. There are 288,000 volunteers and career staff engaged across AFAC agencies providing fire and emergency services. Through a collaborative approach AFAC assists the emergency services sector to identify and achieve strategic and operational priorities.

Mr Ellis is an experienced leader in the emergency management industry. Following a distinguished 22 year career in the Australian Army, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer/Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service for five years. In 2002, Mr Ellis established a consultancy company and has been involved in over 20 operational reviews, including the Canberra Bushfires, the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission and the Christchurch Earthquake. In 2012, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC), the National Council for fire and emergency services in Australasia.

He is passionate about improving the professional standing of fire and emergency personnel and has a focus on progressing an industry wide, integrated approach to emergency management.

Dr Amy Silver ClinPsyD MPhil MA BSc(Hons) DipCAT MAPS. Amy is a a psychologist, speaker, author and mentor on building cultures of courageous collaboration for remarkable growth. Her background includes working as a Clinical Psychologist and Academic Tutor for Oxford University (in the UK). She has spent three decades developing IP on how fear and habit restrict our growth and achievement. She now works mainly in Professional Services and Public Services, particularly with those who are embracing the move towards a more connected, agile workforce. 

She is obsessed with the ripples that our behaviours have and passionate about people feeling safe enough to be the very best of themselves. Amy regularly publishes on growth, trust and collaboration in her ‘Silverlinings’ blog (www.DrAmySilver.com/Silverlinings). Her book Conversations Create Growth shows managers how to lead performance conversations that drive engagement and achievement. She is currently working on her new book The Safe Space: For courageous collaboration which will be the essential guide for team and cultural success in our agile future.

Amy has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Masters in Forensic Psychiatry, Masters in Performance and a BSc Hons in Psychology. She worked as a practicing Clinical Psychologist and an Academic Tutor and researcher at Oxford University, UK.  After her career in Clinical Psychology she has worked in corporate for 15 years using psychological knowledge, trust and collaboration to improve growth (after a short stint as a professional actress).

Founder of Australian early-stage technology venture capital firm, Adventure Capital, whose amazing team has the privilege to work with Australia's talented entrepreneurs by providing equity, debt, and real-world experience to accelerate growth, and enable them realise their potential - globally.

Architect of an entrepreneurial ecosystem and open innovation platform bringing together Fortune1000 / ASX200 corporations, leading academic and most importantly startups, upstarts and entrepreneurial communities. Co-founder of YBF Ventures (York Butter Factory), globally leading property technology and services business, EQUiEM, and Hoist which creates and curates high-impact innovation precincts.

Founding investor of breakout audio media technology OmnyStudio, leading FinTech's Clover.com.au and PayActiv (AU), revolutionary electric motor technology, Axiflux, and leading safety management platform, Donesafe.

Advisor, Board Member and Mentor to numerous entrepreneurs intent on changing the world and their early-stage technology businesses.

Graduate of the distinguished Stanford Executive Program (SEP'09), Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA'99), and holds Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering (UNSW), Master of Management/Engineering Science (UNSW), and completed Executive MBA studies with MGSM. Stuart became a Fellow of the University of Melbourne in 2015, was recognised #20 in the Business Insider Tech100 in 2016, and is privileged to inspire the next generation as one of the Van Heusen Mentors.

Prior to founding Adventure Capital, Stuart worked extensively across the Defence and Intelligence industry leading the development, delivery of high-stakes and complex projects and capability, and the associated operations.

Dermot Crowley is the Director and founder of Adapt Productivity, a Sydney based training company founded in 2002.

Dermot is one of Australia’s foremost thought-leaders on productivity.  He is the author of Smart Work and the soon to be released Smart Teams, and the founder of Adapt Productivity. Building on many years of experience in the productivity training industry, he created Adapt in 2002 with a vision of helping management and staff in Australia’s leading organisations to manage their time, priorities and emails more effectively using tools like MS Outlook and mobile technology.

Dermot has a highly inspiring yet practical approach to productivity in the modern workplace. His passion is creating real behavioural change, and he has developed a system for working productively that is applicable to anyone working in today’s busy, email driven workplace.

While remaining heavily involved in the training activities of the business, much of Dermot’s time is spent working with senior leaders and leadership teams on their productivity, and their ability to lead productivity in their teams. His pragmatic approach and wealth of experience ensure that he brings relevant strategies to the table for the leadership level. His focus on productivity technology ensures that executives are getting the most from the tools at their fingertips.

You are a leader in your organisation and you have a message you need to convey. You may be a consultant leading a project, an architect going to tender, a creative preparing for that all-important pitch, or a political leader advocating for change.

Chloé helps you be heard. Chloé Oestreich is a coach, facilitator, and speaker.

She works with leading organisations and coaches CEO’s and senior executives internationally to help individuals present with conviction and become aware of the habitual patterns that undermine their authority during business interactions.

Growing up bilingual in Switzerland, Germany and England, Chloé grew to understand the true importance of presence to both personal and business success. As a trained actor and journalist, her area of expertise lies in dissecting what array of information our bodies project when presenting.

By making her clients aware of their individual habits, which may hold them back from presenting with confidence, Chloé develops a tailored strategy that enables leaders to be mindful of their presence.

Whether focusing on storytelling, body language or developing a resonant voice, Chloé helps individuals make an impact and leave positive long lasting impressions.

Currently splitting her time between London and Melbourne, Chloé helps people achieve greater confidence and clarity in business environments through leading development programs, delivering keynotes and coaching CEO’s and senior executives at global businesses including Macquarie Bank, KPMG, Pacific Brands, Arney Fender Katsalidis and McCANN.

Nicholas “Nick”  Stone is a native of Melbourne Australia who moved to New York City in 2010. He is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Bluestone Lane, an Australian-influenced lifestyle and hospitality brand based in New York, NY.

Nick envisioned Bluestone Lane whilst attending Business School in New York, with the idea of providing a premium coffee/cafe experience that is readily found in his former hometown of Melbourne Australia (but not readily available in New York). Since opening its first location in July 2013, Bluestone Lane has become the fastest-growing premium coffee and café having opened 27 stores open now across 6 markets being New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New Jersey and a flagship coffee roastery and production facility within its first 4.5 years of operations.

Nick joined Bluestone Lane as its full-time Chief Executive Officer in June 2016, having spent 10 years as a Corporate Finance Director with ANZ Banking Group Limited and UBS Investment Bank, advising and financing some of the world’s largest multinational corporations in the United States, Europe and in Asia Pacific.

Prior to banking, Nick was a professional Australian Rules Football (AFL) player for 6 seasons, having been selected in the 1999 AFL National Draft from Wesley College, Australia (High School). Nick played for the Collingwood, Hawthorn and the St Kilda Football Clubs.

Bluestone Lane it set to have more than 40 locations by the end of 2018, across 6 United States core-markets, including New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

So lucky to catch Nick on one of his quick trips home to Melbourne..

Michael Smith was the CEO of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ) from 2007 to 2015 following his retirement he remained an Adviser to the Board until July 2017.  He is the Chair of York Butter Factory (YBF) established in 2011.  YBF is the “destination point for innovation in Australia”.  He also holds the position of Senior Adviser Asia Practice at PwC.

Prior to this he was President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited; Chairman, Hang Seng Bank Limited; Global Head of Commercial Banking for the HSBC Group; and Chairman, HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad.

He graduated with honours in Economic Sciences from City University London and in 2015 was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science from City University London.  In 2013 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Monash University, Melbourne.

He is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and an immediate past Member of the Australian Bankers’ Association and Business Council of Australia.  He is a Member of the Chongqing Mayor’s International Economic Advisory Council, having previously served at its Executive Chairman, and a Fellow of The Hong Kong Management Association.  He was formerly a Director of the Institute of International Finance, the International Monetary Conference and Member of the Shanghai Mayor’s International Financial Advisory Council.  He is a Life Member of the Financial Markets Foundation for Children.

He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2000 and a Chevalier de l’Ordre du Merite Agricole in 2007.

Adam founded Kegstar in December 2012 and has extensive experience in the beverage industry having also co-founded McLaren Vale Beer Company and being a Founding Director of Australia’s Independent Brewers Association.

McLaren Vale Beer Company was one of the fastest growing beer companies in Australia during 2009 to 2011 under Adam’s leadership. It was during this period, when continually falling short on beer supply due to keg shortages, Adam identified the opportunity for the Kegstar keg-pooling model. Having sold McLaren Vale Beer Company to investors in December 2011, Adam embarked on the project to bring Kegstar to life.

Kegstar is an asset pooling business specialising in stainless steel kegs used to transport beverages, principally beer and cider. Under its pooling model, Kegstar owns and manages a growing pool of over 300,000 kegs. Each Kegstar keg is uniquely identified and tracked when the keg moves through the supply chain. Kegstar was sold to global supply-chain logistics company Brambles Limited in December 2015 and currently operates in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and launched in the USA in April 2017.

As a professional Adam has a background in corporate finance, corporate development and M&A with Ernst & Young, Diageo, easyGroup, Rinker Materials and APN News & Media.

As an entrepreneur, Adam was a co-founder of easyCar.com in London in 2000, co-founder of McLaren Vale Beer Company in 2008, co-founder of the Independent Brewers Association in 2011, founder of Kegstar in 2012 and founder of The Balmain Ball in 2014. Adam holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School and in 2011 Adam was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.

Adam has lived in Adelaide, McLaren Vale, London, Tianjin, and Sydney.

Ben Chan is the Chief Commercial Officer of Envato, where he is head of a 140 person group, responsible for growing Envato’s revenue and customer base. His group comprises of 6 functions: product, engineering, marketing, customer analytics, customer support and UX & Design. Envato is ranked in the top 100 most visited websites in the world, and is the world’s leading online ecosystem for digital content and creatives, where millions of people come everyday to purchase files, hire freelancers, and learn the skills needed to build websites, videos, graphics and more.

Ben is Acting CEO of Envato (350 people) whenever the Founder CEO is on leave.

Prior to Envato, Ben was a Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, working throughout Asia, Europe and Australia. Ben was also a Foreign Exchange Trader for Goldman Sachs in New York where he traded on Wall Street during the financial crisis. Ben has Bachelor degrees in Engineering and Actuarial Mathematics from Melbourne University where graduated top of his class in both degrees. Ben also has an MBA from Stanford University where he graduated in the top 10% of his class.

Mark Ritson is Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Melbourne Business School and a Visiting Professor at Singapore Management University. He has a PhD in Marketing from Lancaster University and has been a faculty member at some of the world's leading business schools teaching on the MBA programs at London Business School, MIT Sloan, and the University of Minnesota. He is widely acknowledged as one of the world's best marketing instructors and has been the recipient of MBA teaching awards at LBS, MIT, SMU and MBS.

Mark has worked globally as a private marketing consultant on projects ranging from brand strategy, market research, segmentation, CRM, marketing communications, brand acquisition, brand valuation and brand extension. His clients have included Baxter, Loewe, McKinsey, PepsiCo, Subaru, Eli Lilly, Donna Karan, Johnson & Johnson, De Beers, Sephora, Benefit, Amgen, Ericsson, Jurlique, Cloudy Bay, Unilever, KPMG and WD40. For thirteen years - from 2002 to 2015 - he served as in-house professor for LVMH - the world's largest luxury group - working with senior executives from brands like Louis Vuitton, Dom Perignon, Fendi, Tag Heuer, Dior and Hennessy.

He has written a weekly column on branding for Marketing Week for over a decade. On 3 occasions he has been judged the Business Columnist of the Year at the PPA Press Awards, the highest award for magazine journalism in the UK. He is also a columnist for The Australian newspaper. His more scholarly publications include articles published in Sloan Management Review, Harvard Business Review, the Journal of Advertising, and the Journal of Consumer Research. He was the recipient of the Ferber Award in 2000, one of the most prestigious prizes in Marketing, for his doctoral thesis. In 2001. His co-authored research on pricing was cited by George Akerlof during his Nobel Prize acceptance speech.

He is a Tasmanian by marriage and lives somewhere between there and the "mainland".