Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Advisers

Robert Bowen

Contact details:
COMET
National Manager
07 3227 4723
Robert.bowen@innovation.gov.au      

Robert is a director of the Triton Foundation, a philanthropic foundation assisting Australian inventors. He is also a member of the advisory board for JTAI International, an Australian company providing international health consulting and project management in Asia and the Pacific.
 
He was also adviser to the Australian Government for the allocation of $300m under the Pharmaceutical Industries Investment Program.

Robert has been general manager of public listed company Agen Ltd, a research-based medical biotechnology company; and director of Geneco Pty Ltd, a genetic diagnostic company.

He received the Premier of Queensland’s Exporter of the Year award and also the Australian national award of Exporter of the Year in recognition of developing exports of Australian medical technology products.

He was previously a member of the Wesley Hospital Board and chair of the finance committee. He is currently a member of the Princess Alexandra District Health Council.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from the UNSW; a  Master of Business Administration from Macquarie University; and Diploma Company Director, University of New England.

Phil Chynoweth

Contact details:
Kizmit Consulting Pty  Ltd
0415 919 191
p.chynoweth@kizmetconsulting.com.au

Phil helps companies build sales, high-performance teams, and export market growth. He has worked for IBM and Microsoft, and telecommunications carriers in Australia and the Asia Pacific.

He maintains a worldwide network of relationships that can assist companies achieve market development and commercialisation. Phil holds a number of board positions and directorships in business and community organisations.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Sydney.

New South Wales
 

Richard Dale

Contact details
Argo Partners Pty Ltd
02 8257 3330 
Richard@argopartners.com.au

Richard Dale has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Adviser since March 2005. He has more than 19 years of experience in management consulting, early-stage venture capital and research and development engineering.

Richard has helped Australian and overseas organisations of all sizes grow. He has managed venture capital equity investments in start-up and early-stage technology firms and has served as a non-executive director on the boards of three such firms.

Richard's experience includes leading management consulting projects for corporate clients in a range of industry sectors, including the areas of research commercialisation and growth of entrepreneurial technology businesses. His clients include universities and government organisations.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Western Australia and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the London Business School.

Matthew Griffiths

Contact details:
Freebird Pty Ltd
02 9037 2600
Matthew.griffiths@freebirdgroup.com

Matthew has helped COMET customers raise more than $50 million in early-stage capital. These businesses have put in place more than 200 strategic alliances and other commercial agreements. More than 40 new products and services have been launched onto the market.

Matthew has a background in the information technology services industry in Europe and the United States, where he developed and executed a variety of commercial engagements, including building high growth start-ups, acquisitions, company break-ups and strategic alliances.

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) in Economics from the University of Birmingham in England, is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in the United Kingdom.

Peter Milla

Contact details
Business Tree Pty Ltd
0412 764 552
pmilla@businesstree.com.au

Peter Milla joined the Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) team in March 2005.  Peter assists customers in Sydney and regional NSW.

Peter's passion is to convert Australian innovation into globally successful organisations. Peter has 22 years of commercialisation and business leadership experience.  He has led start-up divisions for British and American multi-nationals, and turned them into high revenue, profitable divisions. He has also led Australian early growth companies to market segment leadership in international arenas and negotiated exits via trade sale.

He has launched products, built distribution channels and negotiated a range of commercial outcomes in the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

Peter's background includes research and development in satellite and terrestrial communications. He has commercialised technologies and products in industries such as information and communications technology, renewable energy, construction transport, agriculture and medical devices. His experience also includes capital-raising in Australia and the United States, where he has an established angel network.

Peter holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Graduate School of Management (UNSW).

Peter Towers

Contact details:
Towers Business Development Pty Ltd
0418 190 181
peter@towersbusiness.com.au

Peter Towers has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) business adviser since October 2001.

Peter is a management consultant specialising in business and strategic plans, budgets, cashflow forecasts, strategic reviews, business networks, business training, mentoring, director and management training, corporate governance review, business development and getting investment ready for seed, start-up and venture capital.
 
His career includes 23 years as a principal of an accountancy practice and ten years in commerce. For six years he was the chief financial officer and company secretary of a public company.
 
Since December 1999 he has been managing director of Enterprise Support Systems Pty Ltd, - the developers of ESS BIZTOOLS, which is a web-based 'business of business' advice package for accountants with small to medium-sized enterprise clients.
 
Peter is a fellow of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a member of the Institute of Management Consultants.

Ian Crebbin

Contact details:
Spin Consulting Pty Ltd
0410 465 748
icrebbin@bigpond.net.au

Ian Crebbin has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Adviser since 1999 and has helped more than 100 Queensland start-up ventures with investment ready programs, mentoring and capital raising. He has also been on the advisory boards of a number of Queensland start-ups.

Ian worked for ten years with UniQuest Limited, the University of Queensland’s commercialisation arm, where he held positions of general manager operations and general manager commercialisation. Ian also headed eight spin-off companies.

His expertise includes business and strategic planning, licensing, capital raising, financial structuring, research and development management and intellectual property management.

Ian also helped set up a technology company in Malaysia, and was a consultant for the World Bank in Indonesia and for Malaysia’s University of Technology. He was also on the advisory board of the Technology Innovation Centre at the University of Queensland and was an adjunct lecturer.

Ian has previously worked as a psychologist, and has held senior management and policy positions with the Australian Government, the Australian Research Council and the Tertiary Education Commission.

Michael Murtagh

Contact details:
Cernotech Pty Ltd
0410 451 887
cernotech@bigpond.com

Michael Murtagh has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Adviser since October 2001.

He has more than 20 years experience in the seed and venture capital sector, helping many Australian and international companies to commercialise their products.
 
Michael worked in London for more than a decade with a privately-operated seed capital investment firm and technology incubator. He has accumulated extensive experience in strategic planning, business development and management.

He holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the London City University and a Bachelor of Business degree from Southern Cross University.

Keith Steele

Contact  details:
Steele Business Solutions Pty Ltd
0410 127 161
steelekeith@bigpond.com

Keith Steele has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Adviser since March 2005. He founded Steele Business Solutions Pty Ltd in 2004 after nearly 20 years in senior management for large technology companies and government organisations.

Keith has active international networks spanning business, venture capital, universities, research organisations and government. He also has experience in life sciences, biotechnology and agribusiness and has helped to commercialise new products and technologies.

He was chief executive officer for AgResearch in New Zealand for six years, where he managed a staff of 980. During the 1990s he was executive director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Melbourne, and before that, worked for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in New Zealand.

Keith is a council member of the University of the Sunshine Coast, director of the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast Pty Ltd, director of Beef CRC Ltd, and director of eWater Ltd.

Keith has a Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry) from Waikato University in New Zealand, a Masters of Agricultural Science from Massey University in New Zealand, and in BA Agricultural Science.

Tasmania
 

Kim Newstead

Contact details:
Corporate & Leisure Marketing Pty Ltd,
Strategy, Business, Communications
& Research Consultants
03 6248 8644 
knewstead@calm.net.au
www.calm.net.au

Kim Newstead joined the Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) team in October 2001. For the past 11 years, he has advised more than 170 AusIndustry customers in his roles as Business Networks State Manager and AusIndustry Accredited Supply Chain Manager.

Kim has practised as a management consultant for 18 years. Previously he held senior executive positions with national and international companies including ACI, TNT, Stanley Tools, Boral, Cascade Brewery and Décor Plastics. For five years he was the general manager of marketing for Tourism Tasmania.

Kim has experience in strategic and business planning, early stage commercialisation, project management, community consultation, organisation studies, image and brand development, resource management, recreational planning, survey techniques, economic assessment and social analysis.

Kim was awarded an Advance Australia Award for his services to sport and the community for his work as general manager of the First Australian Masters Games in 1986.

Kim is a fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute, the Institute of Management and a graduate of the Harvard Business School International Marketing Institute.

Bob Beaumont

Contact details:
Beauchamp Pty Ltd
0415 597 080
australian@ozemail.com.au

Bob Beaumont has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Adviser since October 2001. He has 35 years experience in investment banking, venture capital and asset finance, and small-to-medium enterprise investment.

Bob has worked in the United Kingdom, the United States and around Australia. Bob has a special interest in rural and regional businesses. He has also held senior positions in companies such as Custom Credit, Commonwealth Development Bank, US Capital and Pacific Venture Group.

Bob is an active business angel in his own right and has a range of start-up investments in manufacturing and the rural sector. These employ more than 300 people, with combined turnovers exceeding $50 million.

Bob has mixed his business interests with an active role in developing Australia's largest business angels service with the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Jim Paulyshyn

Contact details:
KJW Consultants Pty Ltd
0414 611 674
jim@kjwconsultants.com.au

Jim Paulyshyn has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Adviser since March 2005. Jim has experience in early-stage technology commercialisation projects as a founder, executive, consultant, non-executive director, advisory board member, and investor. He has chaired due diligence committees and been involved in a number of public company transactions.

Jim was a director with Coopers & Lybrand's emerging business services group, where he developed business plans, delivered strategic planning services, and undertook due diligence investigations and feasibility studies for a range of industries.

Jim was the founding chief finance officer with Internet Pioneer Sausage Software. He has also been involved with a number of technology-focused projects in areas such as capital raising, trade sales, technology licensing agreements, turnarounds, and public listings. His clients have included a number of Australian publicly-listed technology groups, private investors and early-stage private companies.

Jim qualified as a chartered accountant in Toronto, and completed his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at York University.

Akshay Bhandari

Contact details:
CLASE Ventures Pty Ltd
08 9278 2414
Akshay@claseventures.com

Akshay Bhandari has been a Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) Business Adviser since October 2001. He has helped many early stage innovative companies with initial public offerings, strategic alliances, licensing agreements and trade sales.

Through COMET he has managed more than 50 companies in sectors such as information technology, oil and gas, biotechnology, telecommunications,industrials, mining, sports and tourism.

Before founding his company, Akshay was an investment manager at ECAT Development Capital Ltd, a listed venture capital company. At ECAT he was involved in investments in 12 investee companies. These companies included Clinical Cell Culture, Stratatel Communications, Sirtex Medical and Pie Networks. Akshay was also director in ECAT's listed and unlisted portfolio of companies. He was also on the advisory committee of one of Australia's largest venture capital funds, Foundation Capital.

Akshay has a Bachelor in Commerce and a Masters in Business Administration.

Hugo LeMessurier

Contact details:
LeMessurier Solutions Pty Ltd
08 7221 2136
lemsolutions@internode.on.net              

Hugo LeMessurier is an experienced entrepreneurial business leader with a proven track record of successfully implementing complex business solutions within an international environment. He founded LeMessurier Solutions Pty Ltd to assist the building of sustainable SME businesses through strategic business planning, sales and marketing, international business development, market research and technology licensing.

He has held directorships and senior management positions in start up, listed and multinational organisations with a background in the biotechnology industry where he held senior positions with Genzyme Corporation in the EU and USA. In addition he has founded, managed and/or directed a number of private Australian companies in the biotechnology, business consulting, food and service industries.

Recently Hugo led an Australian start up Biotechnology company through technology acquisition, regulatory approval, commercial launch and public listing. He has experience in preparing and assisting companies to become investor ready for capital raising via private equity and Australian public company listing.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from Adelaide University, is a member of the University of Adelaide Commercial Accelerator Scheme Panel and Commercial Opportunity Panel, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, AusBiotech and BioAngels.