The grey hairs are a result of over 25 years’ experience in partnership strategy, valuations and leverage, across New Zealand, Australia and the UK.
I love the fact that partnerships are relevant across all sectors, and this fuels my curiosity for learning about new industries.
My first ten years were sport focused; managing commercial partnerships for many of England’s top footballers. Then I swapped the round ball for the rugby codes’ oval ones and focused on the Southern Hemisphere’s clubs and tournaments.
I switched sides from rights owner to corporate brand investor becoming Head of Sponsorship for Vodafone NZ, which brought with it music, entertainment, and community partnerships, in addition to a portfolio of sports.
Leading the New Zealand operations for specialist management consultancy (Gemba Group) included many sports and entertainment projects. In recent years I’ve also worked with clients from the creative sector, government, B2B, charities and social enterprises.
I’m honest about finding research data exciting. I always enjoy sketching out a problem-solving model, so won’t surprise you that for fun I turn to documentaries and podcasts. Despite results consistently not going my way, I’m also one of the most determined tennis doubles players north of the bridge!