I am the Founder and Managing Partner of Alac Partners, an independent board advisory and executive search firm based
in Dubai.

I enable transformation of organisations and enrichment of lives by making perfect people connections. I work closely with business owners, boards, and C-Suite leadership to unearth and build highly effective boards, directors and executive leadership capable of radically transforming their organisations and directing them to sustainable growth.

“I am also an executive coach to many senior leaders”

With an international career spanning nineteen years across mature and emerging markets, I am an expert at understanding the core of organisations and aligning superior regional and international leadership. I have led a range of functional and group-wide transformation projects for clients across the Middle East, that has made material commercial and progressive impact.

I am particularly interested in strengthening regional Family Conglomerates and Diversified Groups to ensure their continued positive contributions and legacy to the growth and development of the Middle East. I have a track record for developing highly targeted succession programs for organisations conscious about futureproofing their organisations and reducing risk. I am a champion of diversity and work closely to bring right perspectives and composition to the boardroom and senior leadership teams.  

I am passionate about listening to clients’ aspirations, challenges, and opportunities, and to deliver solutions that perfectly align with their current and future requirements.

Originally from Australia, and working with the largest international executive search firm, I moved to the region some 15 years ago. I was particularly interested in contributing to the region’s many opportunities, as it develops from a maturing business economy. Respecting the admirable existing family and historical culture, whilst introducing a more professional and global approach to businesses and Boards, I was determined to play a role in the development of this region. This is what continues to inspire me today.

I am a Board Advisor at Alac Partners and Co-Founder of GRCReady.com.

We developed GRCReady to help organisations, their Boards and executive management teams to approach, control and advance their Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) agenda. Governance requirements impact every organisation, but the weight of regulatory obligations and increasing breadth and complexity of risks make it difficult for many organisations to effectively plan and systemise their response.

Through a blend of self-assessments, products, access to training and advisory support, GRCReady makes it simple to diagnose problem areas, identify control mechanisms and assess the best actions to take in order to meet obligations and have a positive impact on the organisation’s bottom line.

I offer a wealth of experience in the areas of audit, control design and implementation, risk management, assurance, finance and Responsible Business Practices to company Boards to become more effective.

My experience includes extensive board level, executive management and governance experience, nationally and globally across diverse industries, including banking, manufacturing (explosives), construction, mining, and transport and management consulting. I have also been the deputy chairperson of the Australian Conservation Foundation Board Audit and Risk Committee for a number of years.

I have had a number of senior executive roles including the Global Head of Corporate Assurance (Internal Audit) of Rio Tinto Ltd, General Manager Performance Measurement at Commonwealth Bank Ltd, the Executive General Manager Internal Audit for the Leighton Group (now CIMIC Ltd), a partner at Ernst & Young in Sydney, and Head of Operations Finance (Deputy CFO) for Anglo American Platinum Ltd.

Through my career I have demonstrated that I am an exceptional systems thinker who can see business and corporate governance systems from an end-to-end perspective – knowing how to de-risk them from multiple perspectives: financially, sustainably, ethically, and operationally. This is a key competency for board audit and risk members to ensure the focus is where it matters most.

My proven capability of understanding and managing risks in large complex businesses with my ability to identify risk holistically and deliver outcomes through information and technology enablement, governance, and change management, to produce better business and commercial outcomes, could make a valuable contribution to increase the governance maturity of clients.

I have deep respect for others. I am able to translate my analysis of very complex corporations into ways for people to see things more clearly.  My positive and energetic outlook on life, proven practical capability at all levels as well as the ability to work with and earn the respect of people at all levels may make me an ideal contributor to a cohesive and effective Board.

As a thought leader I published, as one of 4 authors the “Top down risk-based audit approach” that is still used by internal audit functions globally and was prescribed reading at Universities for a number of years.  I was also the author of the “Business Case” module of the Sydney University Masters (Advanced Knowledge) in Project Management (Civil Engineering faculty) and lectured in the course for 2 years. I was one of 6 practitioners engaged by Sydney University to refresh their MSc Project Management course.

I am a Board Advisor at Alac Partners and Co-Founder of GRCReady.com.

GRCReady was developed to help organisations, their Boards and executive management teams to approach, control and advance their Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) agenda. Using a blend of self-assessments, products, access to training and advisory support, GRCReady makes it easy to diagnose problem areas, identify control mechanisms and assess the best actions to take in order to meet obligations and have a positive impact on the organisation’s bottom line.

I am an experienced executive and advisor with strong commercial acumen and a demonstrated ability to build high performing teams to deliver strategic and operational outcomes that contributes organisational value.

With over 30 years’ regulatory and consulting experience,  I’ve worked for a range of public sector and industry businesses with complex structures coordinating and leading teams in providing high-impact risk management solutions resulting in improved operating effectiveness, compliance with regulatory obligations and positive change management outcomes.

I have worked with large multinationals and medium to small enterprise in industries including: engineering and mining, banking and finance, manufacturing, transport and logistics, energy and utilities, infrastructure development, telecommunications and government.

 I am a natural leader with a proven track record of building, developing and leading successful teams. I’m also known to be an adaptable, resourceful and innovative individual that is able to partner with C-Suite executives and board members to help the identify, mitigate, and resolve risks and challenges that they face in a business environment that is becoming increasingly more challenging.

 As a former Partner with leading professional services firms, I have advised on the effective use of technology and data analytics to monitor financial crime profiles and detect non-compliant behaviour. My finance and forensic accounting experience has enabled me to exercise sound fiscal and operational management in compliance with external regulatory requirements and provide value added advice resulting in commercial and easy to implement solutions.