Constellation is an independent practice offering strategic and corporate services to CEOs and Boards across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Our unique service proposition is to solve complex organisational issues that deliver substantial value to our clients. We differentiate ourselves by developing a product understanding of our clients operations through the application of 'real world' management experience. Our value stems from the delivery of an 'end to end' service where we develop, frame and execute intelligent strategic solutions to capture significant returns for organisations and their stakeholders.

Constellation is an independent practice offering strategic and corporate advisory services to CEOs and Boards across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Our unique service proposition is to solve complex organisational issues that deliver substantial value to our clients. We differentiate ourselves by developing a profound understanding of our client’s operations through the application of ‘real world’ management experience. Our value stems from the delivery of an ‘end to end’ service where we develop, frame and execute intelligent strategic solutions to capture significant returns for organisations and their stakeholders.

As Group Chief Executive Officer (Acting) at NRMA I will be responsible for the direction and implementation of the Group Business Plan for the 2016 Financial Year. The National Roads & Motorists' Association is Australia's leading Motoring Association with extensive investment in Road Side Service across the NSW and ACT markets.The NRMA also offers it's 2.4m members an extensive Motoring suite of assetts which include the renowned Road Side Service in both states plus 22 MotorServe outlets across NSW, considerable assetts in Tourism, Travel and Lifestyle. The portfolio also includes Thrifty Car Rental in Australia and New Zealand.

As Executive General Manager, Assistance Service I have been working with the NRMA since 2010 where I have contracted on various projects. I am now responsible for the Assistance Services portfolio of businesses in the industries of assistance, travel and leisure. The portfolio includes the products and services offered through Emergency Home Assistance, Online Shop, Entertainment & Tix, Car Loans, touring, Holiday Parks, and Travel & Cruise.

As a Director of Constellation Advisors I have been working with the NRMA in a number of key areas, after the successful sale of Adventure World in late 2013 to the Travel Corporation I have been developing a dynamic Retail Travel Business that services NRMA's 2.4 million members in its closed users group. Recent development of new technology into the Business has enabled the Company to benefit from a dynamic Booking engine to cover not only the Retail Travel Business but also the many assets that NRMA own in the Travel Industry. A further development is the ongoing commitment to the Domestic Tourism arena for Drive Hoildays.

Achievements:- Stabilisation of operational earnings performance- Reduction in administrative overhead costs- Increase in operational productivity- Reduction in injury rates- Development of a new media strategy- M&A Transactions: > Times Printing Australia > Scribo Books > Merger of Griffin Press with McPhersons (Blocked by ACCC)

After three record years in New Zealand, the pending retirement of CEO Fred Hilmer, the Board asked me to return to Australia to re-invigorate and re-organize the Australian publishing and digital business. Secondly, as the only internal candidate being considered for the CEO role they wanted me to work more closely with the board prior to them making their final appointment.In my first 150 days I re-aligned the management team and re-established a new state structure both in Victoria and NSW with newly appointed managing directors. Magazines, Group Operations and Digital remained outside this structure in the short term.Fairfax was embarking on a clear direction for revenue growth, business re-alignment and considerable cost containment. The goal of the business unit was to increase the performance of the Australian business by $100m within the next 12 months.

In the first 12 months of trading, post INL acquisition, Fairfax New Zealand achieved EBITDA $165.5m, a 35.6% ($44.5m) increase on the 2002/03 financial year and 25.5% ($34.5m) up on budget. The EBITDA assessment at acquisition date of $118m had risen to $194m (or 28% compounding growth over the two year period).The enterprise of Fairfax New Zealand has grown from $1.225m to $2.34m and increase of $885m in two years. Lead other practical, group-wide savings programs with initial results that focused the key areas of the company to look at practical savings and opportunities. Established and lead a business development team (3) to identify short terms initiatives and synergies that resulted in $8m savings in the first 12 months, sustainable in future years. Introduction of an outbound classified and telemarketing structure, with anticipated growth of $9m revenue in the 2004/05 financial year.Consolidated group national selling structures in Auckland with considerable benefit to customers and the company, achieving revenue growth from the top 100 clients of 30% i.e. 7% above industry peers.The growth in the company has been brought about by three major elements: - Revenue growth - Costs containment - Development of existing and new productsEstablished a strong bond with management team across the country with all senior management committed to the new company and immediately adopting new performance criteria. Introduced formal performance measurement Criteria Company wide.Decentralised the group IS department to achieve direct accountability and enhanced its service delivery and support. Created a significantly different culture throughout Fairfax New Zealand thereby generating empowerment and delegation, strong customer and supplier long term relationships and contracts more economic to the company.

Ensure strategic and business plans are developed and when approved, implemented to achieve financial objectives.Manage a group of 31 publications employing 1300 staff in NSW and Victoria comprising three regional daily newspapers including Australia’s largest regional daily newspaper, the Newcastle Herald, plus 29 suburban newspapers, with total revenue of about $250m.Integrate all newspapers into one cohesive group to achieve projected savings.Full P&L responsibility for sales, marketing, production, editorial, finance and business development.Establish Fairfax’s fastest growing business and enable Fairfax to realise group savings and synergies whilst developing as a dynamic group with future sustained growth.

Responsible for the Newcastle Herald, Australia’s fastest growing regional daily newspaper and the re-development of the Illawarra Mercury on hour south of Sydney, plus the continual growth of the Warrnambool Standard, an isolated Victoria Regional Daily Newspaper that had been neglected by previous management.These three newspapers were separated by considerable distance and cultural differences. Profits in the year I controlled all three newspapers increased by 20%.During this period, the Newcastle Herald continued to break all circulation records (no other Australian newspaper could keep pace with this development, revenue and circulation growth).Changed the management culture at Illawarra Mercury which was quite an achievement considering it had been neglected for years. The publication needed a complete restructure to gain local support for an aging newspaper in decline.A number of new acquisitions were planned during this time including the purchase of the Central Coast Sun Newspaper giving Fairfax a foothold on the Central Coast, plus early negotiations with independent newspaper publishers in Wagga Wagga and Albury reached a positive point prior to my promotion.

Reporting to Chief Executive Officer, John Fairfax Holdings.Re-establish the Newcastle Herald to its former glory, status and profitability. Re-establish its free community newspapers to be No 1 in the market. Overcome a new competitor who had taken 50% of the real estate market from the incumbent, the Newcastle Herald.Establish a more settled industrial environment. Rectify the circulation issues of the newspaper following 20 years of serious decline. Re-establish a vibrant business and give Fairfax and the staff clear direction for the future.Assume full accountability for the entire business, profit and loss, staff, finances, marketing, editorial and printing presses.Positioned the Newcastle Herald as Australia’s fastest growing daily newspaper with circulation increasing 20% during 1999-2002.  Achieved profit growth over this period above expectation from $4.5m in 1993 to $15.8m in 2002.Re-developed the Newcastle Herald from a poor broadsheet newspaper into Australia’s fastest growing tabloid newspaper. Re-launched the newspaper to ‘tabloid-compact’ which was hailed as the most successful change of format in Australia, if not the world.Re-developed and re-built the newspaper office from a 100 year old building into a show piece for staff and the company. Building changes were extensive but finished on time and on budget.Gained approval and developed a new printing facility in Newcastle, establishing one of Australia’s most advanced print centres out of a capital city, with an investment of $20m.