Our Advisory Board
Velrada has a group of respected professionals to act as an advisory board to the company as it develops. This team plays an important non-executive role in the business to support its longer term development and, where appropriate support key client relationships, business development activities and engagements. The Board brings general industry experience and expertise, and specific business skills and experience to compliment that of the executive management team. It also brings niche skills relevant to our clients, and networks and relationships that the company can gain leverage from.
The aim of this group is to assist with the development of the business by providing support and independent review for:
- business strategy and corporate development;
- organisational & leadership development;
- operational management and performance;
- business development; and
- marketing and brand development
Board Members are:
Matthew MacFarlane
Matt is an experienced business development and M&A executive as well as Chartered Accountant. He is a General Partner and Investment Director/Co-founder at $40m venture capital fund Yuuwa Capital based in Perth which has raised $20m in private capital to be matched by the Federal Government in 2009. He has worked in both large and small organisations as advisor and as a principal. He has been a member of the Board of Directors at large listed telecoms operators in s/east Asia and Europe, and currently sits on two advisory boards of businesses in Perth. He is a Director of biotech business Dimerix Biosciences.
Matt has managed M&A transactions in Europe, Asia and US ranging from US$10 million (venture investments for Equant) to US$8 billion (merger of Equant and Global One). In 2005 he co-founded Vibe Capital Pty Ltd which has developed the vibEngine social networking application powering the websites minti.com, gooruze.com and refurber.com. He raised A$2.7m for the start-up funding of Vibe Capital in February and November 2006. Matt managed Vibe's investment into Market United and the subsequent trade-sale to listed company Q Ltd. Matt has an extensive CV of consulting assignments around commercialisation of IP, innovation, M&A and capital raising.
Mr Jim Ellis, OAM
Jim Ellis has worked in the IT industry for nearly 40 years. In 1997 he established Westinfo Services as the Gartner distributor for Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and as the WA and NT Channel Partner for the Thomson NETg range of on-line training products. Jim is owner and Managing Director of Westinfo Services. Gartner assumed direct control of activities in WA and NT in March 2006 in a planned transition, leaving Westinfo Services to concentrate on the Thomson NETg training activities.
Jim is a past Chairman of the WA Branch of the Australian Computer Society (ACS), and a Fellow and Honorary Life Member of the Society. He is also a Member of the British Computer Society, a Chartered Engineer of the Engineering Council (UK), a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He is also on the WA Branch Executive of the AIIA (Australian Information Industries Association). Jim conceived the WA IT & Telecommunications Awards (WAITTA) and was Chairman from its inception in 1991 until stepping down in March 2003 to take on the role of inaugural Chairman of the WA Chapter of the ACS Foundation. Jim was appointed an Adjunct Professor of Murdoch University, Perth in June 2006. Jim is also a holder of the Order of Australia Medal.
Gary Jeffery
Gary is a seasoned Resource Industry Executive with over 36 years of diverse international expertise in management of exploration and development projects, producing assets and infrastructure in oil and gas, energy in general and minerals.
Gary's career achievements include:
- Being a key leader in establishing Hadson Energy, now Apache Energy in Australia, negotiating long-term gas contracts to underpin the development of the Harriet Gas Gathering Project, and guiding the Harriet Gas Gathering Project on the northwest shelf off Western Australia from the feasibility phase to on-time gas production;
- Managing the successful application for crucial deepwater exploration permits west of Gorgon, where subsequent multi-TCF gas discoveries have underpinned the development of the Gorgon Project;
- Completing the sale of two natural gas pipelines and associated assets in WA at prices in excess of expectations, and selling 275 million tonnes of coal to underpin the development of an 800 MW coal fired power station at Millmerran in Queensland;
- Shepherding the struggling, complex Kasese Cobalt business in Uganda to consistent production performance and subsequent sale; and
- Being an active manager in a number of organization restructuring projects, including the merger of ARC Energy with AWE in 2008, which resulted in more commercially focused business cultures.
Gary is passionate about improving corporate efficiency, and reducing project and corporate risks through improved information management practices.
Gary is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the Advisory Board of WAERA, is a founding director of oil and gas explorer Bombora Energy, a member of the Perth Branch organizing committee of the Australian Institute of Energy, and is actively involved in advancing energy matters in WA.