Broadleaf Team

Broadleaf is my vehicle to live and share what I call my Great Life Project, a life intentionally designed around three pillars: being of great service, building a strong and loving family, and becoming my best self.

My work centres on helping financial planning business owners clarify and achieve their aspirations and their version of what a great life looks like for them.

Before founding Broadleaf, I spent two decades in the corporate world delivering major projects for Ernst & Young, GlaxoSmithKline, Centrica, Universal Pictures and Rio Tinto. I worked across Australia and internationally as both an employee and consultant, gaining deep exposure to systems, culture, finance and disciplined execution.

On a daily basis I use the tools and knowledge I’ve accumulated through my career. Knowledge of mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, finance, next generation leadership transitions, culture, leadership, analytics, SME business management and capital and a range of tools specific to helping, but not interfering with financial planning businesses and helping the owners and team members turn their aspirations into reality.

I draw heavily on frameworks from mentors and thinkers like Jim Collins, Patrick Lencioni and others, combining them with practical experience to help owners and their teams continue to grow businesses they’re proud of, businesses that support their lives, not consume them.

At a personal level, my values are simple – having high integrity and accountability, and always seeking to do my very best. I also have a real passion for people who are humble, hungry and smart. I see myself as a lifelong learner and sharer of knowledge, someone who never stops developing and who takes real joy in seeing my teammates and everyone else in our community grow. My natural style is cooperative, patient and supportive; I care deeply about longterm relationships, and I’m at my best when I’m helping others succeed.

Away from work, I’m married to Tracy and we have three teenage boys. Family is at the centre of my Great Life Project: raising happy, caring, humble young men, being present for school, sport and milestones, and designing work so there’s time and energy left for the people who matter most.

Whether it’s watching the boys chase their passions, sharing sport and fitness together, or simply spending unhurried time as a family, that’s the “why” behind the businesses I help to grow and the owners and teams I choose to partner with.

Ultimately, Broadleaf is an expression of what I believe: that business is one of the most powerful tools we have to help people live great lives. My role is to bring calm, steady, valuesdriven guidance to owners who want exactly that, to design their life first, then build the business to match.

I am a Chartered Accountant with 20 years’ experience across Melbourne, Perth and the UK. I have held finance roles with great organisations including EY, Anglo American, Rio Tinto, ConocoPhillips and Fortescue, where I was able to fine tune my attention to detail and experience a broad array of highly effective people, systems and work cultures.

In my role as CFO, am responsible for our financial strategy, capital management, reporting and governance, which supports our longterm partnership approach and the continued success of the people who are part of the Broadleaf community.  I get a kick out of solving difficult financial problems and seeing people achieve their aspirations. As the youngest of 10 siblings, I value a calm, analytical approach and enjoy helping people and teams to perform at their best.

During my time at Broadleaf, we have created an environment in which I can turn up to work as myself, which I am stoked to be part of.  I love any place where dad jokes are not only accepted, they are also encouraged.

Our values of integrity, humility (be curious!) and driving to be your best align closely with how I like to operate and supports my goal to help others to succeed whilst growing myself. What matters to me is building trusted relationships, making thoughtful decisions and creating outcomes that benefit founders, investors and families.

Earlier in my career, I had the pleasure of working with Richard at Rio Tinto. We had talked about working together again and in a very Perth-like quirk of fate we had a chance encounter (late night at a petrol station) which led to the discussion about me joining Broadleaf – before I had even started, I was already saving him a recruitment phone call.

Outside of work, I enjoy allday beach sessions on the WA coastline with my wife and our two children. I also run the odd ultramarathon, attend West Coast Eagles games, support Arsenal and occasionally try to surf, which keeps me focussed, challenged and a little sore.

Background 

I began my career in Research & Development with a long-established WA gas and electrical appliance manufacturer. Working alongside skilled engineers and toolmakers, I built a strong foundation in design, manufacturing, process thinking and quality control – turning ideas into reliable, high-quality products.

With limited long-term prospects in Australian manufacturing, I left the industry and spent time in Europe on a working holiday before returning to Perth.

Family Business 

I grew up around financial advice and small business. My father, Peter, was a Financial Planner, and both sides of my family ran small businesses – shaping my long-standing interest in business ownership and the people behind it.

After returning from Europe, I joined the family business to help systemise and modernise it. We set a five-year transformation plan and delivered it in two. This allowed us to build a stronger, more scalable business over the next 25 years.

Over that time, I became a Financial Adviser, shared responsibility for the business’s financial services licence, developed as a Company Director, and ultimately took over leadership and ownership of the business.

Broadleaf Financial Group 

A conversation with Richard about his goal to build Australia’s best service business and have a material positive impact on one million Australian lives, led us to explore how his approach to succession of ownership could be applied to financial advice, where succession challenges were significant.

That conversation led to the formation Broadleaf Financial Group. With my background in financial advice and business leadership, I joined Richard to help build a model that supports succession, preserves legacy and creates long-term value.

Earlier in my career, I saw many small businesses sold to larger corporate owners, often followed by changes that weakened client relationships, disrupted teams and diluted the identity that made those businesses successful.  Too often, the next generation lost the opportunity to lead those businesses forward while preserving what made them valuable.

This is at the heart of the work we now do in Broadleaf. We back the people best placed to own and lead financial advice businesses, partnering with them to grow strong firms, protect client outcomes and build lasting legacies.

Personal & Family 

My wife, Kathrin, and our three boys are the centre of my life.  Kathrin moved to Australia from Germany after finishing university, though all her family still live there.  We love spending significant time with family and friends in Germany, which also ensures our boys connect to their German heritage as much as the Aussie upbringing they enjoy.

I am a lifelong learner with qualifications in financial planning and applied finance, and I am an alumnus of Harvard Business School. Outside work, I have trained in karate for many years, hold a 3rd dan black belt, and have represented Australia twice at the IKGA World Championships.

Community contribution is also important to me. I currently serve as a Director of The Kids’ Research Institute Australia and Chair of its Finance Committee.

I grew up in Bishop Auckland, a small market town in the North East of England. Three years ago, I moved to Australia driven by a long-held desire to see more of the world and to create opportunities, beyond what my hometown could offer. From a young age, I knew I didn’t want to simply settle into what was familiar and comfortable. My parents often encouraged that mindset, reminding me that if I wanted more, I should go and find it.

I studied Sociology and Education at Newcastle University, where I developed a strong interest in how people experience life differently depending on factors such as gender, background and socioeconomic circumstances. I was drawn to understanding how inequality is woven through society and how it shapes individual outcomes over time.

Growing up in a largely working-class community, I saw how these inequalities affected access to education and, later, financial literacy. Those experiences stayed with me and naturally influenced the direction of my career. When I entered the financial planning industry, I was motivated by the opportunity to play a role in improving financial understanding and helping people build security, choice and long-term freedom.

My first role was as a Client Services Manager in a small financial planning practice in Perth, WA.  This gave me a strong appreciation for the importance of every role within a financial planning team, and how effective advice relies on collaboration. Working closely with clients gave me a clear understanding of how meaningful good advice can be, particularly during periods of significant change such as retirement. I saw how offering reassurance, consistency and trust mattered just as much as technical expertise. It reinforced for me that financial advice is not simply about managing money, but about being a dependable team clients can rely on to support them through important life decisions with confidence and care.

My journey began with Broadleaf when I was looking for the next step in my career, eager to build on my experience as a Client Services Manager. As I progressed, I realised that I was most challenged and fulfilled by the organisational aspects of the role, which demanded a higher level of focus and engaged my mind in a different way.  This ultimately prompted me to pursue a new direction in my career.

I was introduced to Broadleaf by Reagan, our Operations Manager, as she had been my mentor in my Client Services role. I witnessed the difference Broadleaf had made to her and was inspired by the stories she shared about a team genuinely invested in what they’re building together.

Stepping into the Executive Assistant – Operations role, I’ve been encouraged to bring fresh ideas to the table and contribute meaningfully from day one. From the outset, it was clear that Broadleaf offered more than just a role, they offered alignment with my values and a genuine commitment to my professional growth.   1111

The Broadleaf team have not only encouraged my development but have actively invested in helping me become better every day, pushing me to grow, challenge myself, and see the bigger picture.

It’s a place where my voice is heard, my perspective is valued, and my potential is being nurtured.