
My background is in mechatronic engineering, and I spent a few years in research before moving into management consulting because I realised academia wasn’t for me. Consulting let me stay close to innovation, on the commercial side of research, which I loved, but the impact of the work didn't always align with my values. When the Tenacious role came up, it felt like the perfect opportunity to combine these experiences for more real world impact.
I’ve seen research and innovation applied across quite a few sectors, and they are all fun and challenging in different ways, but the ‘why’ of the work matters more to me than the ‘how’. I’ve always loved solving problems, and I’ve gotten some great experience solving messy problems across my career, but very few of them had an end-state that I felt made a difference that aligned to my values and views for the world. I’ve always admired the challenge of applying technologies like robotics to big, real-world problems like those in agriculture. Agri-food is logistically complex, capital intensive, and a harsh environment for technologies, making innovation tough but rewarding. The potential for technology in the sector is massive, and it's an area I want to help grow.
Definitely. Early in my career, I led an engineering team collaborating with the University of Sydney on a project that blended advanced manufacturing and biology for clinical applications. The early trials of the technology were really promising, and we ended up securing $1.2 million in commercial funding. That experience of building something up from an idea to something with tangible outcomes cemented my obsession with commercialisation. But it also made me realise that maybe I was better suited to a career outside of a laboratory.
The authenticity of the people involved. Of all the sectors I’ve been exposed to through my career, I have never come across one that is as driven by resilience, sustainability, and community as agriculture. The challenges are immense, and changes in the sector can have both local impact and global reach.
I love the nature of the work we are already doing: helping public and private sector organisations get more commercial value out of their R&D spend.
I also love how we do it: we provide authentic, no-BS insights on what we think the best answer is to a problem, even if it's the hard answer a client may not want to hear. It builds trust, it's for the good of the sector, and it's true to our values. The future of Tenacious Insights will maintain these points as guardrails for any direction we grow.
Looking forward, I’m keen to expand our offerings to include the implementation aspect of the advisory work we are already doing. I’ve found that when one group defines the strategy and then another group drives the implementation, elements are lost in translation, and vision and execution do not always align. Implementation is something I have done quite a bit in previous roles, and I’ve seen the impact it can have when one group can deliver both strategy and execution.
Since having kids (now 1 and 4 years old), I see the world differently. The work we do in agriculture isn't just about immediate change; it's about generational change. It sounds cheesy, but it really feels more about doing my part to help make the world a better place for future generations. Having that multi-generational timeframe as a lens makes my work meaningful, well beyond any commercial measure.
Plus, emerging technologies like robotics in agriculture. What's not to be motivated about? Who doesn't love giant automated toys?!
Ironically, I get some of the worst hay fever of anyone I've met! I got teased for moving from labs and offices to a sector where I’m literally allergic to the environment.
Also, I’ve got a quirky family background. I was born in the USA; the rest of my family were born in England, and we’ve all lived in Australia since the mid-90s. So when I'm talking, most words will come out Aussie, some will have an American twang, and the occasional one will be British!
And just to clarify, I’m firmly on team R.M. Williams for boots.
