Our people

Paul Docherty

Founder and Executive Chair of the BRC Group

Paul is Founder and Executive Chair of the BRC Group, one of Australia’s leading Incubator and Accelerator’s. Prior to Founding the BRC Group, Paul was the Founder and CEO of Direct Connect, a business that was sold with Lumo Energy for $600m to Snowy Hydro in 2014. Paul holds Chairmanships across MedTech, Health, Technology and BRC’s Food businesses, and is both the Regional Chair of YPO in Australia and New Zealand, and the Chairman of the Melbourne Rebels.

Mark Dinnison

CEO BRC Group

Mark is a Founder and CEO of the BRC group. A career as a trusted commercial executive, with experience across energy, technology, transportation, health and financial sectors. Mark was the CFO of Lumo Energy and Chief Commercial Officer of Vix Technology. Early in his career Mark held finance roles at Morrison & Co and KPMG.

Chris Zondanos

Chief Revenue Officer

Chris is focussed on creating value across each of the BRC businesses, working closely with each business to maximise potential. A driven leader that makes positive impacts through people and effective stakeholder engagement, experienced at various stages in complex markets. A critical function for the growth of BRC.  Chris led the 2020 sale of Click Energy and has held senior roles at Lumo Energy and Singtel Optus.

Brodie O’Brien

Company Secretary

Brodie is the Company Secretary across the BRC Portfolio (unlisted). Brodie has extensive experience in providing Director and Board support, managing Board programs, maintaining company registers, providing HR administration; and document management. Prior to joining BRC, Brodie was the Executive Assistant to the CEO at Direct Connect Australia.

Peter Harris

CEO BIA Fund

Peter runs the BIA Fund, within the portfolio Peter’s focus is balancing the risk and return of existing and new businesses and where funds should be best allocated.

Peter ensures the BIA Fund portfolio stays ahead of emerging global trends and how it can pivot in the face of local and international change.

Praveetha Nandacumaran

Head of Delivery and Liquidity

Praveetha manages high-value projects across the BRC Capital investments and is responsible for planning and co-ordination of exits/ divestments. Praveetha has held investment, strategy, business planning and financial roles in Morrison and Co, Vix Technology, AusNet Services, Lumo Energy, Frontier Advisors and PwC (Corporate Value Advisory). 

Jerrhyd Hipolito

BRC Group Accountant

A highly qualified up and coming Business and Accounting financer with management and leadership experience. Started his career with Liberty Builders as an Intern & within 3yrs was promoted to the Head of Finance and a member of their Senior Leadership team. A recognised finalist for Australia’s top 30 accountants under 30.

Rosie Kennedy

Executive Assistant

Rosie is the face of BRC. Rosie’s main focus is to provide executive support to the chair, Paul Docherty and the broader executive team whilst ensuring the office runs like a well oiled machine. Rosie has extensive experience as an Executive Assistant and Office Manager working at The Media Store and Levi Strauss & Co prior to joining BRC, bringing nearly a decade of experience to the group.

Michael Borlase

Investment and Capital Markets Director

Michael ensures the BRC Group portfolio is well capitalised to take advantage of market and growth opportunities. Michael is a career banker holding senior roles in the institutional, corporate and commercial banking space. Michael has spent the last 3 years taking Judo Bank from a small finance company to a market disrupting business bank.

Simon Clark

Director Of Communications

Simon is responsible for a broad range of stakeholder engagement and deal flow activity across BRC. Simon assists the BRC businesses to deliver high quality timely information, which ensures outcomes are maximised. Simon also assists with strategy, structuring and corporate development projects for the executive team. Simon previously worked for Judo and Macquarie banks, and holds a Masters of Applied Finance and Bachelor of Science.

Amy Choi

Group CEO - 3DMEDiTech

Dr Amy Choi is a senior executive leader with over 25 years of experience working across multinational companies including GSK and Hospira (a Pfizer company) as well as start-ups across the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and medical devices industries.  Her extensive experience base spans from building businesses from the start-up/greenfield stage through to mature businesses with revenue base of approx $200 millions. Her expertise lies in fast tracking operational efficiencies and building high performing teams to deliver on financial targets and achieving sustainable growth.

With previous leadership roles heading up businesses with presence in ANZ, Europe and Asia Pacific;  Amy is passionate about driving business growth across diverse geographies, innovation and transformational growth/change management.

Most recently as the Executive GM at Extractas Bioscience, (previously Tasmanian Alkaloids, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), one of the world’s largest  producer and supplier of alkaloid raw material products for the global Pharmaceutical industries; Amy has led the medicinal cannabis business from start-up phase to a multimillion dollar business.

Amy is a qualified Pharmacist with a Ph D in Neuropharmacology from Monash University and an MBA from Melbourne University’s Melbourne Business School.

Steven Chaur

CEO of Hiro

Steven Chaur was appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hiro effective from 24 January 2022. Steven is a transformational leader who has delivered sustainable shareholder value growth in competitive and dynamic sectors such as consumer food products, specialised industrial products and agricultural production across local and international customer markets. Steven has proven experience in FMCG strategy leadership, lean manufacturing, global distribution, consumer marketing, ASX financial oversight and governance. He has led organisations operating in Pacific and global markets including New Zealand, Europe, China, UAE, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and the USA.

Steven has held recent Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer roles at Castlegate James Australasia, Nutrano Produce Group, Patties Food Limited (ASX:PFL), Saint-Gobain Pacific (EPA:SGO) and has held senior executive roles at George Weston Foods, Findus Australia, National Foods Ltd (ASX:NFL), Simplot Australia and Unilever. He is also a past Non-Executive Director at Wingara AG Limited (ASX: WNR), Meat & Livestock Australia and Davies Bakeries.

Toby Hall

Chairman 3DMeditech

Toby Hall has recently finished a term of 8 years as CEO of St Vincent’s Health Australia – Australia’s largest for purpose health organisation – ranked no 1 by patient feedback in Australia. He is a director of Fujitsu APAC advisory board, a Trustee of the Yajillarra foundation and a Director at Unicef Australia (Chair Audit and Risk). He has been a member of a range of governmental advisory panels and is a well known advocate in the health sector. Previously Toby headed Mission Australia and was integral in acquiring ABC Childcare and was a founding director (Chair People and Culture) of Goodstart Early Learning. He also Chaired ASX listed Sterihealth and was a director of Working Links in the UK.

Grant Enders

CEO of SmileStyler

Grant’s passion is achieving customer centric outcomes with a proven ability to identify areas for
improvement, develop strategies and then lead the drive for change. Grant’s employment with major
local and multinational organisations in Australia and Asia provided him with significant experience
across both physical and digital retailing, supply chain management, procurement and manufacturing.

Tommy Fraser

CEO and Co-founder – Hood

Tommy has passion for rethinking consumer experiences and making them better through technology. With over 17 years experience in creating innovative and scalable businesses and delivering new market leading retail and digital strategies. Tommy’s business HOOD is changing the way the World moves home through artificial intelligence while doing good for people transitioning out of homelessness.

Jerome Joseph

CEO Premium Food Group

Jerome is a highly skilled operational senior executive who has worked with leading Fortune 500
organizations across Australia and Asia. With 25 years of total business P&L responsibility within the
Food Service Distribution, Food Manufacturing and Facilities Management /Outsourced Service sectors ,
he has the capacity to think innovatively, drive value to business growth and build high-performing
teams.

Garry Hounsell

Chair

Garry is currently the Chairman of Helloworld Travel Limited and Wellness and Beauty Solutions Ltd and is a director of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation Limited, Findex Group Limited and Treasury Wines Estates Limited. Garry is the former Chairman of PanAust Limited, Myer Holdings Limited, Spotless Group Holdings Limited and a former director of Qantas Airways Limited, Integral Diagnostics Limited and Dulux Group Limited and has held senior positions at both Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen.

Garry is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand.

Pat Davies

Chair BRC Investment Committee

Patrick has various advisory and non executive director roles with a range of established and emerging businesses across Australasia assisting them with their growth plans. Patrick was most recently the CEO of ASX listed EBOS Group Limited, a position he held from 2014 to March 2018. Prior to this, he was the CEO of Symbion from 2008 – 2014. He has substantial experience in capital and debt markets together with familiarity with high quality governance environments for listed and private companies.

Lyndsey Cattermole

AM BSc FACS

After graduation Lyndsey was recruited by IBM and worked for it in Melbourne and London. Subsequently she founded Aspect Computing which grew to become Australia’s largest private IT company. This was sold in 2001. She has held many non-executive board and committee positions for pre-eminent government institutions, not for profits and companies.

Georgia Widdup

Director

Georgia completed a Bachelor of Science (Economics) in 1996 and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons). She spent 14 years with Minter Ellison Lawyers where she acted for government and multi-national clients. Georgia is a devoted equestrian athlete. She has represented Australia at championship level and is currently the chair of the Olympic and World Championship selection panel. 

David Botta

Advisor

David’s business career spans over 35yrs in customer facing industries, Europe, Asia, UAE and NZ. The Director for Nike Europe, responsible for 2 Nike Towns and 52 factory stores.  From there, became CEO for Jeanswest, where he turned Jeanswest into the leader in denim retailing. David then became CO of Colorado Group. David is now a non Ex. director. 

Paul Docherty

Founder and Executive Chair of the BRC Group

Paul is Founder and Executive Chair of the BRC Group, one of Australia’s leading Incubator and Accelerator’s. Prior to Founding the BRC Group, Paul was the Founder and CEO of Direct Connect, a business that was sold with Lumo Energy for $600m to Snowy Hydro in 2014. Paul holds Chairmanships across MedTech, Health, Technology and BRC’s Food businesses, and is both the Regional Chair of YPO in Australia and New Zealand, and the Chairman of the Melbourne Rebels.

Peter Harris

CEO BIA Fund

Peter runs the BIA Fund, within the portfolio Peter’s focus is balancing the risk and return of existing and new businesses and where funds should be best allocated.

Peter ensures the BIA Fund portfolio stays ahead of emerging global trends and how it can pivot in the face of local and international change.

Kate Fraser

BIA Fund Investment Advisory Committee

Kate sits on the BIA Fund investment committee. Kate brings a wealth of experience in health, education, infrastructure, marketing, tourism and events, plus fair trade. Kate has helped with the success of the Sydney Paralympics, Melbourne Commonwealth Games and Australian Grand Prix, plus was recently appointed to the Board of the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria. Kate’s industry and marketing knowledge, plus extensive board experience will be invaluable in helping steer the BIA Fund.

Karen Gould

BIA Fund Investment Advisory Committee

Karen sits on the BIA Fund investment committee.

Karen brings extensive experience in infrastructure, clean energy and funds management. Karen has worked in the public and private sectors including as an environmental engineer, a corporate lawyer, a UN climate change negotiator and an infrastructure investor in Australia and overseas. Karen has significant board experience and will be an important part of the BIA Fund decision making process.