ADVISORY.WORKS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Consultant With Advisory.Works
- Strategic Advisor
Ben's dual passions of sailing and business go hand in hand. In sailing you set a clear direction but there are many variables to contend with; the strengths and weaknesses of your crew, the skipper's leadership style, the information and technology you can leverage, and the uncontrollable aspects like the weather and sea state (which are much like the economy in that you can't control them but you have to adapt to them)… In both sailing and business there are courageous moves to be made, and uncertainty to deal with, while you're trying to achieve something great.
The companies that outsail their peers are the ones that surround themselves with good people - with A players. For the clients Ben chooses to work with, he goes above and beyond - taking a deep personal interest in the outcomes they are wanting to achieve. The connections he's built with clients go deep, which is why he's worked with some clients for more than 10 years.
Before becoming a consultant with Advisory.Works, Ben held senior leadership positions in fast growth New Zealand tech companies Exonet and Enprise Group, and was a co-founder of innovative amphibious marine craft manufacturers Sealegs International. In 2008, he decided to use his skills to help other businesses and joined Advisory.Works.
Some of the achievements that make Ben a legend include:
Building a global reseller channel of 104 resellers across Asia, UK, North America and Australasia for a NZ software vendor.
Designing and executing a unique business model for a manufacturer and rental company which lead to 4x growth in revenue and 5x increase in profitability as well as directly introducing $3m of investor funds through an innovative investor scheme.
Building and leading a national sales team for ERP software, growing sales from $500K to $4M over 3 years.
Facilitating a number of turnarounds
Driving the strategic execution and export strategy for multiple NZ businesses, including one NZ manufacturer who grew from $7.5m to $26m over an 8 year period.
Owning and selling multiple businesses, and now investing in other great businesses.
Ben is an unconventional, deep thinker who brings a future-focused, empathetic perspective to helping his clients. Over the years, he's earned a reputation as a problem solver for family businesses - with different dynamics at play and emotions running high, it's helpful to have someone who brings a huge amount of empathy to solving the challenges involved.
For Ben, making a difference means moving you from feeling stuck into a position of greater certainty. He helps businesses with strategy, execution, capital raising, negotiation, mediation, legal and accounting issues, and people - all with the goal of solving clients' unique challenges, injecting enthusiasm, and helping them feel in control.
Having been consulting for over 30 years (including 20 years working with premium international firms and 10 as one of a very small group of partners at Hay Group, a US$0.5 billion consultancy based in Philadelphia), Chris Bunce is clearly an advisor for life.
His belief that you need both world class research and the ability to apply that research to real life situations to be a great advisor means that he's found the ideal home at AW. His ability to combine well-proven theories with his vast experience has helped so many clients increase their revenue and profits significantly.
In 2010, Chris swapped out his globe-trotting roles with Hay Group to help mid-sized Kiwi businesses grow with Advisory.Works (then Results Group). Here, he has had an even bigger impact. "There is no doubt that mid-sized companies are the growth engine for New Zealand - and they are fun to work with."
You'll see Chris at his best when business growth is constrained by people issues - whether there is team dysfunction, poor alignment or a leadership deficit, he helps leaders gain perspective, stay calm under fire, resolve issues, and build better cultures. "When I think about making a difference, that has to include the employees in a business. Anything else is unsustainable."
Some of the things that make Chris a legend include:
Helping Advisory.Works' clients implement better leadership and culture strategies, which have enabled them to win awards in their fields and increase their revenue by an average of 30-40%.
Advising top 200 corporate clients, facilitating their business strategy and supporting people and culture strategy.
A leading role in the execution of a new strategy which grew a global business unit from US$35M to US$85M revenue and from 0% to 18% profitability.
To be a good advisor, you have to make courageous decisions every day; you have to be able to tell people they're being unreasonable without worrying about the consequences. If you don't, you won't be making the difference you should be. Consultancy often means calling people out - and Chris isn't afraid to do that to get results.
Chris is all about the solution. He's become known in the industry as a straight-shooting pragmatist, always turning his thoughts - and his clients' thoughts - back to the problem that they're trying to solve together and what that means for the business.
For Agile master and IT strategist Chris, it's not just about the most whizz-bang technology or IT solution out there but cutting through the "PR speak" to uncover what will work for his clients and what can be discarded. Sure, a solution might work for Google or Uber, but Kiwi businesses need solutions that are going to meet our unique market and needs - businesses, that is, like Air New Zealand, VINZ or a host of companies Chris has already worked with over his two decade-plus career.
It all comes back to realising the goals for his clients, the tangible outcomes that measure success, and the deliverables that will achieve it. That's because, for Chris, lasting, meaningful business change has to be led by an understanding of where you are and where you want to go. That's why he's thinking about not just the right solutions, but getting that ‘a-ha!' moment of understanding from his clients that shows how technology is advancing the business's strategic direction.
Before joining Advisory.Works in 2020, Chris has been leading transformational change and improving practices across a wide range of industries including airline, management consulting, local government, education, transport and healthcare.
Job Titles:
- Operations and Events Manager
Corrina provides exceptional service to our clients and is a key member of the Auckland team.
As Operations and Events Manager, Corrina is always busy with a myriad of projects.
Advisory.Works hosts a variety of events, including client workshops, a CEO Forum, Business events, Networking meetings and KBR events. Corrina undertakes all the planning for these events, to ensure that all runs smoothly.
Advisory.Works operates very strongly in alignment with its Core Values, something Corrina is passionate about and lives daily.
Grant's had no shortage of opportunity and leadership in business, with many years spent both founding businesses and running others as CEO. Grant has always been in pursuit of excellence and
is driven by a burning desire to improve the companies he works with.
Grant is a firm believer in strengthening the human capital of the businesses he works with and is a natural developer of people. "Good leadership is about recognising talent in others; we should never underestimate the value of talent to a business. Good people, who are highly engaged and believe in a purpose, can do exceptional things. So, making a difference, for me, is about giving people purpose."
Some of the things that make Grant a legend include:
Advising companies ranging from $10million to $4billion, in a vast range of industries across New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Spain and the U.S.
Turning businesses around from under-performing to market-leading
Leading many businesses - from FMCG to IT - to enter new domestic and overseas markets, via acquisition or through a green fields approach
Substantially improving the financial performance of clients' businesses
Grant believes complacency to be the thief of optimisation; no matter how well a business is performing, there are always areas where they can do better. His focus as a consultant is on pushing businesses to maximise opportunities.
"You've got to say no to most things" might sound like counterintuitive advice from a strategic advisor, but it's just one of the ways that John keeps his clients on track. His long career across a vast range of service sectors means John's the right person to come to for a pragmatic, common-sense and empathetic approach to business and life challenges that balances process and systems with the most important aspect of any business: He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
It's about the people. But John's known that for a long time. His success as a publisher wasn't just down to his fierce editorial eye, but also his unrelenting focus on delivering value to the communities he served. And that's just one example; John believes that, if you want to create lasting and meaningful change, you've got to show care for your internal team, buyers, suppliers and influencing customers.
John sees all people as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle - with the strengths of one person fitting into the hollow where another needs support. Once you know who does what and how they're serving the business, you can plug things together in the right order to form a cohesive whole - one where everyone has got everyone else's back. Once you've understood the people that make it possible, only then can meaningful change take place.
"Treat everyone with courtesy, honesty and respect - and you'll get it back," says John. But he knows that's got to come with some heat. John's years as an experienced senior executive, chairman, trustee and director means he knows what it's like to have "both soles of the feet on the blowtorch".
Job Titles:
- Office Manager
- Office Manager for the Auckland
Kathryn is the office manager for the Auckland team. She brings over 10 years of administrative experience both in the UK and New Zealand. She oversees all the administrative functions and coordinates a broad range of office procedures to ensure smooth and organised operations in a busy work environment.
She is the first point of contact when you walk into the office and with a friendly and smiling face is always ready to welcome you. Delivering a positive experience for everyone who comes through the office is important to her and she is always willing to answer any questions or help in any way she can.
In her spare time, she enjoys being active, swimming, hiking, spending time with her friends and exploring New Zealand's beautiful countryside.
‘Listen to understand, not to respond' doesn't sound like your typical business advice, but it's one of the core tenets that Logan lives by. Logan's exceptional ability to understand and read people means that he's not only rated highly as a facilitator, but he's also thrived in a number of leading sales roles and has had a measurable impact as a consultant growing clients' businesses.
You see, Logan believes that business is about people and that understanding people - whether they be your team, customers, prospects, or even yourself - is key to growing a business. As a consultant, Logan harnesses this understanding to guide people towards the answers they need, and to bring them together to achieve great things.
Logan's diverse career has spanned manufacturing, branding and design, marketing and advertising, IT, and record-breaking sales roles, before he found his way to consulting. What brings all of this together is Logan's belief in working with people who believe in something he also believes in.
Marisa is clear on her purpose: Revealing women's inner super power to themselves, guiding them to achieve greater success and thereby enriching their lives and the lives of all those in their circle.
Marisa Fong co-founded Madison Recruitment in 1998, growing it to become the largest, privately owned Recruitment Company in NZ. Acquired by a publicly listed company late 2013, the multi-million dollar acquisition deal set a precedent for the industry.
Chair of Professionelle Foundation (a Charitable Trust set up to support women through their career pipeline),
Marisa is clear on her purpose: Revealing women's inner super power to themselves, guiding them to achieve greater success and thereby enriching their lives and the lives of all those in their circle.
Marisa Fong co-founded Madison Recruitment in 1998, growing it to become the largest, privately owned Recruitment Company in NZ. Acquired by a publicly listed company late 2013, the multi-million dollar acquisition deal set a precedent for the industry. Marisa now runs her own angel investment portfolio and has been a Trustee and Director on a variety of Boards including:
Chair of Professionelle Foundation (a Charitable Trust set up to support women through their career pipeline),
NZ Work Research Institute Advisory Board (an adjunct of Auckland University of Technology),
Appointments Committee for Competenz.
She serves on Boards as Chair and as Advisory Board Member on a range of commercial and not for profit organisations.
Marisa is also an Executive Judge for the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year and was inducted into the New Zealand Hall of Fame for Women Entrepreneurs in 2020.
She held the role of President for the NZ Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organisation in 2016 and is also a member of NZ Asian Leaders, Global Women, Institute of Directors, Co of Women and associate member of Flying Kiwi Angels. She has been a mentor for First Foundation (supporting disadvantaged scholars through tertiary education).
Her work currently focuses on supporting Founders of privately held companies and mentoring and coaching women on leadership and self-development.
Job Titles:
- Financial Accountant
- Financial Accountant at Advisory.Works
Mila keeps the wheels turning and has been the Financial Accountant for Advisory.Works since 2006.
Mila Karan is the Financial Accountant at Advisory.Works a role she has loved since 2006. Her Finance career started from Fiji where she worked for 15 years at Carpenters Morris Hedstrom in Finance roles and as Administration & Project Accountant before migrating to New Zealand in year 2006.
She is responsible for managing the company's accounting activities and financial reporting processes, which is carried out diligently by collecting, analysing, and reporting financial data. She is a process and system driven person and envisages in accountability and transparency to accomplish finance and organisation mission by obtaining results.
Mila has earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from The University of South Pacific majoring in Public Administration and Sociology together with a Diploma in Management Studies and Certificate in Business Studies.
Qualifications: BA, DipMgtSt, CertBusStud
Stephen is the author of the award-winning book; "Business Execution for RESULTS - A practical guide for leaders of small to mid-sized firms", winner in the ‘Management' category of the 2014 Small Business Book Awards in the USA.
Stephen was formally COO of a global consulting company. He designed their consulting methodology and managed a global team of more than 50 strategy consultants. He returned home to live in New Zealand during the 2020 Covid pandemic after spending 12 years living and working in North America.
As a strategy consultant, Stephen has personally assisted hundreds of companies in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with strategic planning, business execution, and management best practices.
As a business leader, he's built and managed consulting teams, sales teams, marketing teams, customer success teams, and project delivery teams in multiple industries: Management Consulting, SaaS (Software as a Service), E-Commerce Systems Integration, and Pharmaceuticals.
Stephen enjoys facilitating strategic planning sessions and training management teams. He believes that "your strategy will succeed or fail in the middle", and that training your middle managers will have the largest impact on company performance.
Some of the achievements that make Stephen a legend include:
Award-winning business book author
NZ client, Woop, named "Best of the Best" Westpac Business Awards
USA client, TaskUs, IPO listing on Nasdaq stock exchange at a valuation of $2.8B
Written articles on strategy and management for The Economist magazine
Delivered hundreds of training workshops in the USA, Canada, and NZ
SPIN sales training coach
Mr New Zealand Bodybuilding Champion 1993
With unique insights into the operations of hundred of growth firms around the world, Stephen has seen what really works (and what doesn't) in terms of strategic planning, business execution, goal setting, tracking performance, running effective meetings, building sales and customer success processes, training frontline managers, holding employees accountable, and how to coach and improve poor performance.
Talk to me when you want a coherent strategic plan, combined with a no-nonsense accountability partner driving you to get it done
Stephen is the author of the award-winning book; "Business Execution for RESULTS - A practical guide for leaders of small to mid-sized firms", winner in the ‘Management' category of the 2014 Small Business Book Awards in the USA.
Stephen was formally COO of a global consulting company. He designed their consulting methodology and managed a global team of more than 50 strategy consultants. He returned home to live in New Zealand during the 2020 Covid pandemic after spending 12 years living and working in North America.
As a strategy consultant, Stephen has personally assisted hundreds of companies in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with strategic planning, business execution, and management best practices.
Job Titles:
- Director & Strategic Advisor
Although Uli Wiehle is known as a numbers guy, he could just as easily be known as a branding expert - having helped companies position themselves well for the stock market for years.
Working in the financial markets in Germany for 15 years as a managing partner and shareholder of Cometis AG, he prepared over 50 SMEs for their IPO and advised over 200 listed German companies on their investor relations strategies, funding bids, secondary offerings, bond issues, and mergers and acquisitions.
Since falling in love with Waiheke Island and moving to New Zealand a few years ago, Uli has jumped into the start-up sector, running due diligence and getting new companies on track for success (he's even invested in a few). Now, he's working with great organisations to help them become even better.