Meet the Maestro - Matt

Interim Expert Melbourne, Australia

Matt - Interim CEO | CIO | Managing Director | Executive Advisor

At Maestro, we know there’s more to life than work. In fact, it’s the experiences, relationships and pursuits we have outside of work that can often give us an edge in what we do each day. We host an interview series called “Meet the Maestro” where we interview our Maestros and get an insight to who they really are and what makes them tick - beyond the CV.

Matt is the person you call when a business needs experienced leadership, a complex problem needs untangling or the strategy looks great on paper but reality has other plans. As a CEO, CIO, Managing Director, advisor and Board member, Matt has led turnarounds, stabilised operations and driven sustainable growth across industries from automotive and consumer goods to software, engineering, tourism tech and not-for-profits. Through Insight Path, he works across commercial performance, transformation, technology and governance, stepping in wherever he's needed most. His superpower is cutting through the noise. Matt connects the commercial, operational and people issues to work out what's really going on, get the right people aligned and turn decisions into action. He's calm under pressure, quick to build trust and focused on fixing what matters, with results that last. Outside work, Matt is kept on his toes by two kids and a puppy with strong opinions. His problem-solving skills work across just about every industry, but the puppy remains a work in progress.

‍1. Tell us about a career highlight to date…

Leading CustomLinc as Interim CEO is a standout. It was an established technology business serving major tourism operators across Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with a strong product, recognised customers and a capable team. But it had lost its commercial footing, and there were serious questions about its future.

I took executive responsibility for turning it around. We reset the strategy and operating model, tackled pricing and costs, made difficult organisational decisions and rebuilt confidence across the business. I wasn't there to deliver another glossy plan. I was there to make the decisions, explain them openly and bring people with me. Within around four months, we'd returned the business to break-even.

The best part came next: an employee bought the business. I led the sale and stayed on through the transition and handover. We didn't just improve the numbers. We protected a business, its customers, its people and its future, then handed it to someone who knew it from the inside. There was no magic wand involved, just a lot of honest conversations, sound decisions and sleeves-rolled-up work. That's the kind of outcome that stays with you.‍

2. Talk us through an unusual career choice you’ve made along the way…

After about 14 years at Tyrepower, I'd worked my way into senior executive leadership and knew the business and industry inside out. So, naturally, I decided to establish Insight Path and make a career out of being the new bloke in the room.

That decision has taken me across tourism technology, distribution, enterprise systems and the not-for-profit sector. At CustomLinc, I stepped into the Interim CEO role during a major commercial challenge, led the turnaround and then managed the sale and leadership handover.

I love the variety. You have to understand a business and its people quickly, ask the questions others are avoiding and make decisions without hiding behind the 'I'm new here' excuse. It's also taught me just how many different ways organisations can make the same problem more complicated than it needs to be.‍

3. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A physiotherapist. I was serious enough about it to enrol and start studying.

Then I discovered something rather important: I didn't actually want to be a physiotherapist. Rather than spend years proving how stubborn I could be, I changed direction. It was an early lesson in knowing when to commit and when to change course.

The physiotherapy profession has managed perfectly well without me.‍

4. What are your passions outside of work and how do you make time for them?

Cycling, golf, restoring cars, guitar, music, astronomy, a good wine and taking the 4WD somewhere phone reception becomes somebody else's problem. I enjoy getting involved in the community too.

I make the time by putting it in the diary. If you wait for work to become quiet before enjoying yourself, you'll be waiting a very long time.

Restoring cars has taught me patience and creative budgeting. Golf has taught me humility. Sometimes both in the same weekend.‍

5. If you could instantly master any skill or hobby, what would it be and why?

Guitar. No contest.

I play already, but I'd love to be able to pick one up and play whatever comes into my head, without having to stop and negotiate with my fingers. There's real freedom in that, and music brings people together in a way spreadsheets rarely do.

At the moment, my ears and my fingers aren't always on speaking terms.‍

6. What’s a personal value or belief that guides the way you live your life?

Treat people properly, do what you say you'll do, and don't confuse a job title with being important.

I've learnt as much from people on the shop floor and in frontline roles as I have from anyone around a Board table. Fairness, honesty, loyalty and accountability matter to me, especially when decisions are uncomfortable.

You can be decisive without being a bully, disagree without making it personal and admit when you're wrong. I don't have much patience for people who mistake being the loudest voice for being the best leader.‍

7. What’s a challenge you’ve overcome outside of work that shaped you?

Being my brother's legal guardian and administrator has shaped me enormously. He lives with significant disability, and advocating for him means navigating complex systems, pushing for fair treatment and making decisions that genuinely affect someone else's life.

It demands patience, persistence and a willingness to stand your ground. More importantly, it reminds me that dignity, respect and being heard aren't abstract values.

It's made me a better listener and a more thoughtful leader. In business it's easy to get absorbed in targets and problems. This keeps the human side firmly in view.‍

8. What do you think your job will look like in 10 years time?

Less paperwork, better decisions and more time with people. That's where my role is heading.

AI and automation will take a lot of routine reporting, analysis and administration off our hands. They'll make information easier to get and give executives more time to focus on people and the decisions that matter. They won't replace judgement, accountability or the ability to lead through difficult change.

I'll still be helping organisations work through complex issues and make sensible decisions, with technology doing more of the heavy lifting. And if AI finally gets rid of meetings about organising other meetings, I'll be its loudest supporter.‍

9. If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and what would you do?

Anywhere with a decent 4WD track and no rigid itinerary. I love the outback, the landscapes and finding places you don't discover by staying on the main road.

One adventure I'm determined to do is the Strzelecki Track on horseback. I want to experience that country at a completely different pace, with its history, landscape and isolation around me rather than on the other side of a windscreen.

Four wheels or four legs, I'm happy. The horse doesn't need diesel, but it does have a vote on the destination.‍

10. What does success look like to you?

Success is building something worthwhile, making a difference and having a life you actually enjoy living.

Commercial results matter to me. Turning a business around, seeing a team regain confidence or watching someone grow into a bigger role gives me enormous satisfaction. But so do family, friendships, trust and having the time to enjoy the things I love.

At work, I want to leave a business and its people better off than when I arrived. Outside work, I want good relationships, a few adventures and plenty of stories worth telling. And enough good judgement to know which ones should never make it onto LinkedIn.

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