Fractional Expert Melbourne, Australia

Tony - Board Advisor, Certified Chair, Exited Founder

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.

Tony works with founders and leadership teams at true inflection points, when the decisions made can change everything. A founder himself, his superpower is pattern recognition. He sees businesses in layers: strategy, structure, incentives, power dynamics and psychology and quickly surfaces the human issues that sit beneath stalled performance. With more than 20 years building, scaling and exiting technology businesses globally, Tony brings a rare ability to cut through noise, connect strategy, technology, people and capital and create clarity, trust and momentum when it matters most. Having sat on both sides of the table as founder, board member, investor and acquirer, he now partners at board level with businesses ready to modernise, scale digitally and unlock their next phase of value.

1. Tell us about a career highlight to date…

Building a company from a blank page and exiting it to a global player based in the USA. Not because of the transaction, but because of what it represented. Years of hard decisions. Saying no more than yes. Betting on long-term value and client relationships over short-term comfort. Watching something you built become part of a bigger story is deeply satisfying.

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

I started a podcast years before it was a common marketing playbook. At the time, it wasn’t about audience size or monetisation. It was about proximity to great founders, seeking depth and exploring patterns whilst building trusted networks. Long-form conversation gave me insight you can’t get from pitch decks or board papers. That decision compounded. It sharpened my judgment, expanded my network and quietly became my most effective business development tools.

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

My father is a doctor. I admired his problem-solving knowledge, but I never liked blood. As a kid, I used to say I wanted to be a business doctor. Mend what is broken, then help build strong, healthy organisations. Looking back, that simple idea became reality.

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

Family, fitness and time to think. I work off simple routines. I rise early, train, think and aim to have the most important work done by midday. Running and training give me clarity. Time with my family keeps me honest. Travel and reading help me keep perspective and avoid getting trapped in the day-to-day. I’m intentional about my calendar and my actions. If something is agreed, it gets done.

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

Creating DJ sets. It’s about reading the room, timing, knowing when to change direction, when to be restrained and when to go full bore. You shape energy without drawing attention to yourself. Good leadership works the same way.

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

I believe in cause and effect. The way you act, the standards you hold and the discipline you apply, shape the life you get back. There’s no shortcuts. So I focus on consistency. Over time, it creates freedom.

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

Losing people close to me earlier than expected. Experiences like that change your relationship with time. They strip away triviality and sharpen what matters. I carry that perspective with me. It helps me stay present, be patient and purposeful in life.

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

Hopefully, I won’t need to be working. But if I am, I’ll still be building, investing and working with good people on important problems. I’d hope to have more freedom and ask better questions.

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

Rome. A long lunch. Because it’s Rome.

10. What does success look like to you?

Freedom. Choice over time, with the people I love.