We’re not quite ready to lift the curtain, but let’s just say the journey from SportsHosts—where we connected fans from over 65 countries—taught us something big: people crave real connection. Not just to each other but to a future that feels bright and full of possibility.

That insight is what’s driving the next chapter: GT United.

And first up? A project we’re calling Better World, Better Lives (working title… but it’s growing on us). We're bringing together the two biggest communities on the planet—sports and music. They cut across countries, ages, and cultures like nothing else. The goal? To spark a global wave of positivity. To build hope for the future. And create a whole new kind of third space—where people connect, share good times, and feel part of something bigger. At a scale the world’s never seen before.

More soon. It’s going to be a ride.

Good Times United

Role: Founder & CEO

SportsHosts was the original big bang—global, unique, and the launchpad for my next gig: Good Times United.

The idea? Simple and kind of genius: sports bring people together. No tours, no fees, no fake smiles—just real fans hosting new fans, for free. Hang out, cheer, chat, connect. That’s it. And it worked.

At first, we aimed at travelers and city newbies. But it exploded—locals met locals, strangers became friends, high-fives flew over last-minute goals.

We kicked off in 2017 with the AFL—Melbourne Football Club and Melbourne City in the A-League. By 2018, we were rolling in the U.S. with the San Francisco Giants, Brooklyn Nets, and NYCFC.

Teams loved it: we brought in fresh, diverse fans who stuck around thanks to personal, unforgettable experiences. Hosts loved it too—games got way more social.

And the perks? Oh yeah. Player meet-and-greets, field access, exclusive parties, merch drops—the good stuff.

Business model? Easy: ticket commissions + brand partnerships. It worked. Until COVID knocked it all sideways.

But the fire’s still burning. Good Times United is the next chapter—bigger, bolder, and ready for more high-fives.

Use sport as the ultimate icebreaker. Break down barriers, spark real connections, and bring people together in ways that social media wishes it could.

Purpose

We teamed up with brands and clubs to turn curious newcomers into diehard fans. In return? Our partners delivered epic experiences that made everyone feel like VIPs.

Partners

Community

Over 65 countries. Thousands of fans. Countless good times. SportsHosts wasn’t just a platform—it was a global hangout built on cheers, chants, and shared wins.

The best way to understand SportsHosts is to hear about it directly.

Hosts

The new fans (guests)

Our Partners

Buller Ski Lifts

Role: Strategy, Planning & Acquisitions

Since 1993, the business has operated under the name Buller Ski Lifts (BSL) — a title that originally reflected its core function: ski lifting at Mt Buller. Over time, however, the scope of operations has expanded significantly.

Today, the company manages a broad portfolio across Mansfield, Merrijig, Mirimbah, Mount Stirling, and Mt Buller, encompassing eight key business units: ski lifts, ski school, ski rental and retail, hospitality, holiday bookings and accommodation management, property development and services, and a growing suite of year-round adventure products, including the Mount Stirling snow camp and RockWire, Australia’s first via ferrata climbing experience.

The central challenge has been to transition the business from a predominantly winter-focused operation to a sustainable, all-season enterprise within an environment where demand outside winter remains low and where green season visitation is generally driven by low-yield, nature-based tourism.

To support this transformation, my role has included:

Strategic planning to establish a clear, actionable roadmap for year-round operations
Commercial business restructuring, with a focus on hospitality, retail, and rental divisions
New business development, including opportunity assessment, acquisition, and integration through detailed business planning

This work is central to maximising the commercial engine of winter operations while also positioning the company for long-term growth beyond the winter season and enhancing the value and resilience of its diversified operations.

Mt Buller Green Season Plan

Role: Strategist

Mt Buller Green Season Plan – A Year-Round Destination in the Making

Mt Buller is Victoria’s number one ski resort—and that’s great for winter. But what happens when the snowpack disappears? Like alpine resorts worldwide, Buller faces the challenge of turning a seasonal business into a year-round draw.

That’s where the Mt Buller Green Season Plan comes in.

Developed in collaboration with the Mt Buller Resort Management Board (Victorian Government authority), Buller Ski Lifts, the local chamber of commerce, and community leaders, the plan takes a no-nonsense, strategy-first approach to the green season opportunity. No vague wish lists or pie-in-the-sky concepts here.

Instead, we’ve focused on the real engine of a year-round destination: the balance between product (think: attractions and experiences), the businesses that support them (accommodation, hospitality), and the visitor volumes needed to keep it all alive. And yes, it's a classic chicken-and-egg scenario—without enough visitors, investment is risky; without compelling attractions, the visitors don’t show up. You get the picture.

The plan lays out a staged solution:

Develop a long-term brand strategy that extends Mt Buller’s identity from a winter-only resort to an all-year destination—anchored in the mountain’s unparalleled natural beauty. Crucially, the brand evolution strengthens winter (the commercial core) while expanding the offer into the green season, rather than pivoting away from snow.
Introduce targeted incentives to support hospitality businesses through the early years—underpinning operations until new product is developed and visitation builds. These are designed to be temporary, phasing out as the green season offering takes shape.
Launch new product annually to continuously build on the brand positioning—keeping the momentum going and creating a destination that evolves year after year.
- Phase 1 product development focuses on low-capital, high-impact experiences that tap into Mt Buller’s natural appeal—think jaw-dropping scenic lookouts and unforgettable short walks. (primarily government investment)
- Use Phase 1 to unlock larger investment by demonstrating market potential and attracting private sector development in clearly defined areas like wellness—creating a layered, future-proofed destination.

Rockwire

Role; Assessment, acquisition and business planning

As part of my role at Buller Ski Lifts, I have assessed new business opportunities and where they fit, negotiated and managed the acquisition, and ensured the business planning once acquired.

Rockwire is the Australian's first Via Ferratta climb, based at Mt Buller. Climbers can rock climb on a protected climbing route equipped with steel cables, ladders, and other fixed anchors to aid climbers in traversing steep or otherwise difficult terrain.

James Webd, a world-class climber and long-term environmental teacher, had been working towards his long-term dream of opening Australia’s first via feratta. After getting to know James and his business advisors, we negotiated to buy into his business and to work towards its launch in 2024, assisting with the route builds and ensuring the business had all the necessary infrastructure and promotion to launch.

Now in its second season, the focus has moved towards expansion as other destinations across Australia have expressed interest in developing their own RockWire experience.

Icehouse

Role: CEO

The Icehouse is a landmark facility in Australia — the country’s first major ice sports centre of its kind, representing an $83 million development (in today’s terms). Located in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct, the venue is home to the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia and features two Olympic-sized ice rinks, a high-performance gym, physiotherapy facilities, and administration offices.

The project formed part of ING Bank’s Harbour Town development. Seeking a capable operational partner, ING partnered with Grollo Leisure and Tourism (GLT), where I was engaged to lead the venture from conception through to execution. GLT’s role was to ensure the centre would meet both elite athlete requirements and become a commercially successful public sporting destination.

As part of this, I travelled internationally — across Canada, the USA, France, and the UK — to build strategic relationships with leading global ice sports operators. Leveraging their insights, we collaborated with ING’s design and construction teams to ensure the facility met world-class standards for both Olympic training and public use.

Upon completion, I took on the role of CEO, overseeing the centre’s launch, operations, and commercial growth. Under my leadership, the Icehouse achieved multiple key milestones:

Hosted the Men’s Ice Hockey World Championships
Delivered world record speed skating times at the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships — the first ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere, typically reserved for high-altitude venues like Calgary’s Olympic Oval or the Utah Olympic Oval
Became the busiest and most profitable public ice skating facility in the world

The Icehouse quickly earned a global reputation within the international ice sports community and set a new benchmark for what ice facilities in Australia could achieve.

Zoos Victoria

Role: Director of Commerce and Marketing
Organisation: Zoos Victoria
(Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Werribee Open Range Zoo)

As Director of Commerce and Marketing, I was responsible for all commercial operations across Zoos Victoria’s three major properties—covering ticketing, retail, hospitality, sponsorships, and fundraising—alongside leading three marketing and communications teams.

During my tenure, we delivered three of the most ambitious and transformative exhibits in the organisation’s history:

Melbourne Zoo: Trail of the Elephants – a $33 million, world-leading immersive exhibit showcasing the lives of Asian elephants.
Werribee Open Range Zoo: Lions on the Edge – a compelling experience inspired by real stories from Botswana, where lions and landowners are finding ways to coexist.
Healesville Sanctuary: A world-first veterinary hospital designed for public viewing, including a fully visible surgery theatre, allowing visitors to witness animal care and health in action.

Key outcomes included record-breaking visitor numbers, increased revenue per visitor, and the development of major seven-figure sponsorships to support animal welfare and conservation.

Ballarat Turf Club

Role: Strategic Planning

Led the development of a three-year strategic plan for the Ballarat Turf Club, working directly with the Executive and Committee to position the Club as Victoria’s leading regional racing and training facility. The plan provided a clear direction for infrastructure investment, trainer growth, and enhanced industry engagement.

Since 2022, key indicators have validated this trajectory:

The number of trainers based at Ballarat has grown from 45 to 72.
Horse numbers have increased from approximately 500 to over 800.
Ballarat now hosts 27 race meetings annually, including the $500,000 Ballarat Cup—one of Victoria’s richest provincial races.

Strategic priorities identified in the plan—such as the $4.3 million uphill training track and expanded stabling and rehabilitation facilities—have supported this growth and reinforced Ballarat’s position as the state’s largest regional training centre.

Hospitality

Role: Owner, Consultant

My hospitality journey wasn’t planned—but with a partner who’s opened over 10 acclaimed venues across Melbourne and Sydney (including Melbourne’s Restaurant of the Year), and a role at Zoos Victoria that included oversight of hospitality operations across three major sites, involvement in the industry became inevitable.

Beyond Zoos Victoria, my hospitality experience includes:

Owner – Kangaroo Hotel, Maldon: The only pub in Australia named the Kangaroo Hotel, located in a heritage town in central Victoria.
Consultant – Buller Ski Lifts: Led the restructure of hospitality operations across 11 mountain venues.
Consultant – Rhyll Brewery (Phillip Island): Conducted a post-COVID feasibility review for the owners, assessing rising development costs and project viability.
Advisor – Mathis Group: Developed the investment prospectus for Super Charger, a hospitality-driven concept.

Hospitality is one of Australia's most complex—and often least profitable—sectors. It demands a rare combination of creative passion, operational discipline, real-time systems, and strategic foresight. The challenge of making hospitality ventures commercially viable has sharpened my business acumen more than any other experience.

Research, Boards, Qualifactaions

Research: Applied AI Research: Understanding Online Intent

Working with the team from Federation University, this project focused on training an AI model to interpret the intent behind messy or informal online communication—think poor grammar, abbreviations, and short-form messages. The goal was to help SportsHosts better understand user sentiment and identify people most likely to engage with the community.

My role included:

Shaping the original use case and hypothesis
Assessing the research model to ensure alignment with our commercial objectives
Designing real-life scenarios to test the model’s effectiveness

This experience sharpened my ability to apply scientific methods—particularly hypothesis testing and model validation—to real-world tech development. It reinforced the value of combining agile, rapid application development with a research-based approach to commercial data science.

Peer-reviewed publications:

Board and Committee Roles

Denver Sports Commission (USA)
Role: Committee Member
The Denver Sports Commission is a division of VISIT DENVER that attracts major sporting events to the city to drive economic impact, enhance community engagement, and promote Denver as a premier sports destination.
Although my time on the commission was cut short due to COVID and my return to Australia, I contributed to strategic efforts focused on attracting Rugby events to Denver.

Destination Docklands (Melbourne, Australia)
Role: Chairman of the Board
Destination Docklands was responsible for developing the visitor experience and promoting Melbourne’s newest inner-city destination. Funded by the City of Melbourne and the Victorian Government, and supported by major precinct developers, the organisation had significant backing to shape the precinct’s long-term appeal.

Jesuit Social Services
Role: Board Member & Chair of Fundraising Committee
Jesuit Social Services is an Australian organisation supporting vulnerable individuals and communities through social justice, advocacy, and community programs.

Maldon Inc.
Role: Committee Member
Maldon Inc. is a business association that promotes local enterprises and supports economic development in Maldon and its surrounding areas.

Business Accelerator Program

University of Melbourne

Melbourne Accelerator Program - Velocity Program (SportsHosts)

Academic Qualifications

Master of Business Administration (MBA)
RMIT University
Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment
Securities Institute of Australia (FINSIA)
Diploma of Financial Services
Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA)
Associate Diploma of Applied Science
Glenormiston Agricultural College