DIRECTOR  - Dr Jason Thomas

DR JASON THOMAS specialises in geo-political, field-based assessments in complex operating environments to assist with due-diligence, capital raising, feasibility studies and early works of major projects and humanitarian operations. 

Jason has a specific interest in complexities of cross-border projects or those located near porous international boundaries. He develops locally tailored approaches to establishing stable community and political relationships to protect a project’s commercial value. 

Jason has undertaken field assessments for a range of organisations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Peru, PNG, Vanuatu, Philippines, Jordan, Iraq, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Cote d’Ivoire and southern Mali.

Jason teaches a post-graduate program in risk management and the MBA course delivering innovation and high risk strategies at Swinburne University where he applies disruptive frameworks for exploiting uncertainty and provides advice to members of the Australian Industry Group. 

He also volunteers for the Rotary Club of Canterbury.     

Research & application interests include:

  • lessons from biology for risk adaptation for overcoming project risks.

  • geo-political risks and investment for Australian businesses.

  • using the private sector and business investment to implement community stability.

  • the impact of terrorism, kidnapping and insurgency on foreign investment and international business.

Jason completed his PhD (Curtin University) in 2016 where he used the OODA Loop to analyse Salafi-Jihadi inspired home-grown terrorism as a tactic of asymmetric warfare, and has an M.A. (Distinction) from Otago University, NZ.  Jason is also a Paul Harris Fellow and was nominated Citizen of the Year 2005 by Boroondara City Council.

Mary Thompson

Mary is a commercially astute and well-connected private company executive with more than 35 years experience in financial services, extractive industries and civil engineering; specifically fund management, private banking, quarrying, minerals exploration and rail contracting and consulting. Mary has a reputation for building and maintaining deep relationships with key influencers in the private sector, government and other key institutions, in both Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, formerly known as East Timor.

Uniquely able to combine deep industry-specific technical knowledge in a range of disciplines, with an ability to develop and apply strategic thinking to commercial, regulatory and policy matters. Respected and trusted by an extensive network including private sector, public sector, academic and media stakeholders.

Key Achievements

• Continues to work with Australian Federal Government and associated agencies on a number of key federal policy and regulatory initiatives.

• Has worked closely with senior management of the Reserve Bank of Australia in a number of roles.

• Founding and managing the Macquarie Private Bank, Melbourne office (1994-1996).

• Project manager for all aspects of the Macquarie Margin Lending Business, and a key part of the management team (1996-2003).

• Reporting to CEO of a major civil contractor in strategy involvement in a number of major project bids, acquisitions, divestments and pieces of strategic advice.

• Established first resource exploration company in Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

• Advised the Government of Timor-Leste of the requirement for a commercial explosives framework, and assisted in its drafting and implementation.

• Australia Industry Group Councillor.

Jeff Holcomb

Jeff has over 30 years of Department of Defence and Multinational enterprise level business leadership experience.

He has built from the ground up multinational organisations and agile international enterprise structures.

Jeff has guided organisations through complex restructurings, acquisitions, corporate development activities and capital transactions totalling over USD2bn. His experience spans diverse industries – including defence, automotive, psychometrics, civil construction, mining, international shipping, commodities trading, aviation, warehousing/logistics and Oil/Gas support.

Jeff’s work as founder of Gossamer Crossing and CEO Ceyox Development Group Inc. (2018 - 2023) Africa/Middle East/Europe (covering Sudan, Chad, Niger, and the Central African Republic, etc) provides a framework for governments and multi-nationals seeking to build and maintain a presence in complex markets.

Jeff is based in the US.

Kirsten Sayers

Kirsten is a former international lawyer and trade and investment diplomat, who has held senior diplomatic appointments in Paris, Bangkok, Taipei, Singapore and ASEAN.

She provided international business, frontier and complex market access strategies to Australian companies and progressed Australia’s commercial and foreign policy agenda.

Kirsten was appointed Australia’s inaugural Investment Commissioner to ASEAN, working with ASEAN companies and sovereign wealth funds to facilitate foreign direct investment into Australia. During this period Australia’s Trade Minister and Minister for Women appointed her Australia’s chief negotiator and head of delegation to APEC Women Leaders’ Network.

Kirsten has deep experience across the humanitarian, development and peace-building nexus, particularly in the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. She was appointed to the United Nations advisory board for civil-military humanitarian coordination standards, and was elected to the Sphere global board, setting the standards for quality and accountability in humanitarian response.

As the CEO of the only United Nations Standby Partner in the Asia Pacific and southern hemisphere, RedR, Kirsten brokered significant partnerships, navigated geopolitical risk, and led flagship soft power and technical programs with multilateral and regional agencies, sovereign governments, the international private sector, and grassroots organisations. Kirsten has played a significant role leading Australia’s civilian deployments and humanitarian response over the past decade - before, during and after, crises, disasters and conflicts.

Kirsten is a non-executive director and has extensive international governance experience in Asia, Europe, the United States and Australia.

An accredited mediator from the London School of Mediation, Kirsten has undertaken further studies in environmental and social governance at IMD Lausanne and is a graduate of the AICD’s International Company Directors’ course. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Comparative Laws from Charles Darwin University. Kirsten specialised in Chinese law at the East China Institute of Politics and Law in Shanghai.

An Asian Literacy Ambassador, experienced in cross-cultural communication, Kirsten speaks Mandarin, French, Swedish, Norwegian and Vietnamese to various degrees.