Private Equity

SMEA CEO Dean Logan was engaged back in August 2023 by Tattarang Private Equity to Project Manage the development of their flagship marina in Fremantle, Western Australia. The contract was extended and concluded on 22 December 2024. In the end, millions of dollars of upgrades were delivered on time and on budget, including the installation of a brand new 1000kvA transformer and complete site wide electrical upgrade.

The asset is one of the largest in WA comprising a private marina, two large hard stand areas - accompanied by a 65 and 200 tonne boat lifter - and extensive large scale shed assets for the marine and associated contractor fleet.

With one of WA’s largest dome infrastructures, capable of housing the Rottnest Island ferry easily and the specialised Boat business - with some of WA’s most professional marine mechanics - the footprint was as vast as it was unique.

The other notable point is the facility is home for the Mindaroo owned and operated 200ft $45M, Pangaea Ocean Explorer.

Key elements of the upgrade revolved around Pangaea, infrastrucutre to service a brand new marina, revised and transformed business model - all of which equated to millions of dollars of upgrades over an 18 month period.

Manufacturing

SMEA CEO Dean Logan was engaged (November 2022 - June 2023) to support Western Australia’s largest independent flat glass processor and distributor. Walshs Glass has a respected 50 year heritage and considered the industry leader.

Key objectives:

Design solutions to a range of issues that warrant addressing and transformation from culture, HR, WH&S through to production and work-flows.

Chair the Project Control Group (PCG) with regard to the installation of the $7.5M Austrian built state-of-the-art, LiSEC Splitfin glass cutting machine, including the design and implementation of both GPS Prod and PPS Order software platforms.

Analyse and redesign - with the support of team members and the company owner - key systems and processes.

University / Governance

We were engaged by Curtin University in 2023 to undertake a governance and risk assessment of their Student Guild and to address how the Guild interacted with over 120 on campus Clubs. The focus of the contract was as follows:

Evaluate the entire corporate governance, risk management, engagement and marketing model.

Brief Council and University Executive on a series of recommendations leading to major yet very necessary reforms around risk management.

Evaluate, design and implement a reform program that ensures all Clubs move from a standard operational structure governed by a constitution, to one of incorporation under the Incorporated Associations Act.

Aged Care / NGO

In 2021 SMEA (Change Management) was hired to take over a large community aged care company across the SW of WA (Community Home Care CHC). With 150+ staff, 3,000 clients, six regional offices and over 350 volunteers, the task was enormous; and amidst an ever changing policy environment post the aged care royal commission.

Key objectives

We needed to work with staff, clients and the relevant teams to address issues.

Brief the Board on initial observations, action items and concerns.

Stabilise the business, ascertain and implement reforms and set the organisation up for an unprecedented policy future.

Outcomes

A number of HR changes were made to support change. Branch Managers were nominated and given financial control of their region and new staff (nurses) were hired to support the head of clinical care. We also:

Recruited 28 support workers.

Reduced service cancellations to unbelievably low numbers.

Established ‘sundowners’ - fourth friday of every month - to reward hard working support workers and volunteers who delivered over $2.2M worth of economic activity each year.

Initiated six volunteer of the month awards.

Designed and implemented a generational program with a local primary school.

Built meaningful clinical partnerships with other like-minded NGOs to support the professional development of staff.

Rebuilt culture to the point where the organisation was considered an employer of choice and an employer who cared not only for clients, but employees.

Education Sector / Infrastructure / Services

In 2016 we flew to New Zealand to take over School Support Limited (SSL). SSL was a complex business and run by the original owner for the past 25 years.

Key Objectives / SSL Overview

• 140+ staff and six offices across NZ.

• Project management division delivering $50M worth of projects a day.

• Held the emergency services contract for the entire South Island of NZ for all public education infrastructure.

• Architectural design division.

• Accounting division - 300+ Schools.

• Payroll division - delivering an $800M contract with the NZ Ministry of Education.

• Delivered the transport contract for all public education across the entire South Island - including special needs.

Outcomes

• Stablised the business.

• Reconnected with the NZ Government across a range of contracts and panels.

• Restructure the PM division.

• Delivered the emergency services contract as a result of the Kaikoura earthquake.

• Centralised contract management whilst establishing SSL Private and designing the Prophets Rock winemaking and visitor centre in Central Otago.

• Rebuilt the culture making SSL a place employees were proud of and wanted to work.

Club / Membership Organisation

We were engaged to take over the Fremantle Sailing Club (FSC) and steer the organisation through unprecedented challenges. This was by far the toughest change management contract we’ve ever delivered.

Key Objectives

• Stabilise the largest sailing club in the southern hemisphere.

• Address and rectify a toxic culture both internally with members and externally with Local and State Government.

• Take on and manage two major legal cases.

• Manage the transition from the previous Board to a newly elected Board.

• Rein in loses and increase revenue across food and beverage and event divisions.

Observations

Not all change management contracts go to plan and we were not aware of the sheer complexity of and challenges associated with the FSC.

The FSC had more Board Members than Rio Tinto and governed by dozens of voluntary internal committees. We inherited two major legal cases and a massive potential legal fight with the State Government over lease payments associated with the land the FSC occupied. The Board was in complete disarray - a commonly known fact - and staff were ready to walk away.

Outcomes

We are pleased to say:

• We stabilised the business over nine months and handed the business over to a new CEO in better shape.

• We secured the services of an exceptional external HR consultant and mapped a plan to rebuild culture.

• We spoke to local government and mended relationships with the State.

• We hired a new internal accountant.

• Implemented a time and motion and clock on platform.

• Listen to members by redesigning menu’s.

• Developed funky new cocktail bar areas to cater for the demand of classier less ‘blokey’ oriented F&B.

• Realigned berthing fees for key members to reflect commercial realities with competitors.

Summary

We achieved so much more than what is itemised above. This was a very difficult contract that was successfully delivered.

Federal Representation / Policy / Lobbying

The Australian Marine Alliance (AMA) morphed out of the Boating and Fishing Council of Australia (BFCA) and became the largest cross-sector platform in Australia for the sector. SMEA (Change Management) designed both the BFCA and AMA thanks to the generous support of John Dumphy - owner of shimano - and global manufacturers like Honda, Yamaha, Tohatsu, Suzuki etc.

Objectives

The key objective was to bring unity to the sector and advocate for a more holelistic science driven approach to marine conservation.

Key challenges

• At no stage had the recreational angler and commercial fishing sectors come together.

• The environmental lobby wanted terrestrial based paradigms - national parks - overlaid over the marine environment. We wanted a more sophisticated solution.

• NSW imports 83% of it’s total seafood requirement and we were losing small cottage based commercial fishermen.

Outcomes

• We developed the most powerful cross-sector lobby ever seen.

• Designed a national magazine.

• Secured the support of world leading Chef’s and Culinary Associations like the Sydney Executive Chef Club.

• Thanks to the CEO of the National Farmers Federation (NFF) Matt Linegar, we brought the commercial fishing sector into the primary production board room for the first time in Australian history.

• We saved businesses and communities.

• We delivered a message that scientific driven policy - not politics - is what delivers meaningful outcomes for the marine environment.