Michael Abela

Chairs in Melbourne

Biography

Michael’s vision for establishing TheirCare in 2017 merged from more than two decades successfully managing large service focused organisations and public companies. His passion encompasses facilitating organisations with integrity and unwavering commitment to delivery. Michael’s most recent role involved managing an organisation with more than 2,000 field-based personnel and delivering complex services in medical, aged care and technology industry sectors. His customer focus results in successful large-scale projects, strict adherence to safety incorporating and quality, sustainable outcomes.

Extensive exposure to public and private programs ensuring community engagement has established the foundation of strong probity and governance, Michael’s current focus, TheirCare’s has become a leading provider of outside school hours care in only 5 years of operation.

In the capacity of a Coraggio Chair, Michael is a transformational executive and highly motivated to give back to business owners, peppering his extensive experience regarding best business practices, effective operational efficiencies, and productive business acumen. His experience enables him to significantly contribute to business owners building a sustainable, future proof company in the following deliverables:

• Sales focus and growth by motivating a structured sales professional approach to execute budget implementation including expansion nationally and international markets
• Marketing strategy and implementation expanding businesses into new / diverse or existing markets including through mergers and acquisitions
• Financial management from tactical financial control of accounts, to establishing reporting structures driving businesses through to capital raising, company structuring and implementation of complex financial instruments delivering positive corporate outcomes
• Realigning human capital ensuring ‘people assets’ are engaged in productive outcomes, resulting in restructuring, downsizing or developing and expanding teams
• Governance, regulatory and legal accountability from board reporting structures, disclosure requirements to contract management
• Operational management with a keen focus on cost effective delivery, quality of service and ensuing repeatable, ongoing success.

As Chief Executive Officer and Director, Skybridge Group Pty Ltd Michael oversaw the revenue growth of 400% in revenue and profitability, with contract sales of hundreds of millions of dollars awarded, building this family-owned business consisting of 25 employees to more than 200 employees within 4 years. He maintained a contractor base of 2,000 independent contractors throughout Australia.

In his role as Managing Director (Australian Office) and Head of National Broadband Program Gilat Satellite Networks, Michael negotiated a 5-year services and product contract for Interim Satellite Solutions valued at over $100 million. This contract represented one of the largest agreements signed by Gilat Satellite globally in its history.

Hostech Limited (ASX: HTC) required a major turnaround to stay operational. Michael stepped in and stepped up as CEO and Director, reducing cash burn from in excess of $600k per month to break even inside 12 months, ensuring long term viability. Challenges included restructuring the Board, strengthening governance, reporting and risk management as well as implementing entirely new Directors.

At Quadrant Iridium Ltd, a public listed company (ASX: QAD) when Michael was promoted to CEO in 2002 and elected to the Board of Directors the following year, he was responsible for overseeing all operations including the creation and management of revenue operations through new subsidiary companies. In addition to managing teams based in Australia, Singapore and Japan. He oversaw a material improvement in the value of the investment in Iridium Satellite, managed the regulatory and operations environment in Australia and Asia.

Today, Michael’s end game business enterprise, TheirCare, is one of the fastest growing companies in the outside school hours care sector with a team of more than 1,500 across 300 service locations in Victoria, NSW, and WA. To facilitate this growth, Michael recently expanded TheirCare’s vision by leveraging their experience in providing services to children with disability and complex needs and established an NDIS focused subsidiary.  Michael injects the courageous decisions he has morphed in the past 25 years, sharing his strategic business approach towards ensuring positive results.

Additionally, he is an independent Chairman of an emerging software business called POSit Holdings, which develops and sells point of sale systems to hardware and stationery retailers. He has bought and sold businesses – both as a CEO of publicly listed companies, sold a private business to a Private Equity company, as well as a partner in an investment bank raising money to assist the listing of other companies.

Michael and wife Naomi are parents to three young children and in addition to being a proud father, he is an avid supporter of the Western Bulldogs, written two fiction novels, enjoys playing music and has a keen interest in Australian and global politics. To that end he stoically focuses on Advisory Board Members comprehensively understanding their business within the context of economic conditions facing Australia and globally.

Michael loves all sports and can watch and talk about anything that encompasses a winner and a loser. Being a valued Member on Michael Abela’s Coraggio Advisory Board will undoubtedly ensure you are on the winning team!

To join Michael’s Board or for more information, please contact Richard Skarzynski, CEO, at richard@coraggio.com.au or call 0439 648 344.