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“I started life as a professional board sailor. In fact, I was so committed to sailing, I did my Higher School Certificate in the Bahamas during the windsurfing world titles! I ended up sailing in places like Maui, San Francisco, France, Spain, Mexico, Italy and Japan before setting up my own sailboard shop in Sydney in the early 1980s.
Later I got involved in launching Australia’s first water taxi service, Aqua Cab. Today I’m still invested financially in my passion for the water, in North Shore Yachts, one of Australia’s longest trading boat building businesses. I also race my own 32-footer with an eight-member crew. It’s a Melges 32 called Zero Footprint, and it’s serious racing. In 2006, we placed fourth in the United States National Titles out of Newport/Rhodes.
I suppose my love of sailing started when a friend of my parents took me sailing at Pittwater when I was seven years old. From the moment I held that rudder, I was hooked. My son, Matt, 13, is also a fanatical sailor, although my daughter, Alex, 18, isn’t at all interested and my wife, Helen, only occasionally races with us. My work is another passion and one I think about 24/7. In the last 10 years I’ve been involved in the world of technology, most recently as CEO and founding shareholder of Pacific Environment Limited.
It’s an Australian-based environmental consultancy and our clients range from industrial companies and local, state and federal governments to global organisations. Our team of meteorologists, environmental scientists and engineers visit client sites and measure carbon emissions, odour and noise, then do complex data modelling to verify a company’s true emissions to satisfy compliancy with regulations and good environmental governance practices. We’ve also now developed software that monitors real-time emissions, so a company can improve its understanding of its carbon footprint and of carbon trading opportunities or liabilities as carbon trading markets open up around the world.
My role is to make sure we bring the right people into the business, which we plan to list in the not-too-distant future. Because of the growing interest in climate change, the volume of activity and opportunity is enormous – I work about 60 hours a week. The beauty of sailing is that you can block everything out.
On the water on a summer’s afternoon – that’s when I feel most at ease. My sailboard? It’s still in the garage and I take it out sometimes. I surf too, on anything I can get my hands on. I guess you could say my idea of relaxation is: just add water.”
