Operating Pedigree & Founder
- Senior IT consulting and sales leader with 25 years’ experience in the Australian market, holding full P&L ownership and end-to-end accountability for strategy, sales and delivery. Wins and leads large, complex business transformation programmes, applying disciplined programme management from business case through to delivery and value realisation. Manages C-suite and senior stakeholder relationships throughout that lifecycle. Equally effective leading internal and external consulting teams, or embedded directly within client leadership, depending on the scale and complexity of the engagement.
- Deep, current knowledge of AI and data technologies and their impact on business models in a fast-changing environment. Partners with clients from business case development through to execution, moving beyond one-off technology implementation into full transformation. Guides delivery from initial MVP through to a fully realised platform — a ‘most lovable product’ — embedding AI and data capability as a lasting part of the business.
- Key topics: IT consulting & business strategy, business case development, programme leadership, stakeholder management, digital modernisation, cyber security, AI adoption and P&L ownership.
Operating career:
Senior commercial roles at TNT, Citibank Australia, and Westpac
— financial services and logistics discipline
VP & GM, Yahoo! Commerce (Yahoo Inc. USA) — P&L
exceeding A$2.5 billion at internet scale
CEO, eMaimai (Hong Kong) — appointed by Henry Kravis;
successful exit to US consortium
Board Director, COO & CEO, Prime Digitalworks — digital
division of ASX-listed Prime Media
Founder exits:
Co-founded Zeetings — acquired by Canva 2018; became
fastest-growing feature in Canva’s history, powering 4B+
presentations opened 100M+ times/month
Co-founded Laava.id — smart-fingerprint authentication deployed
by global brand owners and government agencies
Current ventures:
Co-Founder and Exec Chair, CONTRLR.AI — AI-powered
reputation management platform compressing enterprise crisis
response from days to hours
Adviser & strategist, tonysurtees.com — enterprise growth,
business model development, and board-level advisory across
US, Australia, and Asia Pacific
Board, Government & Advisory
Chair & Director portfolio:
Chairman: Food Ladder, Better Breathing, Federal Government’s
Entrepreneurs’ Programme Committee
Director, Menzies Foundation — advancing Australian leaders at
home and abroad
Stanford President for Australia & Board Member, Stanford Australia
Foundation
Federal Government service (10+ years):
Two-time Chair and Member, Entrepreneurs’ Programme Committee
— investment review of 650+ grants contributing A$19.5B in
additional turnover, A$7.5B export growth, and ~20,000 new jobs
Chair, Catalysing AI Opportunity Fund Committee (Dept. of Industry,
Science, Energy & Resources)
Member, AI Action Plan Programs Committee; Key Contributor,
National Blockchain Roadmap Working Group
Advisory & investment:
Advises UNSW Barker Street Ventures and UNSW Engineering
School on commercialisation and deep-tech venture creation
Former Chair & Investment Committee Member, CapitalPitch
(Sydney ESVCLP)
Mentor and angel investor at Startmate, Australia’s pre-eminent
early-stage accelerator
Advisory Committee Chair, Australia Post’s Postzone project; adviser
to Victorian State Minister of Industry. AM (2025) | tonysurtees.com
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