Peakstone People
Peakstone Global has the expertise of its founding directors and its specialist advisors with well over 200 years of experience as executives, non-executive directors and advisors to boards. We share collegiately to deliver superior governance advice and services that build trust and enhance performance. One advisor, many minds!
Our advisors are located across the nation. Our advice, clients, and digital services extend our reach internationally.
Simon Rumore
Managing Director
B. Com, FAICD, CIECL
- Board and committee structures and membership
- Managing the interface between the Board and Management
- NED skills and attributes assessments and CEO succession planning
- Aligning strategy, risk and culture for corporate outcomes
- Certified coach and mentor focusing on non-executive directors
Experience
Simon Rumore has over 15 years’ experience in board and governance advisory work, including being a lead member of the AICD’s Board Advisory Practice.
Simon has over 20 years board level experience across the private, government and not-for-profit sectors focusing on the professional services, information & technology, financial & insurance services, health & social services, mining, transport and utilities industries. He has chaired committees responsible for governance, risk, compliance, strategy, nominations, remuneration and stakeholder engagement. He is currently a member of the International Corporate Governance Network’s Global Policy Committee.
Simon’s management career started as a recruitment consultant in Belfast before progressing to be an organisational development consultant, Human Resources and HSEC executive and interim executive supporting publicly listed, government and not for profit organisations throughout the Asia Pacific Region.
2025 has been a milestone year for Simon in becoming a grandfather for the first time as well as moving with his wife to the Sunshine Coast. He is looking forward to finally getting his motorcycle licence and buying a Vespa scooter for short trips around the coast. An icon of style that pays tribute to his Italian heritage!
Dr Melinda Muth
Practice Director
Governance Education
BSc, MBA, PhD, FAICD
Areas of Expertise
- Guiding the interface between the board and management
- Group behaviour and effective stakeholder engagement
- Governance of organisational culture for positive corporate outcomes
- Governance of the non-profit sector
Experience
Melinda is a highly reputed organisation development Specialist Advisor. For over 25 years she has advised, researched and facilitated in leadership development, team effectiveness and organisational culture. She provides Boards and executives with targeted skills workshops and tailored leadership programs helping people connect their way of leading and communicating with ethical behaviour, a sound cultural foundation and positive performance outcomes. Melinda is an education faculty facilitator with the Australian Institute of Company of Company Directors (AICD). She joined with Peakstone Global to extend her services to advance governance to leading, learning and improvement focused organisations.
Melinda is currently a director of Harvard Club Australia Philanthropy. She has previously served as Chair of the Australian Scholarships Limited and CuriousWorks, and as a director of HeartKids NSW, the Quest Foundation, the Union University & Schools Club and Indigenous Community Volunteers where she was Chair of the Audit & Risk Management Committee. Melinda has held a number of senior executive positions, including National Director of Business Development and Marketing for Deloitte.
Melinda is an active thought leader and writer on governance issues. She co-authored with Bob Selden: Setting the Tone from the Top: How leaders’ conversations shape a positive culture. The book is highly recommended by Peakstone Global for all directors and executives.
Melinda’s favourite pastime is spending time with family and friends and trying out new recipes on them.
Dr Judith MacCormick
Practice Director
Governance Advisory
PhD, MBA, Grad Dip Sci, BA, FAICD
Areas of Expertise
- Strategic corporate governance
- Board effectiveness
- Board culture and development
- Leadership development and succession
- Commentator and speaker in Australia and internationally on issues related to corporate governance
Experience
Judith advises leading public and private company Boards and their Chairs on issues related to strategic corporate governance, Board effectiveness, Board culture and development, and leadership development and succession.
Judith has been a Director, Chair and Governor on Boards and Advisory Boards in Australia and overseas. Additionally, she is a widely published academic, a senior executive and partner in national and global companies and as a consultant advising Australian Government bodies, NFPs as well as multiple ASX 100 and Fortune 500 companies globally.
Judith was the inaugural Corporate Governance and Board Effectiveness Faculty Advisor for the AICD. She facilitates many of AICD’s flagship governance programs and also authors a number of AICD publications.
Formerly, Judith was a Partner in the CEO and Board of Directors practice of the global executive search firm, Heidrick & Struggles with primary responsibility for Board Advisory. This followed her role as a Program Director with AGSM at the University of NSW, consulting to Government and leading companies.
With a PhD in organisational behaviour Judith is an internationally published expert in the area of organisational culture and business effectiveness, and the impact of technology on work. Most recently she launched the concept of MVG (Minimal Viable Governance©) for startups at the Entrepreneurship Conference at INSEAD, France.
Judith has 2 fab children – one who has given her an open invitation to visit her in Europe and the other kindly invites her to his techno music DJ gigs that she is learning to enjoy. When not indulging in great food and wine with friends you can find her on the ski fields, paddle boarding, biking or, knees permitting, running.
Jason Wilk
Practice Director
Governance of Risk
FAICD, CGEIT, BSc
Areas of Expertise
- Governance of Risk Management
- Technology strategy and risk for Directors and the interface with management
- Cyber for Directors, from culture to crisis management
- Managing the interface between the board and management
Experience
For 20 years Jason has advised a broad range of organisations on Governance, Risk, Strategy and Resilience issues at the interface between Directors and Executives.. Over the last 12 years Jason has been a Senior AICD Facilitator, Course Author, Course Reviewer and AICD Board Advisor.
Jason spent 15 years as the Managing Director of a boutique consulting firm specialising in governance of risk and cyber security, is an Executive Director of BoxxedIn Media a marketing startup, and has been a non-executive director and committee chair on a range of Government committees and Associations.
Over recent years Jason has reflected on some fundamental problems with Enterprise Risk Management and how it does not align with the way people naturally think about and manage risk. Exploring the Objective Centric Risk approach has been revitalising, running risk workshops and risk appetite sessions for clients who got excited about risk again.
Jason started his career in IT, progressing through various management roles until heading up Cyber Security for several large financial institutions. The pivot to Governance consulting was a logical extension of Jason’s unique ability to translate complex technology and business risk issues and concepts for Directors and Executives and then business issues back to technologists.
With two children finishing school years Jason is desperately trying to enable them to survive as digital natives facing vastly different career options in this AI disrupted world.
See Jason’s latest article by clicking here.
Dr Rachel Baird
Practice Director
Governance of Sustainability
LLB, BA, LLM, MLdshp, PhD, GAICD, FGIA
Areas of Expertise
- Board and committee skills and membership
- ESG strategy development, policies and reporting outcomes
- Executive and director development
Experience
Rachel is an experienced board advisor and has guided strategy and governance reviews, policy health checks, crisis response and risk management.
She currently serves as the Chair of the Centre for Legal Studies Ltd and Interim Chair of the Tasmanian University Students’ Association (TUSA). Rachel’s extensive governance experience enables her to provide informed and practical advice to boards. In addition, Rachel has completed a Masters of Leadership, which complements her past corporate roles, to support new board members and management.
Rachel commenced her career as a military lawyer before specialising in environmental law gaining private practice and academic experience. Following this, she worked in leadership roles across membership organisations, the resources sector and legal practice before embarking on a successful governance consultancy career.
Rachel is glad to have fulfilled a lifelong and academic passion for all things Antarctica by embarking on a three-week cruise that included following Shackleton’s ‘do or die’ trek over South Georgia at the end of his Endurance expedition.
Greg Brogan
Specialist Advisor
BBus, Executive Program (The Wharton School)
Areas of Expertise
- Board and Executive Remuneration
- Managing the ‘2 Strikes’ regime and Asia-Pac ‘say-on-pay’ to deliver positive shareholder voting outcomes
- Aligning strategy, culture and remuneration to improve performance
Experience
Greg has advised Boards of ASX listed companies on executive remuneration since the 1990’s. In addition, for the past five years, Greg has advised the Boards of private, public and not-for-profit organisations on a broad range of governance issues.
After a decade working as a consultant in Australia with various international human resources and actuarial firms (Mercer, Towers Perin, Sibson, et. al.) Greg operated boutique consultancy practices initially in partnership and, later, as a sole practitioner between 1991 and 2021. On several occasions throughout that period Greg was employed for lengthy periods as an executive at various listed companies (Fosters, Suncorp and Aurizon). Since 2021 Greg has been providing remuneration and general governance advice to Boards exclusively as part of the Peakstone Global team.
Greg has published several works of fiction (search Amazon if you must) and is a gradually improving amateur landscape artist (off a very low base).
Steven Cole
Specialist Advisor
LLB (Hons), FAICD
Areas of Expertise
- Effective Governance for Enhanced Performance Outcomes
- Legal Perspective and Insights
- Board Dynamics and Cultural Performance and Evaluation
- Organisational Strategy and Risk Management
Experience
Steven has over 40 years of professional, corporate and business experience through senior legal consultancy, as well as a range of executive management and non- executive appointments. Over recent years Steven’s clients in the local government and aged care sectors have welcomed his shared experience, insights and guidance through facilitated workshop sessions in support of their strategic objectives.
Steven’s extensive boardroom and board sub-committee experience covers the industrial, financial, educational, professional services, agribusiness, health, local government and resources sectors.
Steven’s appointments encompass Chair and Director roles at ASX listed, public unlisted, statutory authority, proprietary, business association and NFP/charitable organisations.
Following appointment as managing partner of a large commercial law firm in the 1990’s, Steven pivoted his career towards the corporate boardroom.
He is a sought after speaker and presenter at industry and professional conferences and seminars in Australia and Asia as well as having authored publications and journal articles on emerging governance related issues.
Steven has a wholesome approach to life remaining active in his recreational sporting endeavours (veteran’s hockey and competitive sailing) as well as being ‘hands-on’ in working his Margaret River olive grove with his wife Robin.
Christine Cussen
Specialist Advisor
MBA, GAICD
Areas of Expertise
- Governance & strategy excellence across a diverse range of industry sectors specialising in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical, industrials and water
- Internationally experienced in the corporate, ASX listed, start up, private, not for profit and government sectors in Australia, North America & Europe
- Managing the governance imperatives across all segments of the value chain, stages of investment, and risk profile from start-up to established businesses
- Board governance to enhance organisational performance, strategy and culture
- Global commercialisation, innovation, technology and research enablement
Experience
Christine has provided governance advisory services to a range of organisations via her work with an Australian based governance advisory firm specializing in providing bespoke governance services.
In addition, she has provided business advisory services to founders and CEO’s of a range of SME’S assisting companies become investor ready, scale and grow.
A highly experienced, commercial non-executive director with a growth and entrepreneurial mindset. That brings over a decade of Chair and Board experience across customer facing regulated industries with extensive experience as Chair of Audit & Risk Committees. Currently she is also the Australian based director of the Australian subsidiary of several international pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.
Christine has over 25 years CEO experience leading, building and transforming significant businesses predominately in the corporate sector at various stages of development and scale. As Chief Executive Officer she has successfully identified and delivered profitable growth, at times in tough fiscal environments across a very diverse range of industries & sectors in Australia, North America & Europe.
Christine’s passion in life is bricks and mortar and sport. Yes, that’s renovating houses, spending time enjoying the sun and surf at Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road together with playing and watching tennis whenever she can.
Connie Howe
Specialist Advisor
BEc, CA, GAICD, IM&A, RCA
Areas of Expertise
- ESG and sustainability governance and reporting
- Corporate reporting, audit and assurance and board responsibilities
- Not-for-profit and charity governance
- Superannuation, funds management and insurance governance and operation
Experience
Connie is an experienced Board Advisor and Company Secretary with over 30 years of experience as a CFO/COO and Auditor across leading firms and businesses in Australia, China, and the United States, as well as more than 10 years of experience in ESG and sustainability. She brings extensive expertise and a deep understanding of business operations, cultural dynamics, and market practices across Australia and China, particularly in the financial services sector.
Connie’s international career as an executive and senior leader includes roles at PwC in Melbourne, New York and Shanghai, as well as at the American International Assurance and the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office. From 2014 to 2020, she served as CFO/COO and Company Secretary at the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, which supports superannuation funds in integrating ESG factors into investment decisions.
Connie is a qualified Chartered Accountant in Australia, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an ASIC Registered Company Auditor, and an International Mergers & Acquisitions Expert Charterholder. She has been an active member and speaker at key ESG forums and events in Australia and internationally and is an experienced trainer in ESG and sustainability.
Raised in an artist’s family, Connie has a deep appreciation for opera, theatre and other performing arts. She lives in Melbourne and enjoys the rich artistic, culinary, literary and musical culture that the city encompasses.
Matthew Kronborg
Specialist Advisor
LLM, B.Tech, B.Business, GAICD, Dip. Sustainability, Cert. Energy Innovation, CPL
Areas of Expertise
- Board reviews and governance structuring
- Governance strategy for risk mitigation and commercial success
- Corporate, SME, startup & non-profit governance
- Advisory Board establishment & governance
- Government & corporate affairs
- Sustainable development, legacy creation and reputation improvement
Experience
For almost two decades Matthew has been a board advisor, board member, executive and consultant across the corporate, NFP, government, SME, private equity and start-up sectors. This has included numerous board reviews across these sectors.
Matthew is an executive at Grainstone, an Australian cleantech infrastructure company and maintains a portfolio of business interests. He has held statutory appointed and commercial directorships.
He has a diverse background spanning engineering, law, business, and entrepreneurship. Matthew started his career in the Qantas Graduate Program. He is often sought out for his advice on governance, innovation, technology, startups, infrastructure, sustainability and geopolitics.
A pilot and lover of our great outdoors he has skied the Himalayas, sea kayaked Antarctic waters and led a white-water rafting expedition in remote south-west Tasmania.
Mike Lescai
Specialist Advisor
MAICD, MBA (IM), MTheNCP
Areas of Expertise
- Seasoned non-executive director and board advisor
- Proven independent chair and leadership skills
- Forming strategic directions through industry analysis
Experience
With 30 years of board experience, Mike has served as Chair and member across Audit, Finance, Governance, and Risk Committees, bringing a deep understanding of board performance, accountability, and strategic oversight.
Mike believes that while an organisation may survive with an adequate board, only a truly effective board enables the organisation to excel. He has led and supported board and organisational transformation across not-for-profit and commercial sectors, demonstrating a consistent record of success as Chair.
Mike’s career began in finance and management before progressing through general management, CEO roles, and ultimately as a partner in business ownership. His highly successful five-year tenure as global COO of a public company based in Singapore included leading global marketing and investor relations. After returning to Australia with his family, Mike has spent the past two decades chairing and advising boards while providing specialist consulting across diverse industries.
Away from the boardroom, Mike enjoys sports that combine strategy, analysis, and precision. His favourites include AFL, Formula 1, NFL, and cricket.
Marion Macleod
Specialist Advisor
BSc, MBA, FAICD
Areas of Expertise
- Guiding strategy setting and risk management discussions of Board and Management
- Risk appetite frameworks
- Board governance structure and processes including; board evaluations, skills matrices, charters and committee structures
- Constitutional, shareholder agreement, and board frameworks
Experience
Marion is a highly experienced Director and Board Advisor. She facilitates the AICD’s Company Directors and specialist courses in Risk and Strategy. For over 20 years she has advised companies including delivered the award winning, ‘Effective Director’ Program for NAB.
Most recently Marion has been the President of Melbourne Rotary in its centenary year. She relinquished chairing 2 companies to do this but remains a director on both. She has also chaired a variety of boards and committees across many sectors, including V-Line, Mecwa CARE, Metlink, VFF, and CAE. She was a Councillor on the AICD Victorian Council.
Marion studied science before her television directing and Telstra Mobiles careers. She led Market Research before heading up functions in Marketing Operations, Strategy and Business Planning. Her interest in Learning and Development led her to be General Manager CEVA for ANZ.
A keen skier and bushwalker, Marion is taking on the Milford/Routeburn tracks this year, New Zealand and Australia COVID bubble permitting. This will be reminiscent of her beloved Scottish ‘Munros’!
Claudia Nemeth de Bikal
Specialist Advisor
BA, Cert Gov Prac & Risk Mgt, GAICD
Areas of Expertise
- Establishing and improving board and committee procedures and processes
- Enhancing board and management dynamics
- Enabling effective communication between the board and management
- Broad functional portfolio within Financial Services
Experience
Claudia supports boards and management teams to enhance board effectiveness. She has contributed to board, committee and advisory group reviews across not-for-profit, government and for-profit organisations, with a focus on optimising governance structures and processes and improving alignment between strategy and oversight.
Claudia has served as a Company Secretary and Director within the not-for-profit sector, including in education and philanthropy.
Claudia spent over 20 years in the financial services sector in digital transformation, marketing, customer experience, project management and regulatory reform, holding senior roles within both larger insurers and a challenger insurance company.
Darren Taylor
Specialist Advisor
CPFA
Areas of Expertise
- Board governance and compliance including the risk and audit agendas
- Internationally experienced within the corporate (ASX & NYSE) and public (Australian & UK) sectors
- Managing the interface between the Board and Management
- Assurance to Boards on governance of complex international governance frameworks, including enterprise risk management, financial reporting, cyber resilience and ESG
- Board crisis management and lessons learned
- Merger feasibility and integration
- Cyber crisis management
Experience
Darren has over 35 years of professional services and corporate experience through risk management consultancy and as a seasoned Chief Audit Executive working in Australia, Switzerland and the UK.
For 16 years to February 2023, Darren was Chief Audit Executive for Amcor Plc (ASX Top 50/ S&P 500 member); the world’s largest packaging company with 400 manufacturing operations in over 40 countries. In this role he supported the Audit Committee and the Board in their complex oversight and governance roles under Amcor’s NYSE and ASX listings. He also led the implementation of key organisation wide Governance processes required following Amcor’s NYSE listing in 2019.
With Amcor he has recently led projects ranging from cyber crisis management to a key workstream for the integration of Amcor and Berry Global.
Darren also has over 20 years’ consulting experience through senior roles with PwC, EY and Protiviti (a Founding Managing Director of Protiviti Australia). His diverse experience covers mining and resources, FMCG, industrial, health, education and local government. In these roles he worked with Boards, Audit
Committees and Executive Management teams on governance matters as well as undertaking Board effectiveness reviews.
In the UK he was a leading strategic advisor to Boards of institutions within the Further Education sector on strategic merger and acquisition considerations as funding constraints drove sector consolidation.
Outside of work Darren is an outdoorsman with a passion for cycling and hiking. With colleagues from Amcor, he twice competed in the Tor Tour, a 1000km non-stop cycle race across the mountains and valleys of Switzerland raising money for the Laureus Children’s Foundation.