About

Ben Cusack

Ben provides business planning and strategy advice to fast growing companies. He specialises in consulting to small to medium enterprises with commercialisation support. He has also assisted many firms achieve funding through accessing a range of federal and state government grants.

In the past 6 months Ben has raised over $30 million worth of research and infrastructure grants for universities and research organisations. He has recently been featured articles in The Age and SmartUpStart with commentaries on ‘How to secure Government grants’.

Industry sectors where Ben has undertaken projects include; first and second generation biofuels, water treatment, horticulture, universities, asset management, health care, aviation, electronics and aquaculture.

Types of projects that Ben has been involved with are business plans, financial modelling, industry strategic plans, Cooperative Research Centre bids, regional infrastructure funding, risk assessments, tender management and government reviews.

Previously, Ben has worked in the consulting division of national accounting firm HLB Mann Judd. He worked on a number of government panels including the Solar Flagship and Renewable Energy Demonstration Projects.

Ben has a bachelor’s degree with honours in Chemical Engineering and Science. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Melbourne Business School.

Greg Spinks

Greg has nearly 20 years of management consulting experience. He has consulted in the United States for nearly 3 years to predominantly Fortune 500 companies reporting directly to the Presidents of each client.

Over the past 5 years his primary focus has been assisting clients obtain large government grants where he has successfully raised $330 million, redesign organisations including implementing mergers, develop strategic plans both at a divisional, organisational and industry level, build business plans for new technologies and provide commercialisation skills training.

Greg’s core expertise is assisting to set the strategic direction of projects, chairing and facilitating workshops, project management of engagements and negotiating commercial and governance arrangements. Unlike many management consultants Greg is often heavily involved in leading the implementation of client projects.

Although his current client base is predominantly the education and research sector, he has worked extensively in the health, manufacturing, design, engineering, finance, telecommunications and logistics sectors.

Greg has an Economics Degree (Honours), Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources, and an MBA from the Melbourne Business School.