Board Of Directors And Management

The Board of Directors has been selected for its extensive relevant experience and expertise, including operational and industry knowledge, law, financial management, accounting, business knowledge and corporate governance.

Board of Directors

Bob East

Chair of the Board

Bob has proven leadership capability and significant industry skill and expertise with more than 25 years’ experience in the tourism and hospitality industries. Prior to joining Experience Co, Bob was CEO of Mantra Group (ASX 200) where he was responsible for the consolidation and strengthening of the Mantra Group brands and the growth of the business into one of the leading accommodation providers and operators in Australasia. Bob was instrumental in and lead the listing of the Mantra Group on the ASX in 2014 and in May 2018 the largest hospitality transaction in Australia – the acquisition of the Mantra Group by Accor Hotels.

Anthony Boucaut

Non-Executive Director

Anthony has over 20 years of experience in the skydiving industry and over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry. The Skydive the Beach concept and vision was the result of Anthony's passion for skydiving and love of sharing extreme adventures with others. During his final year of university, Anthony formed a business known as Adrenalin Sports Skydiving, which became Skydive the Beach, now known as Experience Co. The first tandem skydives over North Wollongong beach were conducted in July 1999.

Neil Cathie

Non-Executive Director

Neil is currently Non-Executive Director and Chair of ASX listed Coventry Group Limited and Plus Recruitment Pty Ltd. He is the Non-Executive Director of MAS National Ltd and also an independent board advisor at Middendorp Electric and Bowens Timber & Hardware.

Previously Chief Financial Officer, Company Secretary and GM Finance and IT at Australia’s largest and most successful plumbing and bathroom distributor Reece Ltd and Non-executive director of Millennium Services Group Ltd.

Neil is a Fellow of CPA Australia (FCPA), a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia (FGIA).

Michelle Cox

Non-Executive Director

Michelle has extensive experience in tourism and related industries with a focus on marketing, channel distribution and mergers and acquisitions, having held executive roles at Bastion Collective, STA Travel and APT Group of Companies. Michelle also held Non-Executive roles, among others, with the Australian Tourism Export Council (NT Chair), Central Australia Tourism Industry Association (Deputy Chair) and the NT Business Women's Consultative Council Advisory Board.

Michelle is currently a Board Member of Tourism Tasmania, The Linchpin Company and a number of private companies.

Michelle is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Alexander White

Non-Executive Director

Alex is Managing Director of Richmond Hill Capital who are a long-term substantial shareholder of Experience Co. Alex has over 15 years of corporate and investment management experience with previous roles as a Portfolio Manager at Viburnum Funds and Analyst at Cooper Investors.

Alex is currently a Non-Executive Director of Coventry Group (ASX: CYG) and was previously a Non-Executive Director at HRL Holdings (ASX: HRL) and MOQ Digital (ASX: MOQ).

John O'Sullivan

Executive Director

John has over 25 years’ experience in the tourism and related industries sector, having held senior executive roles with Football Federation Australia (Chief Commercial Officer), Events Queensland (Chief Executive Officer), Fox Sports (Chief Operating Officer) and prior to joining EXP, for the last 5 years, Managing Director of Tourism Australia for the last 5 years.

John has extensive leadership capabilities and experience in the sports and entertainment, media and travel and tourism sectors, on a local and global stage.

John is a Commissioner of Tourism Western Australia. He holds an Executive MBA and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Fiona Van Wyk

Company Secretary

Fiona has over 20 years’ company secretarial, corporate governance and corporate compliance experience. Prior to joining EXP in September 2018, Fiona was Company Secretary of the Mantra Goup (ASX 200) for over 11 years where she was integral to the listing of Mantra Group on the ASX in 2014 and the sale of the business to AccorHotels in 2018. Prior to migrating from South Africa in 2006, Fiona worked for KPMG, where she headed the Company Secretarial Department within the Private Business Services Division. Fiona has also worked in a variety of senior consultancy roles where she provided advice to both private and public listed companies. Fiona is a Member of Governance Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Management

John O'Sullivan

Chief Executive Officer

John has extensive leadership capabilities and experience in the sports and entertainment, media and travel and tourism sectors, on a local and global stage.

John is a Commissioner of Tourism Western Australia. He holds an Executive MBA and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Adam Jones

General Manager Adventure Experiences

With over 25 years in the North Queensland tourism industry Adam brings extensive knowledge of strategic leadership, stakeholder management and business acumen to Experience Co.

Adam has over 18 years experience bringing adventure experiences to travellers in Far North Queensland, having led the business of Calypso Reef Cruises and Charters in Port Douglas prior to it's acquisition by Experience Co. Adam moved from the sea to the air in 2019, taking on the role of General Manager of Air Operations for Experience Co. His experience and knowledge was quickly recognised with Adam taking on the role of General Manager - Great Barrier Reef in late 2019.

Gavin Yates

Chief Financial Officer

Gavin is a finance, strategy and corporate development leader with over 20 years’ experience. His background includes both Big 4 accounting advisory services and corporate roles, working in Australia, USA, Europe and Asia, with broad industry experience. Gavin is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).

Fiona Stillwell

Chief Commercial Officer

Fiona joins Experience Co with an outstanding resume and qualifications with a career spanning over 20 years working for organisations such as Hamilton Island, Flight Centre and the Hogg Robinson Group. During her tenure at Hamilton Island, Fiona held senior roles across reservations, revenue, digital and the domestic and inbound sales teams and drove its post COVID recovery.

Ken Stone

General Manager - Skydive AU and NZ

Ken manages our parachute operations in both Australia and New Zealand after having joined Experience Co in 2018. Ken is a professional skydiver with over 11,000 skydives under his belt.
In his past life, he completed 26 years of service with the Australian Army, where he first started parachuting. Ken is an Accelerated Free Fall Instructor, Tandem Instructor, Camera Flyer, Display Pro skydiver, and holds skydiving instructor ratings in multiple countries. He has skydived around the world and worked for drop zones in Australia, Fiji, and the USA to name a few. In his spare time he likes hiking and photography.

Ryan Roche

General Manager - Aircraft

Having achieved his pilot licence at the age of 18, Ryan has always had a strong passion for aviation. From servicing remote communities and cattle stations throughout the Northern Territory, Kimberly and FNQ Regions, Ryan joined Skydive Australia (then Skydive the Beach) back in 2008.Ryan currently oversees the company's pilot and engineering functions across Australia and New Zealand, which operate and maintain a fleet of 27 company owned aircraft, along with a number of external customer aircraft.

Ryan was responsible for the establishment of Australia's only CASA Part 141 accredited Jump Pilot Training provider, The Australian Jump Pilot Academy which was acquired by EXP in April 2023, and was also responsible for the establishment of EXP's Air Operators Certificate, diversifying the company's aviation portfolio to encompass passenger Charter, Freight and Outback Air Safari activities.

Ryan also holds a skydiving licence himself with over 100 skydives under his belt, is one of the APF's inaugural Jump Pilot Training Examiners, a member of both the CASA Part 105 Tactical Working Group as well as the Australia Parachute Federations Aviation Advisory Committee. Ryan's total aeronautical experience exceeds 6,500 flying hours.
Ryan is a NSW South Coast local and is a dedicated father of three very active boys, who also share in his passion for aviation.
Ryan currently oversees the company's fleet of 35 aircraft and also holds a skydiving licence himself with over 100 skydives under his belt. Ryan's total aeronautical experience is in excess of 6,000 hours.

Ryan is the owner and operator of Australia's only CASA Part 141 accredited Jump Pilot Training provider, The Australian Jump Pilot Academy and is one of the APF's inaugural Jump Pilot Training Examiners and holds a position on the APF's Aviation Standards Committee.

Ryan is a dedicated father of three boys who also share his passion of aircraft and aviation.

Vanessa Anderson

General Manager Human Resources

Vanessa brings over 20 years of management experience in the hospitality and tourism sectors. As a professional member of AHRI, she holds a Bachelor of Business and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Law.

Originally from Brisbane and now based in Cairns, Vanessa lives with her husband and two teenagers. She is deeply committed to aligning Human Resources strategies with broader business objectives to foster sustainable growth and unlock the full potential of the workforce.

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Board Of Directors And Management