Profile

Kent has a broad experience, covering executive, non-executive, non-for-profit, and government roles. Kent has a strong commercial mind-set with experience in identifying, creating, and delivering opportunities. He is experienced in developing and originating business, running multiple projects, and delivering commercial results.

Kent has 30-years’ Asia experience, including living in China full-time on-the-ground for 21-years, where he worked, built, and grew businesses.  He has a deep and sophisticated understanding, both commercially and culturally, of the greater China region, and is fluent in Mandarin.

Kent has provided strategic and corporate advice, at board and c-suite level, to a wide range of international companies in relation to strategy development, planning, and implementation, cross-border market entry, innovation, commercialisation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring, due diligence, negotiations, and operations.  He holds several globally recognised qualifications with the Global Innovation Management Institute, based in Boston, USA.

Kent held several positions in China, including: Post Manager for the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province (1993-1996); Economic/Political Research Officer at the Australian Embassy, Beijing (1996-1997); his own investment and corporate advisory firm (1998-2003), which merged to form GNS China Limited in 2004 that became a wholly-owned subsidiary of GNS International Limited, a non-listed Singaporean based public company.  Kent established, managed, and grew GNS China into a highly reputable boutique corporate advisory and investment banking firm (2004-2014).

After returning to Perth, Western Australia in May 2014, Kent founded Triangle Capital Partners Pty Ltd, a boutique corporate advisory firm, focused on providing services in relation to strategy development, planning, and implementation; innovation; commercialisation; mergers and acquisitions; corporate structuring & restructuring; commercial due diligence; international investment and business; opportunity and capital matching; and business mentoring.

He is also the founder and Managing Partner of Triangle Equity Partners Pty Ltd, a boutique firm assisting established businesses, with high-growth potential, to breakthrough by providing a unique combination of business advisory services and capability building programmes.  Business advisory services with a growth-focus, including business innovation; business transformation; export readiness, execution, and expansion; investment preparation, reflecting shareholder and enterprise value; cross-border transactions; and mentoring.  Capability building programmes, including being the Certified Training Partner in Australia for the Global Innovation Management Institute; ScaleUpWA, focusing on business growth via transformation and export readiness, and ChinaGateway™, doing business in China readiness.

Kent was one of the longest serving Directors of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce (AustCham Beijing); serving for 13 years since it was legally established back in 1996.  AustCham Beijing, being a not-for-profit organisation registered and approved under the authority of China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the peak body representing Australian business interests in Beijing.  At AustCham Beijing, he served as Vice Chairman (2010-2011); Deputy Chairman (2008-2010); and Treasurer (2003-2008); as well as chairing several committees and working groups.  Kent was invited to be an official judge of the AustCham Australia-China Business Awards in 2010 (in Shanghai), 2009 (in Beijing), and 2003, 2004, and 2008 (in Hong Kong).

Kent was a founding Committee Member and the inaugural Treasurer of the Global Mining Association of China (GMAC), in Beijing (2012-2013).  He was then elected as Vice Chairman (2013-2014).

He was also a founding Director of the China International Alternative Investment Association (2009-2011), a high-end non-profit association including several well-known global and domestic alternative investment management institutions, hedge funds, investment banks, and advisory bodies.

Kent was a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (2014-2017); Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2008-2017); and Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors (2012-2014).

He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Curtin University, a Diploma (International Company Director) from the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is presently studying part-time his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) with Curtin University, focusing on innovation.