Board of Directors

Joe Ewart

Chairman

Joe Ewart has been director of the company since 2005 and was appointed Chairman in 2020. Mr. Ewart has extensive experience as a principal investor and has completed a wide range of platform investments and add-on acquisitions. He has successfully executed organic and acquisition growth plans with a number of the businesses he has invested in. He spent thirteen years in investment banking focused on mergers and acquisitions. He was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Australia, a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank Securities, a Principal at BT Wolfensohn and a Vice President at Bankers Trust. After leaving investment banking, he established and grew Editure Professional Development and successfully sold the business to a United States private equity firm. He then established and is currently the Chairman and CEO of New Era Technology, a global technology services company. He is a Fellow of FINSIA and is a Chartered Accountant after starting his career at Arthur Andersen. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Sydney, a master’s degree from the University of New South Wales and a graduate diploma in applied finance.

Nick Grogan

Director

Nick Grogan has been a member of the company leadership team since 2007.  He is currently Managing Director of New Era Technology’s APAC Division.  He was a key member of the Editure Group leadership since 2007 serving as Chief Financial Officer (2009 to 2016) and Head of Corporate Development (2007 to 2009).  Before joining Bridgeside Capital, he was an Associate Director at Hindal, a boutique investment bank, where he was involved in a wide range of mergers, acquisitions, sell-side and capital raising transactions. Mr Grogan started his career at KPMG and is a Chartered Accountant. Mr Grogan holds a bachelors degree in commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance.

Richard Ryan AO

Director

Richard Ryan has been a director of the company since 2000 and served as Chairman from 2000 to 2020.  Mr Ryan is the Deputy Chancellor of the Charles Darwin University and a member of the council of Flinders University.  He holds the directorship of several public companies and private investment companies, and is the Governor of the Menzies School of Health Research.  A recipient of the Australia Day Honours on three occasions, Mr Ryan was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1989 for Services to the Community and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1998 for Services to Indigenous People.  Mr Ryan is a director of The Camberwell Coal Joint Venture and the Northern Territory Treasury Corporation Advisory Board.   He was formerly Chief Executive Officer of Henry Walker Eltin Limited which was one of Australia’s largest contract mining businesses and was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.  Mr Ryan is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Companion of the Institution of Engineers Australia and a Companion of the Institute of Management (UK).

Mike Flynn

Director

Michael Flynn has been a non-executive director of the company since 2000. He has had a highly successful career spanning over 40 years and has been involved in a range of different industries and businesses. Mr Flynn established and managed Flynn Petroleum, which proved highly successful. He also owned and successfully operated businesses such as Road Trains of Australia and Tristar Industries. Mr Flynn continues to hold directorships in several private companies and has been particularly active in the areas of property management, property development, tourism and equity portfolio management. He was previously a Director of the Darwin Port Corporation and several other national industry bodies.