Local Leaders

By his own admission, when he began studying for an information science degree at the University of Newcastle, Greg Boorer had never used a computer. Now Greg is the CEO of a multi-billion dollar technology company that he co-founded, Canberra Data Centres. The company underpins so much of what we take for granted in Australia in terms of safety, security...

Manuel Xyrakis always wanted a cash register for Christmas and had aspirations of being an accountant. Instead, he inherited a supermarket that has become his second home. He's really only had a break at his first home due to COVID-19. Mr Xyrakis jokes his nephews Nicholas, Dimitri and Keith locked him out of the Ainslie IGA during the COVID-19 pandemic so he...

Being a perfectionist has its challenges, but it has never worried Dr Rick Luu. It is a hallmark of his life and career. Starting his life in Australia as a boat refugee in the late 1970s, Rick grew up appreciating family, the value of money and hard work from a young age. Lessons he says he has not forgotten. The...

Like many first generation Australians, Spiro Pazios was urged by his immigrant parents to do well at school and go to university. While unsure of what to do once he got there, Spiro, unafraid of hard work and change, is now one of Canberra's leading orthodontists. Director of Embrace Orthodontists in Manuka and Belconnen, Spiro was born in Adelaide to...

Over time, seemingly small gestures accumulate into life-changing leadership from people putting others ahead of themselves and encouraging individuals to follow their example. Paul Nicholl experienced this during his apprenticeship as a greenkeeper in the NSW Central West town of Condobolin, where Malcolm Nash was head greenkeeper at the local bowling club. https://www.facebook.com/riotactnews/videos/976048622812408 The Condobolin Bowling Club nurtured young staff...

After a military career spanning three decades, Michael Mahy stepped in to the civilian world joining Synergy Group as an Executive Director in 2018. The well-respected Brigadier and ex-Director of Military Strategy had decided the time was right for a change. Little did he know his skills honed in the Army would assist one of Canberra's leading professional services firms to adapt...

It took a sense of purpose and big dreams for Jessie Chen to make some big moves in her life. These same qualities make her stand out in her career with Canberra mortgage broker Clarity Home Loans. Originally from Sichuan in China, Jessie moved to Australia when she was just 17 years old. Jessie says her parents wanted to give...

Perhaps it is because Lara Morgan was born and raised in Canberra that she is so good at what she does. Working as an insurance broker, her local knowledge is essential when talking to clients about their business needs. She has a complete and thorough understanding of the environment in which ACT businesses operate, and the culture of the nation’s...

If you want something done, ask a busy person, so the saying goes. If that is the case, Nadia Pessarossi must get an awful lot done. "Sometimes life gets hectic and I don't want to miss anything so I have to plan my days carefully," she says. Now an associate partner at Rubik3, one of Australia's fastest growing and youngest...

Atop hill or down valleys, for many farmers and residents living in south-west NSW, there was always looming exasperation when it came to mobile phone and internet coverage. It seemed that once a black spot, always a black spot. And that felt a bit like the cart, led by a blinkered horse, lumbering clumsily along a rough track while just...

Huy Nguyen graduated as an engineer from the Australian National University in 2014. In the same year became Canberra’s Young Australian of the Year. Huy calls himself a ‘humanitarian engineer’, working to find solutions for people with a disability by using his engineering skills, innovative technology and a personal passion for change to find technological solutions to barriers faced by...

The path to building a highly successful business does not usually start with a career ending injury, but as a testament to Ian and Maria Lindgren's vision they both saw an opportunity arise out of misfortune and took brave steps towards it. Ian and Maria are the founders of PayMe, now one of Australia's leading contractor payroll and salary packaging...

A good legal practitioner can use the law to help and enhance the lives of their clients. This has certainly been the experience of solicitor Taso Nicolaidis. Born and raised in Canberra, Taso completed his legal studies at the University of Canberra and Australian National University before managing a busy personal injury practice for five years with a focus on...

Yoga on the grass outside the office might not be the very first thing you associate with the CEO of a dynamic professional services company. But Galia Cornish from Synergy is not your average corporate leader. The professional services firm is certainly a significant player in the Canberra market: it turns over around $85 million per annum and employs 325 people...

Ten years ago, Tom Martin was a young man with a plan. A plan to build a successful plumbing business from scratch. Tom now owns Water Tight Canberra, a plumbing, drainage and gas fitting company servicing Canberra and surrounding areas. Tom and his business are a testament to the value of planning, preparation and hard work, recently recognised by winning...

Retrenchment can be one of life's more stressful events and the question 'where to next?' can be difficult to answer. For Belle Property real estate agent Amy Wilson, the answer came when she was selling her house. Amy's life took a new direction after she was retrenched from her role as a graphic designer with the CSIRO. "I was pregnant...