Andrew Brown, Managing Director
B.A (Econ) Hons

Andrew Brown, aged 48, has an honours degree majoring in Economics and Econometrics from the University of Manchester, England in 1980, and completed the Senior Management Development Program at Australian Graduate School of Management in 2001. After an initial period in funds management with Prudential Portfolio Managers in London, he spent the next five years stockbroking in London, New York and Melbourne, writing and marketing research on Australian shares, including a number of special situations, with particular emphasis on entrepreneurial companies.

In 1987, Andrew immigrated to Australia, and joined Natcorp Holdings Limited as Investment Manager, responsible for provision of detailed analysis pertaining to potential listed company acquisitions and investments.

From late 1988 until April 1994, Andrew returned to stockbroking with Baring Securities (Australia) Limited, later joining County NatWest Securities Australia Limited and ANZ McCaughan Securities. During this period, Andrew was a highly rated banking and insurance analyst, as well as, latterly focusing on smaller company research.

In 1994 he joined AMP Investments Australia’s Separately Managed Portfolio team, helping to manage over $2 billion of Australian equity investments. With two colleagues, Andrew helped to pioneer the successful “capital approach” investment style. In September 1997, after joining Rothschild Australia Asset Management Limited as Head of Equities, Andrew helped engineer significant equity process and cultural change, resulting in a major improvement in investment performance until the middle of 2002. After being an integral part of the rebuilding of the business, which was then acquired by Westpac Banking Corporation in June 2002, he departed from the successor company, Sagitta Wealth Management Limited, in January 2003.

Andrew has a particular expertise in the analysis of financial services companies, and of smaller companies generally. He is a non-executive Director of Aequs Capital Limited, Cheviot Bridge Limited, Fat Prophets Australia Fund Limited, Goldlink GrowthPlus Limited and Energi Limited.

Paul Young, Non-Executive, Chairman
M.A, A.C.A (ICAEW), F.A.I.C.D

Paul Young, aged 48, has a degree in economics from the University of Cambridge and qualified as a chartered accountant in London. He is the co-founder, proper authority holder and a director of Baron Partners Limited, a well established corporate advisory business and has been in merchant banking in Australia for almost 20 years.

He has extensive experience in the provision of corporate advice to a wide range of listed and unlisted companies including restructurings, capital raisings, initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions.

He is also a non-executive director of Ambition Group Limited, a listed specialist accounting and IT recruitment business, Cordukes Limited, a listed building contracting and facilities management business and Enware Australia Pty Ltd, a specialist manufacturer and marketer of brassware and industrial safety products.

In addition to attendance at monthly board meetings, Mr Young consults with the Managing Director before the Company undertakes any major investments.

Stephen Roberts, Non-Executive, Director

Steve Roberts is a co-founder Director and General Manager of Link Recruitment Pty Limited. Steve founded the business as Accountancy Link with Chris Malin in 1986 following consulting, sales and account management roles in the United Kingdom.

With more than 20 years experience in the recruitment industry, Steve has strong management and project leadership skills. He is also regarded as having the people skills required to develop a team of competent consultants and lasting client relationships.

Steve has a thorough understanding of the management issues facing large multinational clients, their business drivers and how to provide solutions.

He has significant experience and strategic planning and the management expertise gleaned from organically growing an enterprise from scratch to over 250 employees.

Lachlan Batchelor, Investment Manager

B.Ec, M.I.B, GDipAppFin (FINSIA)

Lachlan is responsible for the vineyard investment management activities of the group and corporate strategic research and development. 

Lachlan has 7 years commercial experience including responsibility for financial analysis, board reporting and compliance, project management and asset management.  Lachlan has completed a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters of Internaional Business at Macquarie Univeristy and the Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment from FINSIA.

Steve O’Hanna, Investment Manager

B.Bus (Finance)

Steve has 9 years experience working in the financial markets in various roles across funds management, stockbroking and investment banking.  

Steve attended the Australian Catholic University completing a Bachelor of Business in 1994. He commenced working with Rothschild Australia Asset Management Limited in 1995 in a client services role and later continued working for Rothschild in London in a similar capacity. Whilst in the UK, Steve also gained experience working in various trader support roles at JP Morgan Securities Limited between 1997 and 1999 before returning to Australia. Steve joined ABN Amro Equities Australia Limited in early 2000 in trade support of the equities desk.

Steve joined Advance Asset Management Limited in 2001 where he performed both analytical and dealer functions. He was responsible for the global asset allocation model which involved implementing the investment team’s global market strategy using derivatives and allocating cash. Steve’s roles also encompassed co-managing the Listed Property Trust portfolio, undertaking property trust research, portfolio construction and dealing for the Advance Property Security Fund.

He joined Tidewater in 2004 and is responsible for equities analysis and implementation.

Steven McDowell, Company Secretary and Finance Manager

B.Com, F.C.P.A.

Steven has an extensive background in finance and accounting for public companies over the past 20 years.

Steven has particular expertise in the Resource Sector having work with Mosaic Oil NL for 6 years as Financial Controller and Company Secretary immediately prior to Tidewater.  He has as Bachelor of Commerce and is a Fellow of CPA Australia..

Steven has also been employed in Senior Accounting roles for other oil and gas companies such as Cultus Petroleum NL, Santos Limited, Peko Oil Limited and Peko Wallsend Limited.

Steven joined Tidewater in 2008. 

Sarah Court, Compliance Officer

B.Sc (Hons)

Sarah Court has wored in teh financial services industry for 15 years and has an extensive background in managed investment funds .

Sarah began her career in London in 1992 at Sarasin Investment Management in the Private Client Department.  From there she became Marketing Manager responsible for the marketing of Sarasin’s boutique fund range.  In 1998 she became Director of Fund Operations and Compliance.  In this role she was primarily responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of the onshore and offshore fund companies in London and Guernsey. She managed the middle office handling fund related queries for the back office, advising fund managers on permissible investments and markets, dealing with outsourced service providers and resolving unit holder queries.  She was also responsible for all aspects of fund compliance.

Since moving to Australia 5 years ago, Sarah has worked as Compliance Manager for MLC and Principal Global Investors (Australia) before joining Tidewater in 2008.  Sarah has a Batchelor of Science degree from Salford University in Manchester, England and an Investment Administration Merit Qualification from the Securities Institute in the UK.

Sarah joined Tidewater in 2008.