About Leaders

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Welcome to Queensland Leaders


At Queensland Leaders, we inspire the next generation of leading privately-owned companies. Established in 2006, we have an ever-growing Alumni of more than one thousand companies right across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Queensland Leaders is by invitation only. As a Member, you’ll be part of a highly supportive and trusted community of Industry Experts and like-minded peers. You’ll be surrounded by knowledge, connections and resources—to help stretch your thinking, become a better leader and take your business further, faster.

If you’d like to join this exclusive community of progressive business founders and leaders, check out how it works and express interest today.

How Leaders has helped


Real impact. Real outcomes. Here’s how privately-owned companies have capitalised on the Queensland Leaders experience to move forward with confidence.

How XPON Technologies leveraged Queensland Leaders to accelerate growth and scale up the business.


Growth is about getting bigger and smarter. Growth drives competitiveness and profit margins, enabling your business to do more with less. This requires strategy and planning based on genuine insights. Scaling up accelerates this process and is often designed to capitalise on innovation.




XPON Technologies Group, a cloud-based marketing technology company, joined Queensland Leaders back in 2011. This association was initially driven by the desire to scale the business at a national and international level.

Throughout the journey, XPON has achieved significant growth. This culminated in a highly successful Initial Public Offering on the ASX in 2021, which has enabled XPON to further invest in innovation and unlock new markets.

'Thanks to the highly supportive network of Industry Experts within Queensland Leaders, I accelerated my knowledge and know how. As we focused on business expansion, this helped to both navigate challenges and create opportunities.'


Matt Forman, Founder and Managing Director, XPON Technologies Group

How PTE Hydraulics fuelled innovation and long-term sustainability through Queensland Leaders.


Change is constant. Change presents challenges and creates opportunities. To stay ahead, you need to focus on innovation, intellectual property and brand differentiation. True sustainability is about building a thriving business that balances growth and stability over the long term.




As a leading hydraulic cylinder manufacturer, PTE Hydraulics was confronted with stagnant sales in a mature market with increased competition. To add to this uncomfortable situation, the largest customer accounted for almost one-third of revenue.

With a drive for greater sustainability, the founder discovered Queensland Leaders. The ‘Ask the Expert’ and workshop sessions proved to be crucial in guiding the business turnaround and inspiring the launch of new products and services.

'The Queensland Leaders experience has played a significant role in how we addressed our challenges. Through the time-efficient structure and format, I was empowered with new skills and ideas to lead the business towards a more sustainable future.'


Peter Harrison, Director, PTE Hydraulics

How Queensland Leaders helped Mont Marte to build internal capability and plan for future succession.


Continuous skill development fuels growth, innovation and profitability. Business owners should aim to work on strategic direction and step back from day-to-day operations. This requires a capable and trusted team, with clear roles and responsibilities to ensure seamless succession.




As a global leader in the arts supply sector, Mont Marte joined the Queensland Leaders community as it embarked on the next stage of expansion. Importantly, the business succession from one generation to the next was high on the agenda.

Through exposure to knowledge, connections and resources, Mont Marte redesigned their strategy and structure. To stay ahead of the game, this led to the transformation of digital infrastructure backed by best-of-breed systems and processes.

'Our involvement with Queensland Leaders provided us with the framework and expertise to achieve our desired outcomes. This has been instrumental as we continue to plan and manage the future succession of the business from the founder.'


Bob Kent, Managing Director, Mont Marte

How Corporate Travel Management harnessed Queensland Leaders to more effectively plan for and navigate entry and exit.


When buying or selling a business, there are a range of factors that influence the ultimate success of the transaction. It’s about timing, valuation and negotiation. That’s why it’s important to seek independent guidance and support to ensure the best possible outcome for your business.




Corporate Travel Management forged a relationship with Queensland Leaders to explore funding options. Through this journey, the business leader gained valuable advice from the expert and peer community around future growth strategy.

As a result, initial investment was secured to fund acquisitions. This was followed by a public listing on the ASX in 2010, which proved to be one of the most successful in Queensland. This listing was underwritten and supported by an Industry Expert.

'Queensland Leaders opened our minds to international business expansion. Through this highly supportive network, we gained access to the knowledge and skills necessary to build our business capability and support long-term growth.'


Jamie Pherous, Managing Director, Corporate Travel Management

How Queensland Leaders provided VAE Group with practical professional development opportunities.


Great leaders never stop learning and understand the importance of a growth mindset. Fresh perspectives from outside the industry can drive innovation, challenge complacency and create advantage. A practical way to achieve this is to engage with relevant experts in the field.




To take advantage of growth opportunities in the HVAC sector, it was important for the Managing Director of VAE Group to open up significant professional networks. That’s why the business connected with Queensland Leaders in 2013.

The business was surrounded with Industry Experts who provided ongoing guidance and support. Most recently, VAE Group secured significant equity investment from a European-based global leader to power future expansion.

'Queensland Leaders introduced me to a network of local professionals. With access to the latest thinking outside our industry, I was able to learn fast and make decisions based on an understanding of the obstacles encountered by high-growth companies.'


Ben Carter, Managing Director, VAE Group

How My Berries gained value as part of the high-calibre Queensland Leaders expert and peer community.


Running a business can be daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone. With the right support system, you’ll connect with experienced leaders who understand the challenges and offer real-world solutions. This guidance will help you make smarter decisions and lead with confidence.




With a goal to establish relationships with relevant industry leaders and gain exposure to new ideas, My Berries became involved with Queensland Leaders in 2016. Since that time, the business has achieved significant growth, increased brand awareness and built future capacity.

In particular, Queensland Leaders provided a valuable introduction to a food industry mentor. This mentor has been pivotal in sharing both experience and contacts to help the business to move ahead with greater confidence.

'Our business has been guided in the right direction by the Queensland Leaders community. The people involved have been incredibly generous with their time, support and advice. This whole experience has been above and beyond our expectations.'


Stuart McGruddy, Director, My Berries