Checkside
Our team consists of experienced business owners, CEOs, investors and board members
About Checkside
We know from first-hand experience the joys and pains of navigating growth and transformational change
Established in 2004, we have partnered with over 700 businesses during our 18 year journey to tackle challenges, solve problems and deliver results for businesses and business owners.
We’ve worked with everything from well-funded start-ups to established operations with thousands of employees – across almost every industry.
So no matter what your scaling or transformational challenge is, you’re in safe hands.
Our purpose
To help businesses to reach their full potential
Our Values
Our Values guide the decisions we make and the actions we take every day.
Make an Impact
Client centric. Always seek to add value. Care about quality outcomes. Know when to go the extra mile.
Down To Earth
Be approachable. Keep it simple. Tell it like it is. Be humble. Admit and learn from mistakes.
One Team
The whole is always greater than the sum of the parts. Embrace the team rhythm. Have each other’s backs and step up when needed. No heroes, no passengers.
Our Point of Difference
Emerging and mid-market specialists.
Senior expertise gained from lived experience.
Fit for purpose IP.
Our Team
Sam Willis
Managing Director
Sam worked in investment banking and wealth management prior to spending 10 years in the corporate advisory space. He worked with a number of emerging listed companies prior to founding, developing and leading a listed resources company that completed a major farm-in agreement with Conoco Phillips.
Sam is an experienced executive and non-executive director, with skills running across strategy, corporate finance and governance. Sam is a trusted mentor and coach to a select number of senior and developing executives.
Scott O’Hehir
Director
Scott has been advising businesses for over 15 years and is an expert at helping clients formulate and implement strategies, structures and management systems required to successfully grow.
Scott developed the Checkside High Performance Operating System and Leadership Turbocharge course to meet the needs of emerging and mid-market businesses. Scott has been recognised for his success in business turnaround projects and is a former committee member of the Turnaround Management Association. Scott is a trusted mentor and coach to a select number of senior and developing executives. Scott holds tertiary qualifications across Management, Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management, as well as post-graduate qualifications in Applied Finance.
Katie Cook
Client Director
Katie (B.Com, BSc) has worked in senior roles focused on developing/training people and driving performance in organisations.
Katie’s experience has been gathered through consulting roles with Deloitte as well as senior internal management roles at one of Australia’s leading private family businesses – Stratco. Katie furthered her career with Deloitte (UK) as a manager in the Learning and Development team for Deloitte Consulting UK, focusing on development and implementation of a broad range of leadership and core consulting skill programs. Katie’s commercial and financial acumen is underpinned by degrees in Commerce and Science (Mathematics and Psychology) from the University of Melbourne.
Mike Parker
Client Director
Mike has 25 years of leadership and management experience across both large listed corporates and mid-market companies, providing deep expertise around financial services and wealth management.
With a specialist background in relationship sales, product positioning and business models, Mike has a well-developed understanding of the intricacies of building and managing high performing teams. Mike’s work with mid-market and family owned businesses has also provided a solid understanding of succession planning needs for clients.
As a long term member of The Executive Connection (the world’s oldest peer coaching and mentoring organisation), Mike has developed unique people skills and excelled as an innovative and creative problem solver for companies large and small.
Chris Bates
Advisory Board
Chris was founder of Checkside in 2004 and has transitioned to CEO of fast-growing, family-owned agribusiness group Waringa.
He has a background in financial services and succession planning and has been advising businesses for over 20 years. Chris holds Bachelor of Business from Curtin University, is a graduate of the AICD company directors course (GAICD) and has completed various finance qualifications from the Securities Institute of Australia (SIA) and the ASX.
John Beech
Advisory Board
John has held various senior executive positions across the mining, energy and technology industries. He was a senior executive and director of NYSE and ASX listed Orbital Corporation from 1987 until 2002. He was also an award-winning Chair for the international CEO leadership group, The Executive Connection (TEC) for 15 years.
Since 2003, John has provided consulting and advisory services to assist companies to commercialise their technologies into global markets. John has been a director of publicly listed companies and is currently on the advisory board of several private companies. He continues to provide leadership development, coaching and mentoring services within companies and to a select number of senior and developing executives.