The Pyksis principals, John Hemphill and John Johnston have seen and worked with hundreds of growth organisations; from SMEs to corporates and research organisations.
John Hemphill - Director Programs
John Hemphill is a leading developer and facilitator of business learning programs.
He is the architect and a key deliverer of high growth programs in Victoria, SA and the ACT/S NSW Region to companies ranging in size from start ups to $40m plus annual turnover.
The methodologies developed, which have flowed on to Pyksis’ work with individual clients, are designed to maximise clarity, to illuminate necessary commitment and risk, and to deliver early results. They take into account the environment in which most growth companies work, and the way their managers typically prefer to behave.
The methodologies also place a particular emphasis on the need for effective management teams in high growth SMEs.. Almost every case of SME failure sheets home to the quality its management team.
John is a graduate of the Royal Military College, a Civil Engineer; and also graduated in Economics and Politics. He served in the Royal Australian Engineers including in South Vietnam, before being appointed to the Australian Trade Commissioner Service where he had four overseas posting.
He subsequently served as a direct report in Austrade, including as Chair of the National Export Awards
He and John Johnston formally established Pyksis in 2003.
John Johnston - Director Services
John Johnston has over 23 years’ experience in helping individual companies protect and commercialise their intellectual property.
He has developed effective business strategies, business and marketing plans, information memoranda and IP strategies for organisations, from large multinationals through to SMEs.
He has successfully assisted businesses to commercialise a wide range of technologies including biotechnology, ICT, engineering, fibres and textiles, food processing, mineral processing, gene transfer and primary industry processes.
He is a board member of four SMEs and is active in raising capital from private investors, and business angels. He has been successful in securing a number of sizeable START grants, COMET & State grants and is currently assisting companies access a much broader range of Federal & State grants for rapid growth.
After starting his career in the oil refining and petrochemical industries, John spent approximately fifteen years in water and wastewater treatment. He was singly responsible for the design of the complete circulating water systems for Bayswater and Mt Piper Power Stations in NSW. Since then he has focused on commercialisation.
John graduated as an Industrial Chemist and Chemical Engineer and completed post-graduate Business Administration and Company Director Diploma qualifications. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Member of the Institute of Engineers Australia and a Member of the Licensing Executives Society of ANZ.
John leads Pyksis’ delivery of services to individual clients and has contributed the wealth of his experience to the development of Pyksis’ programs.
Mark Gustowski - Business Development Manager
Mark Gustowski has important and valuable experience in both the public and private sectors having been involved in policy development, program and project management, business planning, tendering, procurement, business development, private equity and capital raising.
Previously, Mark worked for a New York based biotechnology advisory firm assisting biotech-based businesses commercialise new products. Mark also spent time as a Business Development Manager for a Sydney-based technology start-up which raised in excess of AUD$14 million in debt and equity to commercialise its technology platform and undertake competitor acquisitions.
Most recently, Mark spent time working as the Manager of the Business Development Unit for a multi-national contract engineering firm in the United Kingdom where he was responsible for putting together infrastructure proposals in countries including the UK, India, USA, UAE and SE Asia.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Graduate Certificate in Business Computing. In 2002 Mark was selected by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce to study Venture Capital Financing for Early State Technology Businesses at the HAAS School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. Mark successfully completed that course in late 2002.
Mark has a keen interest in technology commercialisation, team dynamics, team building and innovation policy development.
Tel:
+613 8648 6419
Email:
info@pyksis.com
Robert Holgate - Pyksis ACT
Robert Holgate has recently joined Pyksis to manage the operations of Pyksis ACT which will service the needs of those businesses in the ACT and environs, seeking to successfully commercialise their technologies, both in Australia and overseas.
Robert brings to Pyksis ACT his extensive experience in Business Development, Program Management, Business Policy Development and Grant Management, gained through a 10 year career in the Public Sector.
His experience, while at BusinessACT, included working very successfully with a broad range of companies in assisting them with government funding, business development strategies and business network linkages.
His decision to link up with Pyksis provides a basis for strong synergies that will be of considerable benefit for technology companies in the ACT and its environs.
The first example of this is Robert's involvement in the Pyksis Pioneer® programs which are being delivered to selected companies from the ACT and environs, with financial support from AusIndustry & BusinessACT, under the BESB initiative.
Robert has a solid background in education and training and brings to his new position an extensive network of business contacts with capital raising firms, educational institutions, individual business owners, granting bodies and public sector management.
Robert is a director in a family business, so he understands the demands that commercialisation places on SME business owners. He is passionate about and committed to assisting businesses succeed on their commercialisation pathways.