About Us

Malcolm joined the SBP Advisory Board in 2009. His role with SBP is primarily to provide advice to the business owners on the overall business strategy and to contribute to the professional development of SBP's consulting team. From time to time Malcolm provides advice to SBP clients, particularly in the areas of governance, commercial development and complex problem solving.

He has had a long and varied career as a lawyer, chief executive, sports administrator, company director and lecturer. In 2008 he was appointed as a director of Victorian Major Events Company and currently holds positions at the University of Melbourne (Guest Lecturer in Sport, Commerce and Law; Chairman of International Advisory Board of Sports Law) and Deakin University (Adjunct Professor, Business and Law; Chairman of Sport Management Advisory Committee). In 2009 he was appointed as Executive Director/Convenor of the Coalition of Major Professional Sports (COMPS), a national industry group representing the interests of Australia's leading professional sport federations.

Previously, he was the CEO of the International Cricket Council (retiring in 2008) and prior to this, he was the CEO of Cricket Australia from 1997-2001. He has held positions as Executive Chairman of the National Basketball League and Basketball Australia and was a board member of the Australian Sports Commission from 1997 until 2001.

Chris leads the strategy and growth division of SBP.

He has over 12 years direct involvement with the strategic development of the sport business industry in Australia and the USA and was a founder of SBP in 2001. He has specific expertise in problem solving and building better business models within the sport business sector and has consulted to more than 50 international, national and provincial sporting federations, clubs, government and corporate clients. Chris has managed a diverse range of strategic and operational projects within sport including the representation of sport interests to Government, whole of sport and business reviews, business strategy and modelling, commercial development strategy, and sport program evaluation (high performance and development).

Previously, Chris established and led the Australian Trade Commission's sport, marine and racing export program in North America while based in Atlanta between 1994-2000. During this time he consulted directly to Australia's leading sport related innovators generating in excess of $250m in exports and inward investment.

Chris holds a BA (Marketing) from Georgia State University.

T: +61 3 9670 9070

E: chris@sportbusiness.com.au

Paul joined SBP in early 2010 to help drive the Market Research and Consulting divisions of the business. He brings with him a range of experience from both the corporate world and consultancy arena. 

Prior to joining SBP, Paul led the sponsorship measurement and analytics division at BrandAdvantage, a sports marketing and sponsorship consultancy. In this capacity he has evaluated over 30 national and international sponsorship arrangements for both corporate sponsors and sponsored properties, covering sports, arts and not-for-profit sponsorships.   

Previously, Paul has worked within the corporate sector for a manufacturer of playground, recreation and sports equipment where he managed and developed promotional campaigns, brand communications, marketing collateral, sponsorships and events. 

Paul's interest in sports marketing is driven by his passion for sports and the challenges associated with creating successful businesses through integrated marketing strategies. When not at the office, Paul enjoys participating in and watching most sports, in particular football, cricket, tennis, cycling, and swimming.  

 Professional Qualifications

Bachelor of Commerce (Honours in Sports Management), Deakin University

 Areas of Expertise

• Market Research (Sport Organisations)
• Commercial Asset valuation, including media rights
• Brand creation and management (Corporate)
• Sponsorship advisory (Sport/Corporate)
• Event Management (Business/Corporate)

Martin's experience in the sport industry spans twenty years across sporting bodies, agencies, sponsors, merchandise, media and events. Martin joined SBP in late 2007 to develop and direct SBP's market research division.

Martin was previously a Director of Sweeney Sports, recognised as Australia's leading sports and sports sponsorship research agency where his work involved detailed industry, event, sponsorship and broader research studies for various national sporting bodies, sponsors and event organisers. He was involved with the bi-annual Sweeney Sports Report from 1996. Prior to joining Sweeney Research in 1995, Martin worked in the sport and sponsorship industry in basketball and golf in Australia and Canada.

Prior roles include Councillor of the Women's National Basketball League and a Director of the Stanley Park Zoological Society (Vancouver). Currently he is Chairman of Red Dust Role Models, an indigenous role model program that focuses on remote communities in the NT using sport, music and art to deliver key health and well being messages to youth and the wider community.

Professional qualifications and memberships
Business (Monash) (Mktg)
Master of Business (Monash) (Mktg)

• Member of Australian Market and Social Research Society (QPMR)
• Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute (FAMI)

T: +61 3 9670 9063

E: martin@sportbusiness.com.au

Lois Appleby is the former Chief Executive of Tourism Victoria, a senior  position  in the Victorian  Government  which she held from 2001-2006.  Lois then retired from full time work in 2006. Under her management Tourism Victoria became the number one tourism agency in Australia. Lois took an active interest in the positioning and marketing of Melbourne and Victoria through all the major events, but especially for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. 

Prior to her move  to Melbourne  in 2001, Lois was the Chief Executive of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, a position she held for six years. She was responsible for the overall day to day management and marketing of the Games.  The Games were declared "the best ever" by the President of the International Paralympic Committee  raising the standards for all Games to follow.

Previous positions have included Chief Executive of the 1994 World Masters Games (1992 - 1994);  Chief Executive of the Australian Masters Games (1991-1992); General Manager  Tasmanian Department of Sport and Recreation (1986 - 1990); and Project Manager 1985 World Cup Athletics in Canberra (1982 - 1985). Lois is currently a Director of Parks Victoria and Basketball Victoria. Previously, she has been a Director of  Victorian Major Events Company (8 years); Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand (3 years); Basketball Australia (6 years); and the NBL.

Lois is the Honorary Consul for Canada, appointed in 2003. Lois is also an Adjunct Professor with Victoria University in Melbourne where she sits on a Program Advisory Committee, and mentors a group of women graduates who have just commenced their careers. Lois provides advice to SBP clients in the areas of governance, leadership and major events.

Brendan Lynch is a sport industry consultant specialising in strategic planning, governance reform, organisational development, change management and workforce planning. He has worked with international, national, state and local sporting organisations as well as conducting major projects for the Australian Sports Commission including the National Junior Sport Framework Review, serving on the reference group producing the National Sport Plan for People with Disabilities, and later developing the National Framework for Inclusive Sport and Active Recreation, as well as co-writing the SBP report on the Case for Sport in Australia outlining the value of the contribution by sport to Australian society.

Brendan was previously Manager of Corporate Services with Swimming Australia overseeing the organisational reform, operational management, sport development and commercial growth of the sport. The position had a strong focus on policy development, marketing and communication, education and stakeholder relationship management, participation growth and community engagement.

Prior to that, as Program Manager of Volunteer Recruitment for the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG), he headed the team responsible for the successful delivery of the 60,000 volunteers for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Brendan was subsequently awarded the Certificate of Olympic Merit by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He has since acted as an advisor to a number of Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and Asian Games organising committees, including more recently Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 Olympics as well as the IOC's Olympic Games Knowledge Management.

Brendan is a Director of Australian University Sport, Vice President of the ACT Olympic Council, a member of the Advisory Council to Volunteering ACT, a Fellow with the Institute of Sport Management,and a former Chair of the Advisory Council to the ACT Minister for Sport.

E: brendan@sportbusiness.com.au