Principal Advisors

Big Paddle Company Principal Advisers (PAs) are selected based on our experience with them, and as professionals each of them excel in their respective disciplines. We can incorporate any of our PAs into your Big Paddle Company Team, or you can engage them directly. Our Project Management of your Assignment does not impact your investment in their engagement.

Jo Hanlon… Founder of Mind Your P’s
MBA, GAICD & Advisory Board Chair

Jo Hanlon coaches businesses to build great workplaces via optimising their People, Productivity & Potential.

Jo is a Certified Member of HR Coach with over 9 years, working in the areas of HR, Business, Consulting and coaching SMEs across a range of industries.

Through her skills Jo partners with clients to achieve improved business Productivity, IR compliance, People related skill development, improved Performance appraisals with effective feedback Practices.

Jo’s proven techniques;

Revitalise communication Processes & Pathways,
Adjust and develop company values and culture and,
The formation and embedding of company culture by influencing daily activities & behaviours of all staff.

Jo is known for her Integrity, Discretion & Emotional Intelligence.

David Norris… Founder of Active Assist

With David our clients and their teams get the Knowledge, Strength and potential Systems to support experienced, or evolving, Directors, Managers, and their Operational Teams.

His experience honed across 25 years in leadership and management roles (up to executive and board level) in the public sector, private sector, and not for profits. And 15 years as an advisor and consultant to SMEs.

David brings a flexible and comfortable style to meeting your needs, and can quickly solve a particular problem for you or work with you to develop, improve and grow your business for the long term.

His personal style is empathic, easy to work with, and positive at all times, with a unique understanding of business leaders’ needs and personal challenges.

David’s skills have delivered, business growth and profitability, lifted Board and management performance, stretched Strategic thinking, improved communication/reporting and improved the wellbeing for owners, managers and staff.

Niel Jacobsen… Founder of Dane Consulting
GradCertMan (Monash), MAITD, Co-founder Make It Work Foundation.

Niel specialises in building workforce capability, unlocking innovation potential and fostering collaborative practice. With a focus on regional and rural areas, Niel believes that trust, strategic thinking and a common sense of purpose drive successful outcomes.

With more than 25 years’ experience working with business, industry associations, government agencies and local government, Niel encourages clients to fully engage their staff, members and stakeholders in what are essentially, a change management processes.

Adapting contemporary innovation, decision support tools and methodologies for each context, Niel believes in the power of candour, collaborative practice, shared stories and open communication.

Niel enjoys working closely with regionally based clients because of their pragmatic approach, and across Australia, Niel’s commitment, experience and guidance have helped: