Program speakers

John Wylie

Former CEO – PNGSDP

Exposure to a cross section of industries and a broad set of commercial and public policy issues.

• Tackled operational, strategic, transaction, and policy matters in various capacities (public servant, strategy consultant, private equity, entrepreneur, impact investor). 
• Solved unfamiliar problems and “made things happen” in challenging environments.  (managed start-ups, turnarounds, and day-to-day operations).
• Worked in Australia, US, Asia, PNG and Mozambique. 

Recently relinquished my role as MD of PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd. (a Singapore-based impact investor created after the Ok Tedi Mine tailings dam failure). Reset the $2.5 billion fund’s investment strategy to increase its returns and reduce risks. Then allocated the income it generated to build a diversified portfolio of development projects (health, education, infrastructure, agribusiness). 

Previously worked for AgDevCo, another impact investor which provides patient capital and technical support for agribusiness start-ups in Africa. I worked on bringing three large scale project ideas in Mozambique to “investment ready” status (conducted due diligence investigations; developed the business plans; negotiated joint venture arrangements, management contracts, off-take agreements, financing, & legal documentation)

Spent seven and a half years as the hands-on founder and CEO of Inglewood Farms, an early mover in industrial scale organics. Took this start-up from an initial concept to market dominance and then exit via a trade sale. Identified the opportunity and devised a business model to restructure a “cottage industry”. Implemented a vertically integrated supply chain to become Australia’s leading organic chicken supplier to major supermarkets; specialty retailers; restaurants & food service.

Spent 17 years as a strategy consultant advising large corporations on complex issues related to industry structure and competitive dynamics. Worked in manufacturing, mining, transport & logistics, forest products, services, and utilities (initially with PCEK / BCG; then co-founded our own respected strategy boutique before negotiating its sale and moving to the US to launch the buyer’s strategy practice there. Subsequently, spent time as an ad hoc contractor for Port Jackson Partners.

Worked on economic policy issues as Assistant Secretary, Industries Branch, Australian Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (tariff and industry adjustment issues); Assistant Secretary, General Financial & Economic Policy Division, PNG Department of Finance (policy and oversight issues relating to government investment in commercial enterprises and price controls). Provided consulting advice on various corporatisation and privatisation reforms and ACCC’s telecommunications regulatory framework. Visiting Fellow, Chennai Institute of Economic Research (infrastructure financing as input to their deliberations over China’s Belt and Road Initiative).

Held several directorships. Early roles with Byron Holdings (private equity fund); South Pacific Breweries; and Queensland Breweries