John is the principal deal originator with an extraordinary depth of knowledge of the Australian equipment finance industry including the establishment of several major Vendor Finance companies for international equipment manufacturers; Residual Value Investment vehicles and a large number of significant syndicated equipment finance facilities – many exceeding $100M. Particular strengths include outstanding structuring and credit underwriting capabilities coupled with an unparalleled personal network of senior decision makers within the domestic Institutional, Corporate and Commercial Banking and Finance sector.He founded the ASF Group in 1984.

With over 35 years of high level industry experience, John’s IP is his extraordinary connectivity and reach at multiple levels from CEO and Executive team down within every Bank, Financier, Annuity Fund and Investor in Equipment and Asset finance active within the Australian domestic markets both directly and through his engagement with the Banking sectors peak industry bodies- originally via the Australian Equipment Lessors Association “AELA” from 1986. He was elected onto the AELA Council in 2003; was elevated to Deputy Chair in 2006-2007 and then Chairman in 2007-2008 by his peers and represented AELA during negotiations for its absorption into the Australian Finance Industry Association “AFIA”, completed in late 2017 (www.afia.asn.au) . He remains the most experienced and longest serving member on the current Equipment Finance Division Council within AFIA, reflecting his extensive industry standing.

John was a Director of the Abbotsleigh School Foundation from 2001 to 2012 with a heavy fundraising and community engagement emphasis. He has maintained significant involvement with Variety the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT since 2006 as a “Bash” participant, raising and donating over $1.00 million through ASF, its clients and financiers. He has been on the Variety NSW/ACT Board and Chair of various Committees since 2012; was Deputy Chairman of Variety NSW/ACT from 2015-2017 and is the current 2018-2020 Board Chairman. He has been a Board Member of Variety Australia since 2018 and is one of eleven Directors of Variety International based in Los Angeles, USA. All of these roles have been on a voluntary basis.

An accountant by profession, Shane has over 40 years of experience in senior accounting and management roles within Publicly Listed and large private companies, including 28 years in the construction industry with Abigroup Limited; Bilfinger Berger Australia; Valemus Limited and Lend Lease. Senior roles have included Company Secretary, General Manager Treasury and Board Director.

Career highlights have included the successful placement of a AUD1.00 Billion syndicated banking facility; obtaining an S&P credit rating for the Valemus Limited IPO; establishing and running an offshore captive insurance company for Abigroup and the general management of tax, insurance and treasury requirements of the Abigroup, Baulderstone and Conneq group of companies.

Shane also provides corporate advisory services to select clients in addition to managing ConGen Insurance Brokers.

Jose is the founding partner of Blanco Partners http://www.blancopartners.com/ , an independent advisory group focused on the markets of Australia, Latin America and Spain, that was established in 2012 and is based in ASF’s Sydney offices.

Prior to establishing Blanco Partners, Jose spent 22 years managing the Australian operations of Spain’s largest bank, Banco Santander, and before that was a partner in the Australian law firm, Bodors, and later a consultant to the law firm, Cutler Hughes and Harris.

Jose is currently chairman of the Australia-Latin America Business Council, a counsellor of Dragoman Global and an advisor to several foreign companies and legal firms operating in Australia with interests or aspirations in Spain and Latin America, most recently including international law firm, Clyde & Co.

Jose previously served as the Deputy Chairman of the Australian Government’s Council on Australia Latin America Relations from 2001 to 2010, as President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Australia from 2001 to 2008, and as a member of the Advisory Council of the Institute for International Studies of the University of Technology, Sydney from 1997 to 2001.

Jose’s work in championing the commercial links between Australia and Spain and Latin America has been recognised by the awarding to him of Spain’s ‘Orden de Mérito Civil’ in 1992, Chile’s ‘Orden de Bernardo O’Higgins’ in 1995 and in 2001 the ‘Orden Olímpica’ by the Spanish National Olympic Committee.

Donovan has worked in senior management roles in Australia and overseas for leading multinational organisations and has managed some of Australia’s largest brand and product portfolios. Donovan’s experience covers Executive Director and Executive General Management roles in multinational consumer products and manufacturing groups (Electrolux Home Products and Rothmans International), where he ran country market and global responsibilities with billion dollar plus annual sales revenues and was responsible for Marketing, Sales, Logistics, Export and Product Development.

As Program Head for Sponsorship and Business Development; Sydney Organizing Committee for the 2000 Olympic Games, Donovan was part of the fundraising team that achieved its objective to raise a revenue target of $650 million from corporate Australia. He also negotiated the tripartite deal with government and the asset owners, Energy Australia to place all power lines underground at the Homebush Olympic Park precinct.

In 2004, Donovan joined the private equity industry to provide corporate advisory services to Australian SME’s including high growth companies looking to expand and early stage ventures seeking to commercialise new technologies. Donovan retains interests in companies introduced through his corporate advisory practice.

Currently, Donovan is Chairman of two Advisory Boards with Coraggio www.coraggio.com.au where he is actively involved in mentoring and advising the business owners/CEO/MDs of a broad range of companies in diverse industries ranging from $10 million to $300+ million in sales turnover, operating locally and internationally.

He is also on the boards of a number of private firms and consults on business strategy and leadership with Navorgators Business Advisory www.navorgators.com.au which he founded in 2007.

John is an experienced business development strategist and implementer, with the ability to assist companies that are in a rapid expansion mode or seeking to develop new ventures.

John’s career spans chartered accounting, financial advisory, project management, commercial and manufacturing operations, Board representation, venture capital and investment banking.

In the capital markets arena, John has been involved in projects where he successfully raised in excess of AU$400 million in funds and in structuring new and established business ventures. He has also undertaken due diligence of targeted businesses for M&A activity; prepared companies for capital offerings; directly led the participation in investment offering presentations to institutional, professional and high net worth investors; and identified and implemented the mechanisms, timing and ultimate execution of exit strategies.

John was formerly co-founder and managing director of an Australia-New Zealand boutique structured finance and venture capital organization that held substantial management and financial interests in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, consumer technology and hotel and leisure industries. He also served as an in-house member of the executive and as an advisor to the board of a substantial trans-Tasman pharmaceuticals group in preparation for an IPO on the Australian and Hong Kong stock exchanges.

John’s current role is managing director of THN Pty Limited, an Australian Financial Services and Credit License holder providing financial and investment advisory, funds management and direct funding services to Australian small and medium-sized businesses.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, John has a wide network of business contacts spanning Australasia, mainland China, the U.S.A., and Europe.