The Bridge International

With FY24 behind us David McDonald and I wanted to reach out to our clients, colleagues, and friends with a brief update from The Bridge International. The attached update includes an overview of our growth, new hires Natalie Kidcaff, Maria De Fina Stavrinides and recent board appointment of John Stewart Simpson. We have launched our new specialist customer experience business called CXO2 and a new 'Culture, Leadership and Capability' practice. We touch on the headwinds from F24 and the parliamentary enquiry into the consulting services provided to the Australian Government. We outline our sponsorships with the #Insuranceindustry and mutual’s sector Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM). We look forward to attending key events in the coming months, including the Annual Insurance Council of Australia conference in Brisbane and InsureTech Connect in the USA - one of the biggest #fintech conventions in the world. We also want to thank all our amazing clients and team members that have supported us through the last financial year. Wishing them all the best of luck in FY25. Please click on this link to read more.. The Bridge is a non-traditional management consulting team operating in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and North America. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are not career consultants. We are practitioners—successful executives and subject matter experts who have worked in business and walked in the shoes of our clients. David McDonald Sara Elmstrom Benjamin Coleman David Vincent Lewis Pullen David Russell Chloé James Holly Jonas Graeme Browne Nick Le Fevre Sara King Mitisha Paleja Lachlan Blake Hayden Blaskett Danny Camerotto Brendan Gale Matt Pugliese Peter Hughes Dale Clifford Ian Edgell Paul Thatcher Jeromie Weatherburn Natalie Kidcaff David Vincent Stuart Brown https://lnkd.in/gJPeg9if

We appreciate Insurance News for highlighting the appointment of Maria De Fina Stavrinides as Practice Lead for our Culture, Leadership & Capability Practice. Maria's energy, brilliance and passion for culture and leadership are evident in everything she does. We are certain that Maria will continue to deliver tremendous value to our clients at The Bridge International and CXO2, as well as to our own business. Stuart Blake David McDonald Sara Elmstrom Lewis Pullen Stuart Brown Benjamin Coleman David Vincent Chloé James David Russell John Stewart Simpson

Organisational excellence hinges on #culture - from the board room to the frontline! At The Bridge International, our management consulting roots lie in the Bridge Triple Play - culture, customer, and commercials. We've partnered with organisations that share our belief in the power of a high-performing culture to drive exceptional customer outcomes and sustainable commercial success. I'm thrilled to announce Maria De Fina Stavrinides as the new Practice Lead for Culture Leadership & Capability. Maria brings extensive industry expertise, having worked and consulted with renowned brands like Qantas, Westpac, IAG, NSW Police, and Icare. Her track record of cultural and leadership transformation across various sectors makes her an invaluable addition to our team. As Australian workplaces evolve at a rapid pace, prioritising people and culture has never been more essential for business success. By fostering a positive organisational culture that values employee well-being, engagement, and growth, companies can build a resilient and motivated workforce—one that can adapt to change, driving innovation, and stand out in a competitive market. I’ve had the pleasure to work with Maria for over 20 years in corporate life and when she ran her own management consulting business. I am now delighted to have her as a permanent leader in our business. Maria lives and breathes that people are the heartbeat of all organisations and it is through their commitment and contributions, the organisation and its customers thrive. Welcome Maria. If you're keen to learn more about our Culture, Leadership & Capability practice, let's connect and delve into everything about people. https://lnkd.in/gFV_7Bbj The Bridge is a non-traditional management consulting team operating in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and North America. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are not career consultants. We are practitioners—successful executives and subject matter experts who have worked in business and walked in the shoes of our clients. Maria De Fina Stavrinides David McDonald Sara Elmstrom Stuart Brown David Vincent Lewis Pullen Benjamin Coleman David Russell Chloé James Gary Dransfield Sue Houghton Paul Keating Simone Tregeagle Tony Dodd Mario P. Rob Scott Brad Joyce Shaun Feely Paul Cassidy #TheBridgeInternational #Culture #Leadership #Capability #Enagagement #People #Innovation #growth

🌟 We are pleased to announce the appointment of Maria De Fina Stavrinides as the Practice Lead for Culture, Leadership & Capability at The Bridge International! 🌟 With nearly three decades of experience working with iconic brands, Maria has a proven track record of driving transformational performance outcomes through culture development strategies, leadership excellence, and organisational alignment. Her deep expertise spans various industries, including finance, health, transport, sport, media, and community. At The Bridge International, we believe that culture is the backbone of strategy—a driver of results and a commitment to doing the right thing. Under Maria's leadership, our Culture, Leadership & Capability practice will continue to support businesses in maximising performance and optimising potential at every level. Join us in congratulating Maria on her appointment as we continue our journey toward organisational excellence. 🎉 https://lnkd.in/g9YsGftX Stuart Blake David McDonald Sara Elmstrom Lewis Pullen Stuart Brown David Vincent Benjamin Coleman Sara King Paul Thatcher Holly Jonas Graeme Browne Hayden Blaskett Mitisha Paleja Lachlan Blake Simone Darmanin Nick Le Fevre Dale Clifford Brendan Gale CXO2 #Leadership #CultureTransformation #OrganisationalExcellence #TheBridgeInternational #Consulting #Growth #Capability

We appreciate Insurance News for highlighting the launch of CXO2. As a specialist consulting business, our practitioner team is passionate about transforming customer experience. We work collaboratively with clients to find pragmatic ways to address their CX challenges, providing strategic guidance and hands-on support to help breathe new life into customer experience. https://lnkd.in/gtG4gd_c Sara Elmstrom Stuart Blake Stuart Brown Lewis Pullen Benjamin Coleman David Vincent Chloé James Holly Jonas Paul Thatcher Mitisha Paleja Hayden Smith Lachlan Blake Brendan Gale Peter Hughes Danny Camerotto Dale Clifford Maria De Fina Stavrinides Sara King David Russell The Bridge International #CX #strategy #culture #customer #CXO2 #TheBridgeInternational #InsuranceNews #consulting

Today, at The Bridge International we are delighted to announce the launch of our new specialist consulting business, CXO2, which is dedicated to helping businesses breathe new life into #CustomerExperience (CX). It is no secret that #CX is fast becoming the key battleground for competitive advantage. Changing consumer expectations and the fight for talent coupled with the acceleration of emerging tech and AI is creating significant challenges (and opportunities) for CX across industries. Under the experienced leadership of the CEO Sara Elmstrom, CXO2 will work alongside business leaders to drive CX transformation across Strategy, Operating Model, Customer Journey Design, Organisational Health Checks, Operational Transformation, Digitisation, Channel Optimisation, and Culture, Leadership and Capability. Sara has been a Partner at The Bridge for nearly seven years and has successfully built our Customer & Operations practice working with our clients to foster deep customer experiences for leading brands. She had also walked in the shoes of our clients having managed large scale customer operations for Wesfarmers, IAG, CCI, Virgin, AXA, TalkTalk and Coles. CXO2 has a team of customer-obsessed experts, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the competitive CX landscape and achieve sustainable, meaningful improvements in customer satisfaction and loyalty. https://lnkd.in/gkBi66wq I cannot wait to see CXO2 lead and breathe new life into customer experience in Australia. CXO2 is fully owned by The Bridge International. The Bridge is a non-traditional #managementconsulting team operating in Australia, New Zealand, UK and North America. We pride ourselves on the fact we are not careeer consultants. We are practitioners; successful executives and subject matter experts who have worked in business and walked in the shoes of our clients. David McDonald Chloé James David Russell Stuart Brown Benjamin Coleman David Vincent Lewis Pullen Dale Clifford Mitisha Paleja Holly Jonas Maria De Fina Stavrinides Hayden Blaskett Lachlan Blake Graeme Browne Nick Le Fevre John Stewart Simpson Danny Camerotto Matt Pugliese Paul Thatcher Brendan Gale

As the proud Platinum sponsor, The Bridge International was thrilled to be a part of the Insurance Council of Australia’s 2024 Annual Dinner. An evening filled with thought-provoking conversations about the future of the Australian General Insurance industry. Our Partner at The Bridge, Sara Elmstrom and CEO of CXO2 (stay tuned launching soon), delivered an inspiring address highlighting the vital role of insurance in protecting people, businesses, and communities, and the unique value our team brings with our extensive industry experience. Thank you to The Honourable Stephen Jones MP, Nick Hawkins, Andrew Hall and Kylie Macfarlane for their invaluable insights during the evening. Together, we continue to build a resilient future for the Australian insurance industry. I particularly liked the #teamaustralia approach by the industry and Federal Government representing Australia on the global stage to attract capital and assist the increasing challenges of affordability. In addition to the great back drop of the Australian Art Gallery, was humbing to reconnect with so many colleges, partners and personal friends. Enjoyed the many conversations and stories shared. We truly have amazing people and business’s across the industry. *Photographed by permission at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Artwork courtesy of John Pule and Gow Langsford Gallery David McDonald Holly Jonas Lachlan Blake Benjamin Coleman Nick Le Fevre Mitisha Paleja Lewis Pullen Graeme Browne David Russell Chloé James #ICA2024 #TheBridgeInternational #PlatinumDinnerSponsor #IndustryInsights #InsuranceIndustry #Learnings #NetworkingEvent Read more about the event in our latest blog post

At The Bridge International, we celebrated International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8th, at The Opera House. We take immense pride in our vibrant culture of inclusivity and diversity, where every voice matters. On this special occasion, we honoured the remarkable women in our team who contribute their unique talents and perspectives. Together, let's #InspireInclusion, #CountHerIn, #InvestInWomen, #AccelerateProgress, and promote #WomenInLeadership and #WomenInBusiness. Here's to embracing equity and celebrating the achievements of women everywhere! 💪💼 Stuart Blake Sara Elmstrom Holly Jonas Lewis Pullen Stuart Brown David McDonald David Vincent Benjamin Coleman Mitisha Paleja Lachlan Blake Hayden Smith

Are you attending The Australian Financial Review Business Summit next week? This year’s speaker panel - which includes Bran Black, Chief Executive Business Council of Australia, and Danielle Wood Chair Productivity Commission - will discuss what lies ahead for the Australian economy and Australian business. Our team will gain uniquely valuable insights & perspectives to be applied both within our company and on behalf of our clients, helping shape the winning strategies of the future. We’re particularly interested to hear from Vicki Brady, CEO Telstra and her fellow panellists on key business issues including; weak productivity, increased regulatory risk, working from home, and generative AI. Looking forward to sharing learnings from the event with our community! The Bridge International is a non-traditional #managementconsulting team operating in Australia, New Zealand, UK and North America. We pride ourselves on being practitioners; successful executives and subject matter experts who have worked in business and not career consultants. Sara Elmstrom David McDonald Stuart Blake Stuart Brown Lewis Pullen Benjamin Coleman David Vincent