Michael O'Neill
Director

Michael is a merchant banker with more than 25 years experience in Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. He established Pacific Capital in 1983.

Michael is a Director of several Australian and New Zealand public and private companies, including Sedimentary Holdings Ltd and Isentropic Systems Limited. He is also Deputy Chairman of the Board of Centacare and Chairman of the Centacare Foundation Ltd.

His turnaround management and business restructuring experience in Australia, the UK and New Zealand covers aviation, horticulture, gold-mining, fertiliser manufacturing, food-manufacturing, radio and television, aquaculture, brewing, merchant banking, stockbroking and funds management.

An example is, in 1999 Michael was seconded to a major New Zealand food-manufacturing and distribution company as Executive Chairman. He oversaw the turnaround of a loss to a substantial profit and achieved a large increase in shareholder value in seven months.

Earlier he was appointed as an independent Director of Bell Resources Limited (with the approval of the National Companies and Securities Commission - now the Australian Securities and Investment Commission). In this role he carried out the contract renegotiations and supervised the acquisition of the Tooheys, Castlemaine and Swan Breweries, which were purchased by Bell Resources. Michael played the leading role in establishing the basis for the subsequent joint venture with Lion Nathan.

Previous appointments include Managing Director of a merchant bank in the UK and Director of a number of Australian and New Zealand public and private companies.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (majoring in Accounting) from Macquarie University. He is a Member of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a committee member of the Business Turnaround Association.