Shane de Gelder CEO

Life has always been eventful for CEO Shane de Gelder, sometimes in a positive and inspiring way, and many times in a much more challenging and almost impossible way. He is the first to tell you he is a product of both his good and bad decisions, but he believes that all those decisions, along with their eventual ramifications, shape and mold a person to be a strong and robust citizen of the Universe. This journey has also led him to focus on business process improvement, especially in the realm of mergers and acquisitions, where he leverages his experiences to drive success.

At the age of 19, CEO Shane de Gelder took a bank loan with the support of a work colleague and opened his first Dive 'N' Surf store in Dandenong, Victoria, Australia. Through strategic business process improvement, by the age of 28, he owned and operated three Dive 'N' Surf stores and one Snow Skiing store, all located in the suburbs of Melbourne, showcasing his success in mergers and acquisitions within the retail sector.

* In 1980 (age 24), CEO Shane de Gelder became the youngest qualified PADI Professional Diving Instructor in Australia.  

* In 1980, as President of the Dandenong Skindiving Club, he initiated the first known ‘Clean Up Australia Campaign’, organizing beach and bay floor clean-ups by divers in Victoria, starting at Mornington Pier. This event has since evolved into a national effort still thriving today.  

* From 1985 to 1990, he operated a team called East Coast Divers, which focused on salvage, rescue, and even training commercial drivers for operations on offshore oil rigs.  

* In 1991, Shane experienced a significant career shift, becoming the first Australian to export fresh Australian flowers to the Philippines, where he grew to become the largest flower importer in that country over the next seven years.  

* From 1992 to 1997, he created and hosted the National Philippine Flower Show, which developed into a prominent national event.  

* During this time, Shane became well-known to Austrade as an experienced and aggressive Australian in Asia. He was contracted at different times to assist Australian companies in Asia, including a fire extinguisher exporter to Japan and The Original Juice Company to Singapore. He also played a key role in assisting the ANZ Bank in establishing their first branch in Manila. His contributions often led to invitations to Ambassadorial functions in Singapore and Manila as part of his services to the Australian Government.  

* From 1999 to 2004, Shane underwent another career transformation, co-managing an RMIT subsidiary technology company called Tradercom, which was instrumental in developing the first online accommodation booking system in Australia for the Hunter Valley Tourist Information Centre. This experience further honed his skills in business process improvement.  

* In 2006, at the age of 50, he transitioned to the motor industry, becoming the Kia Sales Manager for City Kia in Melbourne. By 2007, he had advanced to Group Fleet Manager for the City Group of car dealerships, which included three locations and six brands.  

* In 2010, following the impact of the GFC on the car industry, Shane was appointed as CEO for the new finance company National Fleet Australia.  

* In 2013, he took on the role of GM of the new HIA Vehicles business initiated by the Housing Industry Association, where he served for five years.  

* In 2018, he and his wife Natcha established a wellness massage shop in Williamstown, Victoria.  

* In 2020, COVID lockdowns forced them to close that business, which had developed a loyal patronage of over 500 locals and employed five staff. During this challenging time, they learned that their oldest daughter had cancer.  

* After Jewels' passing, Natcha and Shane were given the opportunity to partner with a Middle Park property owner to set up a wellness centre, marking the beginning of Jewel’s wellness legacy.  

* Customer Smart International Pty Ltd was established in 2014 by Shane and has been operational for 12 years, overseeing the family's businesses and assisting others with mergers and acquisitions to enhance their enterprises.

CEO Shane de Gelder is an expert at evaluating a new business and its likelihood of success. Even if the concept is strong, it can still fail if essential ingredients are missing. The goal is to set up a successful business, focusing on business process improvement to make it valuable. Achieving this requires certain elements of carefully orchestrated formulae to align. Shane is the first to admit he did not always get it right in the past, particularly in the realm of mergers and acquisitions. However, he learned from those mistakes, and as time went on, following certain principles made it easier to succeed.

For your business to achieve significant growth, owners and management must embody essential qualities such as strong leadership. Our leadership development programs, guided by CEO Shane de Gelder, will assist you in cultivating the skills necessary for effective leadership in the context of business process improvement, especially during transitions like mergers and acquisitions.

We provide comprehensive M&A services to assist you in navigating the complex process of mergers and acquisitions effectively. Under the guidance of CEO Shane de Gelder, we focus on business process improvement to ensure a smooth transition and long-term success.