Board

John Mactaggart, Chairman

Chairman, Australian Association of Angel Investors Limited
Non-Executive Director, Technology One Limited (TNE)

John has extensive experience across many industries, including export of animal products, food processing, industrial fasteners, manufacturing of building equipment and computer hardware and software. John is a director of a number of companies, including JL Mactaggart Holdings and Associated Construction Equipment Pty Ltd.

John, through JL Mactaggart Holdings, has provided venture capital to many companies. He has played an important role in guiding Technology One Ltd through its formative years as the nominee of JL Mactaggart Holdings, which is a Founding Shareholder of Technology One Ltd. John has been a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors since 1991.

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Jordan Green, Deputy Chairman

Jordan is an experienced executive, entrepreneur, engineer, venture capitalist and Angel investor. He has over twenty-eight years of experience in growing and advising technology oriented companies in Australia, USA, Asia and Europe.

A Silicon Valley software veteran, Jordan was a founding partner of one of the best performing venture capital fund managers in Australia, he is co-founder and Deputy Chairman of the Australian Association of Angel Investors and Jordan founded and leads Angel investor group, Melbourne Angels Inc.

Jordan delivers training on Angel investing, is an invited speaker on Angel investing at international conferences, is a featured speaker at business events and he has been an invited lecturer at Universities in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. A frequent judge for entrepreneurial events, Jordan also advises governments on policy and programmes for the early-stage entrepreneurial space.

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David Malloch

David is the Managing Director of Malloch Digital Design in Canberra, which he started in 1985, since then he has sold out twice including buying back the first business (doing a Bond/Packer). He was the founder of Capital Angels in 2004 and has invested in a few Canberra companies and is a director of one of them. Over 30 companies have presented at Capital Angels, with about 30% attracting funding and mentoring. David is a co-founder and director of AAAI and he was on the steering committee of the Innovation Summit in 2000. He is also the newly elected Vice President of the NSW Business Chamber and a member of the NICTA Electoral College.

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Stewart Gow

Stewart is a Director of EcoScience Investments and assisting several startups in the renewable energy and software sectors. He developed the award winning "Qld Capital Raising Pipeline" business mentoring and investment readiness programs operating in 13 cities. He co-founded Brisbane Angels, Brisbane Clean Technology Angels and the Australian Association of Angel Investors, is an Angel investor in four startups, an Industry Fellow to the UQ School of Business and a judge of the $100,000 UQ Enterprise Business Plan competition. Stewart is the former Australian Vice Consul and Assistant Trade Commissioner for Information Technology in Silicon Valley and started life as a lawyer. Stewart has received the Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association’s Outstanding Service Award, the Friend of Founders Forum award and a National Citation for Excellence in lecturing.

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Nick McNaughton

Nick McNaughton has a strong heritage in IT Investments and has a long track record of helping to build and grow software and web companies. He spent 16 years bringing American technology companies into the Pacific region including Claris, Allaire and Wily Technology. He has been an Angel investor for 13 years investing in 9 start-ups (with three exits, three humane terminations and three still travelling well). In 2007 he established Blue Cove Ventures with backing from Japan. In 2009 he invested in Vocus Communications which listed on the ASX in mid-2010 (ASX:VOC). He remains on the Board. Nick is currently studying for an MBA from the University of South Australia. He is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is the deputy Chairman of Capital Angels and is a Board member of the Australian Association of Angel Investors.

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Ruth Drinkwater, CEO

Over a career spanning 18 years, Ruth has developed experience in innovation and commercialisation activities across the university, government, investment and industry sectors. This experience comprises business management with a focus to achieve competitive outcomes on limited resources and investment management to achieve strategic goals. Ruth has worked with over 60 technology-based start-up companies through their incubation phase, pre and post investment. Her experience across these cultural divides has provided her with a keen understanding and insights into the effects of respective business cultures on business and economic activities in a broad range of industry sectors from biotech through clean tech and ICT to the cultural industries.

Ruth managed teQstart Pty Ltd, a co-investment fund owned by the Queensland Government. During Ruth’s term with the company the portfolio grew from 8 to 27 companies across ag-biotech, biotech, health, devices, ICT and clean tech. Co-investments were undertaken with 16 separate investment groups including venture funds and Angel groups and individuals delivering knowledge, experience and relationships across industries, investment, R&D and professional service communities. Ruth also has general management, product development, strategic marketing, and relationship management experience from Uniseed Pty Ltd, UniQuest Pty Ltd, the Australian Institute for Commercialisation and the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland .

Ruth is currently active in the Brisbane Angel investor community, is a member of Brisbane Angels and the Australian Association of Angel Investors. Her current focus is working with companies, government and the Angel community to build the professional capability of Angel investors and to strengthen investment availability to support early stage seed and start up activities.

Ruth has a Bachelor of Science Degree, a Masters in Business Administration and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Ruth is currently a Director of QUT Creative Industries Pty Ltd (also known as Creative Enterprise Australia) and the State Library Board of Queensland. She is a former Director Women in Technology and Chair of Women in Technology|Biotech.

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