AQUASIA
TEAM
Angus James
Principal Partner
Angus James
Principal Partner
Angus has over 30 years corporate finance experience. Before establishing Aquasia in 2009, Angus was the Chief Executive of ABN AMRO Australia and New Zealand, a position he held for over 6 years. Angus was also a member of ABN AMRO’s Asian Management Team which oversaw all of ABN AMRO’s retail, investment banking and asset management activities across 17 countries in Asia Pacific.
During Angus’ leadership, ABN AMRO was a leading provider of a broad range of investment banking products in Australia and New Zealand and was recognised as a leading advisory and capital markets house, capable of delivering innovative solutions to its clients.
Angus is the Chairman of Australian Schools Plus and is a past board member of the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority and was also the deputy Chairman of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Angus has a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University, and was awarded a 2008 Alumni Award for Distinguished Service in the fields of Investment Banking, Business Leadership and the Arts.
In 2012, Angus was Co-Chair of a Review of the Australia Council, which reported to the Federal Minister of Arts on the governance and purpose of the Council.
Colin McKeith
Principal Partner
Colin McKeith
Principal Partner
Colin has been involved in the Australian financial markets since 1980 and has developed his career alongside the opening up and deregulation of the banking system. His particular knowledge and experience has been in the development of the derivatives markets, which now is such an integral part of the financial system. Colin’s experience has been across a wide range of disciplines from product development and origination of solutions, right through to trading and distribution roles.
Colin’s most recent role was the head of the Global Markets division of ABN AMRO Australia & New Zealand along with being a member of the management team of ABN AMRO’s worldwide Global Markets division. He was also a board member of ABN AMRO Australia Holdings, the local banking branch of ABN AMRO, and a member of its management team for 11 years.
Prior to joining ABN AMRO Colin spent 14 years at Citibank where he started as a trainee in Money Markets and built up a career in the Derivatives business working in Sydney and London. During Colin’s time at Citibank he was in charge of the Fixed Income activities in Australia, with his last role being the Head of Capital Markets which oversaw all of the Capital Markets and Loan activities for the bank in Australia.
Colin is also a past Non-Executive Director of Wizard Mortgage Corporation and Southern Cross Station (Spencer Street Station).
Kelly Fraser
Kelly Fraser
Kelly is Aquasia’s Chief Operating Officer and has over 15 years’ experience across a broad range of operational roles in financial markets.
Prior to Aquasia, Kelly’s most recent position was Chief Operating Officer of Global Markets for ABN AMRO Australia.
Before this, she worked in ABN AMRO Bank NV’s London office for four years with the latter half of her time there spent as Business Manager for the global G11 rates trading business.
Previously, Kelly spent nine years as a market risk specialist, working at ABN AMRO Australia in Sydney and London, and Bankers Trust in Sydney, in varying capacities. Kelly held risk manager positions for the equities, fixed-income, derivative, treasury/FX and proprietary trading activities at these banks.
Kelly has a Bachelor of Economics from Sydney University.
Daniel Beeby
Assistant Portfolio Manager
Daniel Beeby
Assistant Portfolio Manager
Daniel has over ten years experience in the financial services industry, with roles covering portfolio management and corporate advisory, including valuation, debt refinancing and restructuring, and financial modelling
Prior to joining Aquasia in July 2017, Daniel most recently worked as a Senior Consultant within the Valuations and Business Modelling team at Ernst & Young where he specialised in infrastructure and natural resources
Daniel has also held a number of roles outside of the finance industry, including five years in a Queensland based construction company
Daniel holds a Bachelor of Business in Finance (with Distinction) from Queensland University of Technology as well as an Honours Degree in Finance (First Class) from Queensland University of Technology
Michael Chau
Advisor
Michael Chau
Advisor – Private Credit Origination
Michael has over 10 years experience in banking and property sectors. Prior to joining Aquasia in 2024 Michael most recently worked at Multiple Capital.
Michael’s previous roles include Portfolio Analyst at Welsh Group and an Investment Banking Associate at BMO Capital Markets.
Michael has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and is a CFA charter holder
Michael Cho
Senior Advisor
Michael Cho
Senior Advisor
Michael has over 15 years of investment banking experience spanning M&A, structured finance, capital and ratings, and equity and debt capital market issuance, including hybrids and convertible bonds.
At Aquasia, Michael has advised on public M&A processes, capital strategy, ad debt and equity capital markets raising for clients of various sectors including transport infrastructure, utilities, materials, consumer and State governments.
Prior to joining Aquasia in 2014, Michael began his career in investment banking with ABN AMRO as a graduate in 2006 and holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours from University of NSW.
Tim Dowling
Distribution
Tim Dowling
Distribution
Over the last 7 years Tim has helped retail and institutional investors build optimal portfolios in both Australia and overseas.
Tim joined the Aquasia team in July 2022 and prior to this was at Allianz Retire+. While there he was responsible for conveying the importance of utilising specialised retirement solutions to meet the needs of decumulation investors and was instrumental in the launch of a range of retirement solutions. Tim has also worked at global investment firms Dimensional Fund Advisors and Fidelity International.
Tim holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Macquarie University and is a CFA charter holder.
Penny Hackett
Penny Hackett
Penny has practiced as a finance lawyer for over 30 years, developing a diverse skill set ranging from domestic and cross border lending and structured finance transactions, retail and wholesale funds management, corporate finance and broking and has extensive compliance and governance experience.
After 4 years in private practice at Herbert Smith Freehills, Penny spent 16 years as Legal Counsel at ABN AMRO/RBS prior to joining Aquasia in 2011. She has also held legal, compliance and company secretarial roles at Ausbil Funds Management and CIMB and has extensive leadership experience in the not for profit sector.
Penny has a Bachelor of Economics/Law (Hons) from Sydney University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Patrick Hsiao
Portfolio Manager
Patrick Hsiao
Portfolio Manager
Patrick has over eight years experience in the financial services industry.
Prior to joining Aquasia in July 2022, Patrick most recently worked as a senior investment analyst at the Australian Office of Financial Management where he was responsible for executing and managing securitisation investments on behalf of the Australian government. Patrick has also worked in Macquarie Bank, having gained experience in its securitisation and equity research functions.
Patrick holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with Distinction) from the University of NSW and a Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting.
Dean Lear
Senior Advisor
Dean Lear
Senior Advisor – Private Credit Origination
Dean has over 35 years experience in banking and finance across Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining Aquasia in 2024, Dean was most recently the co-founder of Multiple Capital, a private credit platform.
Dean’s previous roles include Executive Director at Berkeley Capital Partners, Head of Portfolio Management at Export Finance Australia and Head of Loan Structuring and Execution at ABN AMRO.
Dean has a Bachelor of Business majoring in Banking & Finance from Monash University and is a Fellow of FINSIA.
Paul Levitt
Paul Levitt
Senior Advisor
Paul has 15 years of experience in corporate finance and financial markets.
As a Senior Advisor in Aquasia’s corporate advisory team he has advised clients on a range of transactions, primarily in mergers & acquisitions and equity capital markets. He has experience across a range of sectors with a focus on emerging companies.
Paul as advised leading companies on private and public company acquisitions, divestments, takeovers, initial public offerings, equity and debt financings and the development of corporate strategy.
Prior to joining Aquasia in 2013, Paul worked in the M&A / Corporate Finance teams at Deloitte and Austock.
Paul has a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University, Diploma of Applied Finance from Kaplan and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
James McNabb
Portfolio Manager
James McNabb
Portfolio Manager
James has over 30 years experience in the financial markets as a trader and structurer of derivatives.
Before returning to Australia in 2005 he was the global head of credit derivative trading for ABN AMRO and global head of structuring for interest rates and credit.
Prior to joining ABN AMRO he was a senior trader of credit and interest rate derivatives for UBS in London, New York and Singapore where he was co-head of structured credit trading for Asia and had been head of USD interest rate exotics trading.
On returning to Australia he was part of ABN AMRO’s infrastructure finance team and was involved in a number of transactions, including Southern Cross station, Reliance Rail and the purchase of Cross-City.
James has a Bachelor of Science (Physics) from Melbourne University and an MBA in finance from Columbia University.
Stuart Richardson
Stuart Richardson
Distribution
Stuart has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry covering banking, asset management and wealth management.
Prior to joining Aquasia, Stuart was a Director at Credit Suisse AG (Sydney), covering industry super funds, SWF’s, asset managers and family offices in a solutions role focusing on Alternatives. This entailed product and fund origination from Credit Suisse’s Investment Banking and Asset Management divisions.
Before moving to Sydney, Stuart worked at First NZ Capital Securities Limited (renamed Jarden New Zealand) within wealth management. Prior this he was Head of Corporate and Institutional Sales at ABN AMRO New Zealand Limited. Stuart also had a long career at The National Bank of New Zealand (Wellington) where he was Head of Sales in the Financial Markets Division.
Stuart holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Economics (Auckland) and NZX Diploma.
Trent Skeers
Senior Advisor
Trent Skeers
Senior Advisor
Trent has over 16 years experience in financial markets advisory and execution.
Trent joined Aquasia in 2014, having previously worked within the financial markets advisory and execution teams at CIMB, RBS and ABN AMRO since 2005.
Trent’s experience extends across a number of sectors including transport, infrastructure, utilities, gaming, leisure, industrials and financial institutions.
Trent’s experience also spans across optimal structuring, ratings, funding alternatives, liability and risk management, structuring and execution of debt restructurings and refinancing and structuring and executing hybrid and equity-linked securities for clients.
Nick Thomson
Portfolio Manager
Nick Thomson
Portfolio Manager
Nick has over two decades of experience across funds management, financial advisory and equity capital markets.
Prior to joining Aquasia in 2015, Nick was most recently Head of Investment Banking for CIMB Australia, with responsibility for origination of advisory assignments and management of a team of investment banking professionals.
Nick has also worked at UBS AG Australia and JPMorgan Australia and has undertaken a number of significant Real Estate transactions and financial restructuring assignments. Nick has a Master of Economics from Sydney University and is a graduate of the INSEAD Management Program.
Simon Tozer
Senior Advisor
Simon Tozer
Senior Advisor – Private Credit Origination
Simon has over 25 years of banking and finance experience across Australia and Europe. Prior to joining Aquasia in 2024, Simon was most recently the co-founder of Multiple Capital, a private credit platform.
Simon has also held the roles of Managing Director at Nomura Securities in Melbourne and Executive Director at ABN AMRO in Melbourne and London.
Simon has a Master of Business Administration form the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Monash University.