Michael Keeler

Director, Keston Economics

Michael undertakes a range of business case development, grant consultancy, proposal development and research activities for Keston Economics’ clients. He began working for Keston Technologies in 2012, before establishing Keston Economics with Richard Ball in 2020, and has a range of key competencies, including:

• Over a decade of experience researching and writing strategic plans, feasibility studies, business cases and grant applications throughout Western Australia (Great Southern, Mid West, Gascoyne, South West, Peel, Goldfields-Esperance, Wheatbelt, Perth, and Indian Ocean Territories).
• Experience in quickly comprehending advanced or novel concepts and to successfully compile expert documents with in-depth research to support strategic analyses and applications for funding.
  
• High proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative research.
  
• High proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office tools.
  

Career Current

• Director, Keston Economics Pty Ltd.
• Senior Consultant, Keston Technologies Ltd.

Previous

• Equipment technician for Fuji Xerox
• Environmental remediation and employee management at Landscape Revolution
• Various management and leadership roles in hospitality and tourism sectors 

Richard Ball

Director, Keston Economics

Richard has had many years of experience in developing international business in high technology areas. His early career was spent with AEA Technology where he had a number of posts developing business in several areas – the food and drink industry, nuclear programmes, forensic science, materials and technical software. During his time with AEA Technology, he spent time living and working in North America developing business for materials software and services, before returning to the UK as Director of Marketing and Sales for AEA Technology’s nuclear services business, followed by a period of time in the Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions area. 

In 2000, he left AEA Technology to join a small US technical software company, UES Software, Inc. as Vice President of Business Development. In this role, he was responsible for business development teams in the USA and Japan. In 2002, he was appointed the founding Chief Executive Officer of the National Metals Technology Centre (NAMTEC) in the UK. In this role, he successfully built the company and its services to deliver against a range of objectives, including inward investment into South Yorkshire, regional development and support for the metals industry. In 2004, Richard left NAMTEC to set up Keston Technologies in the UK and Australia.

Career Current

• Director, Keston Economics Pty Ltd.
• Managing Director, Keston Technologies Ltd.
• Managing Director, MCPA Software Ltd.

Previous

• Director, AQ2 Ltd.
• Director, Atticus Digital Ltd.
• Director, South Coast NRM Inc.
• Chief Executive, National Metals Technology Centre Ltd.
  
• Vice President, Business Development, UES Software, Inc.
  
• Director, Marketing and Sales, AEA Technology Nuclear Science
  
• Executive and non-executive Director, Forensic Alliance Ltd.
  
• North America Market Manager, AEA Technology, Inc. 

Qualifications

• MBA, Warwick Business School (with distinction)
  
• DPhil, Computational Chemistry, University of Oxford
• MA, University of Oxford, BA (Hons) (First Class), Chemistry, University of Oxford
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
  

Angie Fryer-Smith

Company Secretary, Keston Economics

Angie is Company Secretary of Keston Economics and also the company’s Quality Manager.

With an extensive background in design and marketing, Angie brings highly regarded expertise to the company and our clients. Angie has a diploma in graphic design from CMC, Perth and several years experience in running small businesses, in Australia and overseas.  These skills have been leveraged to good effect for many clients in implementing business development activities. 

Angie also forms part of the overall governance mechanisms in Keston Economics, in her role as Company Secretary, and frequently works on client projects and reports. 

As Quality Manager, Angie oversees the implementation of Keston Economics’ Quality Assurance Policy and procedures.

Kylie Cutten

Associate Consultant, Keston Economics

Kylie is an Associate Consultant at Keston Economics and has over a decade experience in strategic planning, facilitation, community development, and community consultation.

Kylie’s career began as a teacher working and living in remote Indigenous communities. In the 15 years to follow Kylie has been Deputy Principal of Roebourne District High School, worked with the Education Department of Western Australia advising schools on the development of strategic partnerships between communities and industries, and with Woodside developing and implementing a community education based program. Nowadays, Kylie is Founder and Principal of the Australian Facilitation Company.

Kylie holds a Bachelor in Biochemistry and Nutrition from Curtin University, a Graduate Diploma in Education from Edith Cowan University and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment from Studio West.

Kylie works with Keston Economics on project development involving professional facilitation services, community engagement, community consultation and strategic planning.

Rod Shepard

Associate Consultant, Keston Technologies

Rod joined BOC Australia in 1989, and worked in a variety of engineering and operational roles before transferring to the BOC Group Head office in the UK in 1996, where he led a number of global projects to improve productivity and effectiveness by identifying and implementing global Best Practices in Operational, Sales and Commercial disciplines. In 1999, Rod joined the UK Healthcare business as Operations Manager, where he established a quality system for a new business division and developed the first overarching Healthcare Operations Quality strategy to better align internal functions to deliver business objectives. 

In 2002, Rod accepted his first general management role, transferring to Singapore to manage BOC’s East Asian healthcare businesses. The role gave Rod first-hand understanding of leading teams and running businesses in the great diversity of Asia. After returning to Sydney in 2005 to run BOC’s South Pacific Healthcare business, BOC was acquired by The Linde Group and Rod was appointed head of Linde’s first Asia Pacific Healthcare business. The region is extremely diverse, composed of more than a dozen businesses in countries representing half the world’s population, and including some of the wealthiest and poorest nations. 

After six years in the Asia Pacific role Rod left Linde to establish his own business offering strategy consultancy services, and joined Keston Technologies as an associate at the same time. Rod has been involved in a range of feasibility study and business case work with Keston.

Career Current

• Managing Director, Cogence Pty Ltd.
• Associate, Keston Economics.
• Associate, Keston Technologies.

Previous

• Head of Healthcare, Asia Pacific, The Linde Group.
• General Manager, Medical, South Pacific, The BOC Group
• Business Manager, Medical, BC East Asia
• Operations Manager, Medical, BOC UK
• Commercial & Operations Best Practice, BOC Group
• Programme Manager, Best Operating Practice, BOC Group
• Engineering and Operations roles 

Qualifications

• MBA (with distinction), Warwick Business School
• Bachelor of Engineering (First Class Honours), Sydney University