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Adam Holmes
Director, Melbourne
I provide strategic finance and corporate advisory services in tertiary education, focusing on strategic and business planning, financial viability, analysis, forecasting, funding structures, market analysis, workforce planning, tenders, systems, risk, and transformation.

Before joining MinterEllison Consulting incorporating Wells Advisory, I served as Chief Financial Officer at The Ripple Group, a business in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector delivering online and face-to-face education. In that role, I provided financial leadership through regulatory changes, technology upgrades, and product launches, helping ensure the company’s stability and growth.

Over the past 20 years, I have held senior finance and executive roles across a range of ownership structures including private equity, ASX-listed, privately owned and not-for-profit organisations working with numerous government departments and regulatory bodies.

I am highly regarded for my ability to navigate the complex regulatory landscape of the education sector, assisting clients with TEQSA and CRICOS applications, financial viability assessments, risk management, business planning, market analysis and mergers and acquisitions. My collaborative approach and in-depth understanding of the sector enable me to help organisations navigate the evolving education and commercial landscape.

Career highlights

  • Provided expert assistance to multiple higher education institutions including TEQSA applications, detailed immigration trend analysis for international student capping, regulatory and commercial support for CRICOS applications, FEE-HELP Applications and ongoing support for entities seeking accreditation as registered Institutes of Higher Education.
  • Significant experience in Mergers and Acquisitions across a range of organisations, both on the buy side and sell side.
  • As interim CEO and CFO of an education business facing regulatory challenges, successfully finalised accreditation processes across three regulators, migrated the business onto a new technology platform, launched new products, and assisted  stabilising the business financially.
  • Led a transformation program that delivered a 25% reduction in group operating costs for a technology platform business through restructures, process simplifications and streamlined business practices.
  • Partnered with the CEO to deliver a programme including supply chain, manufacturing, and overhead benefits through introducing a Sales and Operations planning process and renegotiating supplier costs, resulting in a doubling of earnings over a two-year period.
  • Developed and implemented a "Financing for the Future" plan for a not-for-profit charity that included new diversified revenue channels, contributing significantly to financial sustainability through revenue growth and enhanced brand awareness.
  • Delivered continuous improvement through process optimisation and multiple ERP and LMS implementations including TechnologyOne, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, JD Edwards, aXcelerate and Snowflake.
  • Acted as commercial lead on a major $2 billion successful Defence tender submission, responsible for highly complex commercial assessment, pricing and financial modelling across multiple currencies and jurisdictions. 

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