Len McDowall & Reuben Buchanan - specialist in raising venture capital

Len McDowall

Managing Director

Len McDowall was previously inaugural Chairman and Managing Partner of Bird Cameron, Chartered Accountants, which employed 1000 people in 50 offices in Australia and Hong Kong. Len established Bird Cameron's mergers and acquisitions division in 1987.

Len McDowall has extensive experience in all facets of financial management with a particular emphasis on structuring and negotiating joint ventures and capital raisings. Following his retirement from the accounting profession Len McDowall and his partners established the Integral Capital Group. Len specialises in mergers and acquisitions, public floatation's, the creation of financial management strategies and capital management, and has successfully completed hundreds of transactions in these fields.

Len McDowall and his partners also support emerging businesses with research, financial and advisory services. Len McDowall is an expert in capital and debt raising and has the ability to source funds for your business from a wide range of investment and finance industry sources.

Len McDowall is also a respected and active author on the Internet syndicating his informative articles on investment, capital raising, private equity funding, Pre-IPO Opportunities, IPO Plans, Wholesale Investing, Floating your Company on the ASX, and How to Write a Business Plan to raise capital, a 12 part series. Len McDowall has achieved 'Expert Author' status on many author/article sites, if you would like to read Len's articles please see our Media page. Read additional information on Len McDowall's Blog or visit Len McDowalls Linkedin profile.

Reuben Buchanan

Corporate Advisor

Reuben Buchanan has 14 years experience in the investment, stock market and financial media industry. In 2001, he founded of Wealth Creator Magazine, a highly regarded business and investment publication. As part of the Wealth Creator brand, Reuben also established a national events business, Wealth Creator Books, Wealth Creator Radio Show and the Wealth Creator TV Show which aired on Foxtel in 2005. He also co-authored a book titled Australia's Wealth Creators with Jonathan Jackson. Reuben Buchanan sold the Wealth Creator Group in 2005 and then joined Integral Capital Group as a corporate advisor.

In the past, Reuben Buchanan has been interviewed by various publications including ABC Online, BT Weekly, Leadership and Publish Magazine. He and has spoken at RMIT University, Melbourne University (EIC), Sydney University and Australian Institute of Management. He has also featured on CPA Australia's Lets Plan a Business DVD. Today he speaks regurlarly on topics related to raising capital and becoming investor ready. He is a guest speaker and co-host at the Australian IPO Summit which will be run in Sydney on 23-25th July 08, as well as the Sydney Wealth Symposium on the 6-8 June 08.

Reuben specialises in assisting private and public companies with becoming investor ready and raising equity capital from investors. Reuben is involved in all Integral Capital transactions and works closely with the clients in order to achieve the best outcome in the desired timeframe.

Reuben is also the co-founder and director of Think Big magazine, a personal development magazine that was launched in Australia in April 08. He is also the co-founder of Wholesale Investor which connects private investment opportunities with private equity and wholesale investors. He also writes regularly for Australian Anthill magazine, on topics ranging from capital raising to investor pitches.

Reuben is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and AVCAL.

John C Young

Senior Corporate Advisor

John has over 25 years’ corporate experience including principal roles in private equity, public market capital raising, corporate strategy and acquisitions, corporate governance, and management consulting.

Up until 2000, John was Director of Corporate Development at Boral Limited, where he led the strategic planning and major acquisition and disposal initiatives for the group. Prior to this, John worked at Patrick Corporation (formerly Lang Corporation) identifying, acquiring and managing many of the major investments of the group. John served as an Executive Director for Patrick, taking responsibility for the group’s strategic development, including port lease negotiations, terminal development and automation.

Previously, John worked with the management consultants McKinsey & Company, serving clients in a variety of industries in Australia, Europe, and the United States. This included extensive work in the banking, telecommunications, defence, electricity utility and agribusiness industries.

John holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mech) from Sydney University and a Master in Business Administration from Harvard University. He currently serves as industry representative of the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering on the Board of Engineering Sydney at Sydney University.

John’s interests are in developing and raising capital for small and mid-cap companies in Australia, Europe and North America and is a Principal advisor at KTM Capital, an equity capital markets group that leads primary (IPO) and secondary corporate offerings for ASX listed companies. He serves as a nonexecutive director of Pacific Development Capital Limited and Antaria Limited.

John F. Diddams

Director - Corporate Advisory

John has over 30 years financial & business experience, having acted in a variety of roles including Director, CEO, CFO and Company Secretary, of both private & public listed companies, in Australia and UK. In addition to line management responsibilities, John has either managed, or participated at senior level, in numerous ASX listings, private and public capital raisings, debt arrangements, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures and other corporate transactions.

For the past 10 years, John has managed his own CPA Corporate Advisory firm during which time he has raised over $100m capital for 12 SME companies and listed 5 of them on the ASX. See www.jfdcpa.com.au for full resume and business references.

John holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons, Accounting), is a Fellow of the Australian Society of CPAs and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has completed the AICD Company Directors residential course and has extensive practical experience in the application of the Australian Corporations Law, ASX Listing Rules, Australian and International Accounting Standards and Corporate Governance Guidelines.

John is very goal orientated and process driven, has a reputation for “getting the job done, on time and on budget” and has had extensive experience in the business planning, management of, and capital raising for, start-up, emerging, growth & SME companies in a wide variety of business sectors.

Barry J Driscoll

Senior Corporate Advisor

Barry has over 35 years experience in all aspects of marketing, management and product development in the Investment Banking and Finance Industry, including several years as a self-employed corporate advisor. Prior to August 2008, he spent 13 years with The Bank of New York Mellon identifying business's who have potential to sell their products, technology and services on the international stage and then assist them to identify the appropriate vehicle to access the US Capital Markets.

Barry has an intricate network of contacts and key figures crucial in the process of raising funds in the cross boarder capital markets. Prior to his role at The Bank of New York he spent 5 years as Finance Director/Group General Manager of a private banking and financial services organisation. Previously he spent time with Citibank Ltd, Hambros Ltd, Euro Pacific Ltd and Scandinavian Pacific Ltd.

Barry holds a Diploma of Accounting and is a graduate of the Mt. Eliza Business School obtaining several professional memberships including The Finance and Treasury Association and Australian Institute Company Directors.

Hani Iskander

Corporate Advisor

Hani has been involved in the areas of business creation, development, problem solving, mergers & acquisitions and sales since 1982. His focus is on advisory assignments with the owners of mid-size businesses employing 50 to 250 staff and with revenues in the $5 million to $50 million range.

Recent assignments have been in the areas of exit planning and business sales (Hani is a licensed business agent), franchise systems design and development, import and export deal management, and assisting business owners with project negotiations involving external partners and deals with public companies.

In the last 23 years, Hani was involved in setting-up several companies in the IT and service industries and has held Australian and Asia Pacific & Japan regional management roles with NASDAQ listed companies.