Management Team

Ross has 20 years of experience in managed IT services and consulting across small to mid-size businesses, Government and Education. After running his own business for 10 years, Ross worked with other IT service providers, from a 3-person Managed Service Provider to Dell’s consulting division. Ross joined First Focus at the start of 2014 to first grow the WA branch. In 2015 he relocated to Sydney to manage the delivery of services across the organisation, before taking over from Peter Paddon as the CEO in 2018. To ensure First Focus consistently exceeds customer expectations in the delivery of IT services, Ross is passionate about continually improving the use of technology across all of our clients. He strongly believes that having the best people is what makes First Focus the leading Managed Service Provider, and dedicates much of his time to finding and developing staff across the organisation. Ross has an Honours Degree in Engineering, and technical certifications from Microsoft and Citrix – although he doesn’t get to spend much time in a hands-on technical role anymore!

Peter is the Founder and Director of First Focus IT. Peter is an experienced technical consultant and business analyst, with a strong track record of designing systems that improve efficiency and improve the bottom line for customers. Peter has considerable IT infrastructure knowledge and a deep understanding of how to translate technology into successful customer outcomes. In previous roles, Peter was the e-commerce manager of IMG’s online division Trans World International, responsible for designing e-commerce platforms for Manchester United Football team, PGA golf tour and the Rugby world cup, during the internet’s infancy (back when Google was still in beta!). He has also worked as a technical consultant and solutions architect for the Commonwealth Bank, Dimension Data, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, IBM, and Telstra. Since founding First Focus, Peter has driven the growth of the business through a process of continual improvement and a focus on driving customer outcomes. Peter takes a direct interest in all the solutions First Focus offer, ensuring they’re smart, value-driven and accurately reflect what our customers are looking for.

Brendan’s extensive background in Information and Communication Technology, spanning 15 years in both the consumer and business sectors, brings a wealth of customer-facing expertise to our team. Since joining First Focus in November 2023, Brendan has been dedicated to identifying and leveraging our strengths to drive even more impactful outcomes for our end users through strategic marketing and sales initiatives.

From his earliest days, Phil has developed a love for technology. Phil has over 20 years of experience working in a variety of internal and service provider based positions in the IT industry. He started with First Focus in 2012 with a strong technical and project background, complemented by Cisco and Microsoft certifications. He has worked with multiple organisations servicing a variety of different clients. Within First Focus, Phil has progressed from the Professional Services team to heading up the Client Services team, overseeing Account Management, Sales, Marketing and Consulting nationally. He has a Master of Business Administration along with ITIL and technical certifications.

Karl has been in the engine room at First Focus for over a decade, in charge of managing the integrity of First Focus’ technical solutions. Karl is a Senior Server and Systems consultant with technical certifications in Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix, and VMWare. Prior to Joining First Focus, Karl worked as a senior systems engineer and team leader for Unisys, responsible for supporting clients including Multiplex, Bankwest and Crane Group. Our customers benefit from Karl’s many years of experience in designing and maintaining complex infrastructure solutions as Karl’s team is responsible for 3rd level escalations and for overseeing all technical projects delivered by First Focus. Karl is also responsible for the design of our data centre and SmartCloud solutions.

After spending the early part of his career as a Civil Engineer, Neil moved into the IT Industry 20 years ago and has worked in and around Managed Service Providers ever since. Neil was part of the executive team of one of South Africa’s fastest growing MSP’s and was intimately involved in building and developing the middle management team across the consulting, service delivery and sales divisions. He also launched an internal mentorship program before emigrating to Australia in 2011. Neil joined a Perth based MSP as Operations Manager and was promoted to General Manager, overseeing all aspects of service delivery, sales, and operations. He joined First Focus as Head of Service Delivery in June 2018 where he is responsible for Service Quality and Continual Service Improvement. In February 2020 Neil moved into a newly created role as Head of People and Strategy, with key responsibilities across talent, development and strategic projects.

Edgard is our Chief Experience Officer with over 15 years of experience in the Information and Communications industry, managed services, and project management. Edgard holds a master’s degree in computer engineering. He began his career as a technical engineer working with major ICT vendors such as Siemens and Nokia before transitioning towards project management, service management, and senior leadership roles. With a passion for communicating and collaborating effectively with all stakeholders, Edgard focuses on continuously improving the end-to-end customer experience and strives to understand and incorporate the customer’s business needs into the successful delivery of IT services.

Nicole is in charge of the digital experience that First Focus provides to both clients and staff. Nicole’s wealth of experience giver her the edge in the internal system integrations and software roadmap projects that make up this role.

Alex has risen from starting on our Service Desk to become Head of Support at First Focus. Prior to joining First Focus, Alex worked in the retail industry, igniting his passion for helping customers and managing customer experiences. Alex graduated with a Bachelor in IT from the University of Wollongong with a major in Network Design and Management. In 2011, Alex joined our Service Desk as the first point of call for our customers, before being promoted to Service Desk Manager, where he directly managed the help desk for a number of years. Today, Alex heads up the Support Department at First Focus, overseeing the Service Desk and Field Service Technicians. Alex is committed to delivering the highest quality of service to our customers, while also looking for ways to improve the efficiency and capability of his team. During his 10 years experience in Managed IT Services, Alex has developed his skills in customer service, service desk management and recruitment, which add strength and consistency to our client support delivery.

Leon started working in IT in the mid-2000s, but it wasn’t until he started working in client services that he truly found his passion. As the head of technical account management, Leon gets to work with people to make a difference every day.

Nathan has over 16 years of experience in Managed IT Services. After more than a decade in leadership roles at a smaller Managed Service Provider, Nathan joined First Focus in early 2024 as a General Manager. Due to the significant growth of First Focus, an extra layer of senior people were required to reduce the escalation chain for customers and staff alike. With a strong focus on ‘getting IT done’, Nathan brings a strong client focus and desire to use IT to help customers meet their business goals. When he's not at work, you might spot him exploring the great outdoors with his family or cooking up a storm.

Lucas is an IT and cybersecurity professional specialising in IT management and cybersecurity services, with a robust background in technical operations, pre-sales solution design, project management, and IT strategy. With over 22 years in the industry, he creates value for clients through innovative solutions tailored to meet their unique needs. His approach focuses on establishing long-term relationships and driving business success by aligning technology with overarching business objectives. Passionate about leveraging cutting-edge technologies to address complex challenges, he is dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity, streamlining IT operations, and developing comprehensive IT strategies.

Mae joined First Focus as a Project Manager in 2020, bringing over a decade of experience in various leadership roles. Mae’s combination of people and management skills helped prepare her to take on the Branch Manager role in Manila during a challenging 2021. Her solid background in network analytics and IT operations has seen her wearing a range of hats. Mae started her career as a Level 1 Technical Support Specialist. Since then, Mae has used her depth of experience to branch out into new disciplines. At First Focus, her experience with telecommunications and IT leadership skills makes her a valued asset. Before joining First Focus, Mae worked across a range of businesses. Beginning her career at a professional services company, she transitioned to a drilling and excavations business. Along the way, Mae grew her breadth of knowledge to include strategic planning and operations management. She now uses those skills to help guide our Manila team. Mae is passionate about helping people perform their best. Her experiences have helped hone her capabilities in people management and customer satisfaction. Today, her skills are now a vital part of the growing reputation of our Manila team.