My Journey
Leaving Australia
In 2009 I relocated from Sydney to Manila on my now-famous “three month business trip” in order to establish an IT Engineering function for my employer. Three months extended to twelve months, during which I grew the function from 0 to 250 employees, extending well beyond the original remit of IT Engineering. I built broader capabilities such as Project Management, Risk, Change and Incident Management as well as ancillary finance and administrative functions.
Two years later, after being promoted to Division Director, I relocated to Delhi, India for twelve months, to replicate what I’d achieved in Manila.
Remaining Offshore
At the conclusion of my Indian assignment I had the option to return to Sydney, but my role would revert to a siloed IT Management role. In my 4 years as an expat, my skills, interests and aspirations had evolved considerably. I chose to leave my employer and return to the Philippines.
Along with my Sydney based business partner, I established Yempo – “Your Employees Offshore”. The intent, and what we have achieved, is to replicate the success I had with my corporate employer. That is, hiring extremely high calibre Filipino workers to integrate seamlessly with their overseas colleagues. We offer this service to businesses that don’t have the scale or appetite to set up their own offshore entity.
Permanent Residency
Residing and running a company in the Philippines provided me with ready access to top talent. Consequently it was easy to identify other opportunities to provide high value solutions at a reasonable cost. This spawned two other businesses. Social Media Solutions is a full service Digital Marketing Agency, while 24×7 Solutions provides custom-built technical support solutions to businesses around the globe.
My Capabilities
Transformation
Guiding business owners and senior leaders in transforming their staffing models to access the benefits of offshore resourcing.
Leadership
Leading hundreds of staff in diverse geographical locations including Philippines, India, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States, South Africa and Australia.
Culture
I have a deep and respectful understanding of the cultural implications and challenges in running a diverse global business across multiple geographical locations.
Professional Services
I have a career history of instilling a business-focussed work ethic and a culture based on commitment, excellence and community.
My Professional Background
“My businesses are values-driven, ethical and I enjoy collaborative partnerships with my clients”
“My businesses are values-driven, ethical and I enjoy collaborative partnerships with my clients”
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Citizenship:
Australian and British
Residency Rights:
Philippines, Australia, United Kingdom
Language:
Native English Speaker
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Computing (Information Systems)
Monash University, Victoria, Australia
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Executive Leadership Development Program
Interpreting Financial Statements for Company Directors
Kepner-Fourie Problem Solving & Decision-Making (Facilitator)
Cross-Cultural: Working with Filipinos & Indians
Consciously Leading Program
Sustainable Leadership
Australian and British
Philippines, Australia, United Kingdom
Native English Speaker
Monash University, Victoria, Australia
Executive Leadership Development Program
Interpreting Financial Statements for Company Directors
Kepner-Fourie Problem Solving & Decision-Making (Facilitator)
Cross-Cultural: Working with Filipinos & Indians
Consciously Leading Program
Sustainable Leadership
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE
Yempo – Cebu, Manila
Founder & CEO
2014 – Present
Founder of a multi-award-winning offshore staffing firm with clients across Australia, the UK, North America, and Asia. Grew to 250+ staff in three Philippine offices. Known for ethical, professional outsourcing with <10% annual attrition.
Macquarie Group – Sydney, Manila, Delhi
Division Director, Technology
2006 – 2013
Built and led large-scale offshore tech teams. Delivered global transformation programs in a regulated banking environment.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Gamechanger of the Year (Asia) – GameChangers Magazine, 2018
Best Offshore Outsourcing Company – Southeast Asia, 2022
Most Outstanding Offshoring Solutions Provider – Philippines, 2021
Multiple recognitions for leadership, innovation, and ethical outsourcing (2017–2024)
Founder & CEO
2014 – Present
Founder of a multi-award-winning offshore staffing firm with clients across Australia, the UK, North America, and Asia. Grew to 250+ staff in three Philippine offices. Known for ethical, professional outsourcing with <10% annual attrition.
Division Director, Technology
2006 – 2013
Built and led large-scale offshore tech teams. Delivered global transformation programs in a regulated banking environment.
Gamechanger of the Year (Asia) – GameChangers Magazine, 2018
Best Offshore Outsourcing Company – Southeast Asia, 2022
Most Outstanding Offshoring Solutions Provider – Philippines, 2021
Multiple recognitions for leadership, innovation, and ethical outsourcing (2017–2024)
On a Personal Note
Leaving my family behind in Australia, including my adult daughter, left plenty of time for personal activities.
Having lived in developing countries for more than a decade, I’ve been exposed to the many opportunities to give back to the community. I assisted several underprivileged children personally with their education while living in Manila, before gravitating to animal welfare causes after relocating to Cebu.
I regularly sponsor spay/neuter events in conjunction with Cebu City Pound, and assist other rescuers in their programs supporting stray cats and dogs. I personally rescue, spay/neuter, foster and adopt out homeless animals in my community.
As a side interest, I run Michelle’s Kitchen, which provides low-carb, high quality meals to a small group of people in my community. I also cater to events and dinner parties on request, using a range of innovative cooking and presentation techniques.
