Patrick McCurry– Managing Director

Patrick is Managing Partner of Providence Growth Solutions. Patrick has extensive management expertise spanning over 15 years & four states across each part of the value chain including: Change management, Product Management, Management Accounting, Finance & Strategy and Sales Management, Patrick has successfully led business’ with accountability for $15B+ Balance Sheets and over $200M P&L’s.

In 2004 Patrick successfully transitioned his corporate expertise toward Mid Market business owners assisting them improve the efficiency & enterprise value of their business’ as well as assisting with trade Sale and acquisition, Management Buy In’s, industry roll ups and debt & equity solutions to match.

Patrick has had a strong community ethos from an early age, from representing his electorate as councillor at the age of 18 to his current involvement as a rider, fundraiser and director of Chain Reaction.

Steve Knapp - Director

Steve has equally been successful in the corporate space as a successful and well respected investment banker as well as a successful owner of a medium sized business. Steve is a former Director of UBS, Head of Exchange Traded Derivatives, Asia and Director of the UBS Rates Management Committee. For ten years Steve was Managing Director for ANZ McCaughan Limited. Steve was also a Director of the Sydney Futures Exchange (SFE) and during this time he was the Convenor of the SFE Equity Derivatives Committee, a Member of the SFE Market Practices Committee and the SFE Arbitration Committee.

From 2000-07 Steve was the Proprietor and Managing Director of the Goonawarra Aged Care Facility; a state of the art 120 bed Aged Care Facility with over 100 employees. Steve built this business to be one of the most profitable aged care facilities in the country, with an impeccable record in quality care, staff and resident satisfaction.

Steve is a former President of Table Tennis Australia and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the World Veterans Championships in Melbourne, being the largest sporting event in Melbourne since the 1956 Olympics at the time of its running.

Warren Erfurth - Director

Warren possesses extensive Executive Management expertise leading large divisions with-in large Australian Corporate’s over many years. Warren combines this experience with his passion and earlier involvement in Medium Australian enterprises to take on a leadership and director role within Providence Growth Solutions.

Warrens Corporate leadership roles have included accountability for National Sales Management, strategic planning and execution, business and platform transformation, project and change management, operations leadership, Profit and Loss accounts exceeding AUD250m & Balance Sheet exceeding AUD10Bn. Warren was also one of the most successful corporate bankers in the country and has an enormous amount of experience in corporate funding and balance sheet optimisation as well.

But it is Warren’s passion and expertise in assisting Small – Medium enterprise companies realise their full potential that attracted Warren to PGS. In large Warren has spent the vast majority of his career assisting Mid Market businesses realise their potential, assisting SME businesses via strategic growth planning, sales growth and leadership initiatives, capital and balance sheet restructuring, IPO, M&A, divestment, MBO/I and LBO/I solutions. He remains passionate in assisting these businesses through their critical business lifecycle stages.

Peter Holland – Director

Peter is a director of PGS's division, Restructuring & Workouts.

He has worked extensively for banks at the most senior levels, specialising in the in the area of debt origination, corporate distress, restructuring and turnaround, working primarily in the Australian and New Zealand market (but also in UK, USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Middle East, and India) bringing a high degree of knowledge to the processes and drivers effecting companies wishing set and implement restructure strategies.

In his last major role with ANZ, Peter spent 8 years, of a business unit with global responsibility as head of one of major Australasian banks 'problem loan books'. The files under active management amounted to significant exposures, across numerous industries. During his time in this role, Peter built a reputation as one of the leading bankers in the area of corporate turnaround and restructuring in Australia and New Zealand. Several transactions concluded during this time, set precedents and are still considered as groundbreaking.

Prior to moving into banking, Peter worked for several years for KPMG in NZ, UK & The Netherlands, in audit, and advisory/consulting capacities.

Since joining PGS, Pete has been involved in many successful turnarounds for PGS clients, which have resulted in significant economic results for Directors/ Owners & Financiers alike. Working on restructuring assignments that have had Balance sheets ranging in size from $5M to over $500M.

Michael Knoff – Associate Director

Michael has worked across a range of industries and countries during his corporate career. A qualified solicitor Michael, was a lead account manager at small US based IT firm whose product is now responsible for over 2.4 billion transactions annually. Michael helped transform the project management and client relationship methodologies of the firm which substantially improved project efficiencies and client satisfaction. Working across 3 Continents this role helped Michael realise that a medium sized busines could successfully compete with large multinationals and in many cases achieve better outcomes for their clients. It is this knowledge and passion that Michael uses with the clients of Providence Growth Solutions to help them achieve successful outcomes in their endeavours.

Since joining PGS, Michael has been involved in identifying restructure solutions for clients who had written down the value of their assets to zero, turning around the reliasable value back upto over $5M and has been involved in leadership support roles as well as recently running the divestment of two non core businesses of one of PGS's clients.

Before coming to PGS, Michael has performed roles as an International Trade and Tax Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and a Transactional Manager at one of Australia's big 4 banks. He is a committee member for the Chain Reaction Challenge a group who organise an annual cycling event for senior business executives which has raised over $700,000 annually for children's charities.

Bernie Bicknell – Director

Bernie has thirty years of diverse domestic and international experience, in senior management and Finance in retail, manufacturing and distribution companies serving consumer and retail markets.

Having worked in senior management and finance roles in Australia, New Zealand and U.S.A. with I.C.I. Australia (including Dulux), I.C.I. PLC, Boral and RJR Nabisco, and more recently completing 5 years as CEO of the Mitre 10 group, Bernie brings a practical, hands-on approach to business, combining his operational expertise with solid strategic planning, growth and restructuring ability.

Bernie reflects the Values of PGS of trust, integrity and passion incorporating that with a strong corporate background with a close affinity for SME Australia developed at his time at Mitre 10 over many years. Bernie brings a wealth of expertise attractive to any products based manufacturing and/or distribution business looking to grow to the next level.

Bernie is also Chairman of The Lighthouse Foundation, a charity working with homeless young people at risk.