big things for 2008 2009, page-2

Wonder what is in store with a new Director with
Dean Felton


Dean is a co-founder and Director of Oyster Consulting. Prior to this, Dean was managing the Business Analysis function, an in house advisory team, for Rio Tinto Iron Ore. Previous to this role Dean worked in a number of finance and accounting roles for over 10 years in Australia, Canada and the UK. The organisations include the Australian National Audit Office, Chartered Accountancy practice, Australian National University, and various mining houses.

Dean received an MBA from Murdoch University, graduating with Distinctions. Dean studied Business at the University of New England, specialising in Accounting.

Dean has extensive accounting and finance experience in a number of industries including mining, tourism, stockbroking, the public sector, and private practice. This work has covered internally focussed areas such as financial statement preparation and review, evaluating all capital projects and implementing cost analysis and monitoring systems. At Rio Tinto, Dean worked in externally focused areas covering work in mergers and acquisitions, being a key member on BHP merger discussions and the US$2bn North Ltd acquisition by Rio Tinto. Dean worked to create and maintain a revised Business Analysis function which undertook projects including, the development of a rail asset JV, the implementation and monitoring of a ‘recovery plan’ for an overseas subsidiary, and the development of a power asset strategy.

With Dean’s grounded and holistic business acumen he has worked on a wide variety of projects at Oyster Consulting. Dean has led multi-disciplinary teams with Argyle Diamonds, Ticor SA and Ok Tedi focused on a margin improvement program across all aspects of the businesses, these projects each have delivered annual EBIT improvements of tens of millions of dollars. Recently he has worked with emerging mining companies to provide strategic guidance for the earliest stages of company development and has also managed the due diligence and financial analysis for a multi-national business exploring investment opportunities in Australian resource companies. Dean has developed a unique approach with clients to create an integrated suite of planning, balanced scorecard and management reporting tools and techniques. Additionally, Dean co-ordinates Oysters pro-bono efforts for organisations such as the Cerebral Palsy Association of Western Australia and the Western Australian Community Foundation.

His main areas of interest and capability are focused on strategic thinking, developing effective teams, and performance management. Dean is passionate about horse racing and often enjoys a gameof golf.


http://www.oysterconsulting.com.au/aboutus_teamdf.html