Our Team
Our unique, multi-skilled teams have expertise across the disciplines of surveying, hydraulics, electronics, GIS and IT to give you the best advice and support for your project. As the exclusive national distributor for one of the world’s largest manufacturers of positioning and machine control systems, our sales and support teams are tapped into the very latest, state-of-the art developments.
Aptella’ senior management has more than 200 years of combined industry expertise, with contributions to various associations and Australian Spatial Industry initiatives.
Our Board
Chairman
Ian Petherbridge
Having started his career as a surveyor, and then co-founder of a national IT company, Ian has an excellent technical background and understanding of business.
Ian has more than 30 years of senior executive experience and is skilled in growing businesses from small beginnings into highly successful national and international operations. An experienced Chairman with a comprehensive understanding of business management and sound governance practices, Ian works as Chairman for the Aptella group.
Chief Executive Officer
Martin Nix
Martin Nix is the CEO and Managing Director of Aptella. He practiced as a surveyor until 1984 and then joined Leica Geosystems where he held a number of management roles in Australia, Switzerland and USA until 2009 where he held a number of management roles in Australia, Switzerland and USA until 2009.
The roles included President Americas Sales and Service, Business Area Manager Mining and Agriculture Systems and Corporate Officer while Leica Geosystems was listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange.Martin has a Masters of Surveying (GIS) (’90) from UNSW and is a Member of the Institute of Company Directors.
He has participated in Working Groups that formed Australia’s space policy and National Positioning Infrastructure, including as Co-chair of the Department of Home Affairs’ Space Community of Interest, supporting risk management of space-based critical infrastructure.
Non Executive Director
Hirohide Yoshida
Having joined Mitsui & Co., Ltd in 2005, Hirohide Yoshida initially led the Construction Machinery Distribution business for the company in Australia, United States and CIS countries.
After three years working in Australia on a logistics improvement project for Construction Machinery Distributors, Yoshida san accepted a role in Russia as the Vice President of Mitsui’s joint venture with Komatsu in Russia.
He continued to work in Moscow until 2017, responsible for the development of existing and new business across the construction machinery, automobile, heavy truck, railway and aviation sectors. Returning to Tokyo in 2017, Yoshida san has held senior positions across the company’s Integrated Transportation Systems and Corporate Planning & Strategy divisions, before his current appointment in July 2022 as General Manager of the Construction and Transportation Vehicle Business Division.
Yoshida san re-joined the Aptella board as a Non-Executive Director in August 2022, having previously served on the board in 2019 when Mitsui & Co., Ltd first invested in the business.
Managing Director - Aptella New Zealand
Alex Felgate
Alex has managed the New Zealand business since 2016, when his company Optical Services joined the Aptella group.
Having worked as a service technician for Sokkia New Zealand since 1990, Alex and his wife Vicky established Optical Services in 2000. In his 30 years of experience with Sokkia survey instruments, Alex and his team are well placed to support New Zealand customers with a wide range of geospatial and machine solutions.
Executive Steering Team
General Manager Regions
Garry MacPhail
Having founded and managed Stadia Instruments with business partner Bernard Cecchele in the early 1980s,
which merged with four other businesses in 2008 to become Aptella, Garry has an invaluable breadth and depth of experience in the business. Garry served on the company Board of Directors for many years, Garry now manages all Australian and New Zealand regions and is the Regional Manager for Western Australia.
Executive Manager Customer experience
Cameron Waters
With a wealth of experience in sales, product management and business development, Cameron now leads the company’s Customer Experience strategy.
Cameron now leads the company’s Customer Experience strategy. Working across all businesses, regions and departments, Cameron supports the wider company to deliver consistently positive and engaging experiences for our customers.
Executive Manager Business development and planning
Seiya Hiraoka
With a legal education, Seiya has been active in planning many of Mitsui’s investment strategies since 2015.
Seiya’s analytical and business planning skills are highly valued within the executive team.
Executive Manager Building
David Gentle
With a strong sales and business development background, David leads the building business at Aptella.
David works closely with key wholesale partners and internal sales teams to provide professional laser levels and complementary product ranges for the building trades.
Executive Manager Services
Gary Campbell
Gary started his journey with Aptella as an installer and later a field support technician.
His capacity to problem solve and work collaboratively with customers to overcome challenges, saw him progress to leadership roles within New South Wales where he oversaw the field services team. Gary now manages the Integrated Solutions Group, innovating and delivering better, connected services for customers.
Executive Manager Civil
Josh Allan
With customers always front of mind, Josh brings a wealth of business development and technical capability to his role leading the Civil business at Aptella.
His strong working relationships with key partners including Topcon, enable him to advocate for customers and the industry through innovative solutions that increase productivity.
Chief Operating Officer
Greg Macklin
Greg has built his career in both the construction materials and equipment rental industries and holds a degree in Business and Marketing.
He has held a number of senior sales management positions in Victoria and South Australia, specialising in strategy and business development. He brings to Aptella a passion for continuous improvement, team culture, customer growth and outstanding customer service.
Strategic Head of People and Culture
Bernadette Taoro Ashin
Bernadette is an experienced Human Resources professional with extensive experience across both private and public sectors.
In her previous role, Bernadette was an Executive team member and the Leader of Human Resources for St Vincent’s Private Hospital and Mater Hospital Sydney. Prior to this, Bernadette was the National Human Resource Manager for Asciano, an ASX-listed Australian freight logistics company. In her role as Strategic Head of People and Culture, Bernadette is responsible for a wide range of programs including talent management, learning and development and recruitment to position the company as an Employer of Choice in the industries we serve.
Strategic Business Development & Queensland Manager
Harry Katsanevas
Harry has been directly involved in the Laser and Machine Control business for 20 years commencing in the service area.
He has received extensive training in Denmark, Sweden USA and Australia. Harry is recognized world-wide as a professional in terms of the best utilization of Machine Automation Equipment in Construction.Harry commenced his employment within this industry in the workshop managing maintenance and repairs. Based in Queensland, he is the Executive Manager for Business Development including emerging technology for construction site solutions and Tokara telematics remote asset control technology.
Executive Marketing Manager
Gina Velde
Gina began her career as a journalist in the UK, working for an online newswire at a London-based publishing company.
In 2007 she moved to Australia, where she worked at Leica Geosystems’ Brisbane office and specialised in marketing communications for the Precision Agriculture business unit. Gina joined Aptella in 2010 as Marketing Communications Manager, successfully building and managing both company and supplier brands throughout Australia, South East Asia and New Zealand. With a passion for communication, Gina leads the strategic marketing direction across all business areas and product lines to ensure that Aptella is front of mind when customers are looking for intelligent positioning solutions.
Executive Manager Mining
Andrew Granger
Andrew manages Aptella’ mining, solar and landfill business across Australia, South East Asia and New Zealand.
With extensive expertise in Fleet Management Systems and High Precision Machine Guidance, Andrew is passionate about deeply understanding customer’s project and site needs to deliver supported solutions.
Regional Manager - South East Asia
Mathew Connelly
Mat is a qualified surveyor with extensive experience across a wide cross section of technologies including machine control, paving solutions, survey and GNSS equipment.
Having joined Aptella in 2012, Mat has worked as a field service technician, managed our Darwin branch and now leads our South East Asia team. With a passion for working collaboratively with customers to deeply understand their project needs, Mat is able to offer comprehensive project management and technical advice.
Founders
Our founders with senior management roles include: Garry MacPhail (Western Australia), Craig Fleming (South Australia), Mike Forrest (South East Asia, recipient of the Topcon Spirit of Excellence Award), Harry Katsanevas (Queensland), and Bernard Cecchele (Western Australia).
Our retired founders include: Anne Forrest (Queensland), Garry Fleming (New South Wales), Janine Arnold and Robert Bent (Victoria) and David Gow (South Australia).
Founder
Brian McLoughlin
Brian was a founder of Aptella, who sadly passed away on 17th January 2016 after a battle with cancer.Brian commenced his sales career in 1975 with Banbury Engineering, then distributors for Kato excavators, and sold his first laser in 1976.
He moved to Laser Alignment in 1980 and was one of the early pioneers of the use of dual grade lasers and machine control.
Together with business partner Garry Fleming, he started Laserquip in Sydney in 1987, where they introduced the concept of 2D control for graders in 1990. Brian managed the NSW and ACT operation of Aptella. Click here to read more.