Headquarters:

260 Thynne Road, Balmoral, Qld 4171

Year founded:

1958

Number of employees:

120

Phone:

07 3823 8588

Email:

info@balmoralshs.eq.edu.au

Website:

balmoralshs.eq.edu.au

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/balmoralshs

“We prioritise embracing cutting-edge technologies, creative problem solving and continuous improvement to enhance our premium funding solutions and provide exceptional value to our clients”

Timothy Barraud

Principal

Mick Baker

Deputy Principal, Senior School

Kellie Baumgart

Deputy Principal, Middle School

Leadership

Timothy Barraud is a dynamic Queensland educational leader known for driving transformational change in complex school environments. As principal of Balmoral State High School, he has enhanced curriculum leadership, strengthened staff capability and built community confidence through strategic, people-centred initiatives. Renowned for his clarity, inclusive leadership and commitment to equity, he creates learning environments where every student is empowered to thrive. His approach champions student voice, agency and innovation, fostering cultures of belonging and excellence. Barraud’s leadership consistently delivers measurable impact, shaping schools where students flourish academically, socially and personally.

Principal

Timothy Barraud

As a passionate and dedicated teaching and learning deputy principal, Mick Baker is committed to fostering academic excellence and creating an optimal learning environment. With extensive experience in curriculum development, student engagement and staff leadership, he works to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education tailored to their needs. A strong advocate for professional development, he leads initiatives to enhance teaching practices, promote innovative learning strategies and drive continuous improvement. Baker strives to cultivate a collaborative school culture where both students and educators thrive, preparing future leaders for success in an ever-evolving world.

Deputy Principal, Senior School

Mick Baker

Kellie Baumgart is a proud Woollum Woollum woman and deputy principal (inclusion, wellbeing and engagement) at Balmoral State High School, leading innovation in engagement, inclusion and future-focused learning. She has been instrumental in shifting Balmoral from compliance-driven to research-informed practice, embedding learner agency, rich routines and contributive leadership across Years 7–12. Baumgart champions partnerships in STEM and aerospace, ethical and human-centred AI and student-led diversity, equity and inclusion projects that bring the school’s values of agency, belonging and innovation to life. Her work ensures every young person is known, valued and empowered to drive their own learning and success.

Deputy Principal, Middle School

Kellie Baumgart

BRETT BASTOW, IQUMULATE PREMIUM FUNDINGs

Leadership

Shane O’Malley

Deputy Principal, Junior School

Shane O’Malley, deputy principal, drives strategic initiatives at Balmoral State High School, enhancing innovation, engagement and student outcomes. With a background in health and physical education, he is passionate about creating dynamic, inclusive learning environments. He champions programs that integrate digital pedagogy, technology and real-world learning experiences, working closely with staff to design curriculum pathways that nurture curiosity, creativity and confidence. Renowned for his collaborative leadership, O’Malley cultivates a culture of continuous improvement and values student voice. His forward-thinking approach ensures Balmoral SHS remains a vibrant, future-focused school where every learner is empowered to thrive.

Deputy Principal, Junior School

Shane O’Malley

Nicky Skinner

Business Development Manager

Nicky Skinner, based in Christchurch, was honoured as NZ Adviser’s BDM of the Year. With over 20 years of banking experience – including roles as bank manager, private banker and senior lender – she brings deep expertise to her work. Skinner supports mortgage advisers with product knowledge and deal presentation skills, focusing on building strong, trusted relationships. Her collaborative approach and dedication make her a valued resource, consistently praised for her guidance and support in helping advisers achieve outstanding client outcomes.

Business Development Manager

Nicky Skinner

Stevens & Associates Lawyers is a leading and trusted employment law firm based in Sydney known for delivering high-quality legal expertise in the area of employment law and industrial relations across Australia, alongside a proven track record of effectively and swiftly resolving a variety of workplace law issues. In the past year, the firm’s growth has been notable. It has: • experienced a 213% growth in the number of client matters, increasing from 149 client matters in the 2022 financial year to 390 client matters in the 2023 financial year • improved its online visibility, leading to over 50 online enquiries each month and a conversion rate of client leads of up to 40% • significantly expanded the breadth and type of matters that it advises on day to day, which has increased the firm’s skillsets, diversity and resilience • expanded its community outreach by collaborating with local Sydney venues for client seminars and continuing active participation in a Sydney small/family business group Stevens & Associates Lawyers has adapted to digital trends by implementing an effective strategy with SEO and web design, resulting in a structural shift that has seen increased representation of employees where the firm previously mainly advised employers. The firm’s recognition as a “Fast Firm” attests to its momentum in the employment law space.

“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started”

Wayne Tower, IQumulate Premium Funding

Sarah Radonich

Third Party Support Manager

Steph Leeson

Business Development Manager

Margaret Leau-Sulusi

Business Development Manager

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Sarah Radonich is a third party support manager (relief BDM) at Westpac, building strong relationships with mortgage advisers across New Zealand. With 15 years of banking experience, she supports a wide range of regions and communities, working alongside a team of experienced BDMs. Radonich is known for her responsiveness, collaboration and focus on delivering efficient, results-driven experiences for advisers and their clients, always striving for the best possible outcomes.

Third Party Support Manager

Sarah Radonich

Steph Leeson immigrated from the UK 14 years ago and began her Westpac career as a specialist lender. Now a business development manager, she supports mortgage advisers across Auckland and Northland, offering expert guidance and support. Leeson is highly regarded for her lending knowledge, responsiveness and collaborative approach. Her dedication was recognised nationally as a finalist for the 2025 NZ Adviser BDM of the Year award, reflecting her impact within the third party channel.

Business Development Manager

Steph Leeson

Margaret Leau-Sulusi brings over 20 years of banking experience to her role as business development manager, having started with Westpac in 2005. Her background includes lending support, senior lending roles and branch management. Leau-Sulusi partners closely with mortgage advisers, providing product expertise and strategic guidance to drive strong client outcomes. Known for her collaborative style and responsiveness, she is passionate about building trusted relationships and delivering customer-focused results.

Business Development Manager

Margaret Leau-Sulusi

Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager. As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

One culmination of these efforts has been the real-world, needs-based IQEdge solution. A one-stop online quoting tool designed for both the Australian and New Zealand markets, IQEdge delivers quotes in under 60 seconds. Plus, the solution offers quote comparison and quote versioning capabilities, enabling users to review vital historical and financial data in a single page view. IQEdge can streamline and automate application processing, underwriting document verification and payment collection, cutting the need for manual labour and minimising processing errors. A digital “self-service” platform, IQEdge, reduces the need for customer and administrative support. Meanwhile, borrowers can access their accounts, make payments and manage their policies independently and through sales and support teams, which are always available for further assistance. “We’ve created a quality platform that simplifies the quoting process yet amplifies the customer experience,” says Gordon. “It’s a real game changer.” IQumulate offers an online digital quoting tool to clients. The best-in-market solution enables IQumulate to tailor funding offerings to brokers that align with their prefered distribution channel.

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What does IQumulate have in mind for the future? “IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur. “Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, creating a competitive advantage with the potential to allow IQumulate to command premium pricing or capture a larger market share. “As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead. “We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

“We also maintain open lines of communication with advisers so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly”

Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand

“We’ve invested heavily in resourcing and process improvements to reduce friction and speed up approvals”

Hayley Burgess, ANZ Bank New Zealand

Ivan Verescuk

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Shaun O’Brien

Head of Underwriting

Emily Walker

Head of Strata and Development

Rex Oakman

Head of Operations and Risk

Sandy Newton

Head of Underwriting

Andrew Mitchell

Manager – NSW

Michael Prokopis

Manager – Southern Region

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Jeffrey Valdivia

Manager – Commercial Strata

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Balmoral State High School has transformed from a compliance-driven institution into a future-focused, research-informed ecosystem under the leadership of Principal Timothy Barraud. The school now empowers students to drive their own learning through self-directed reflection, engagement and authentic partnerships that activate both student and staff agency. Innovation at Balmoral is treated as a culture, not an isolated initiative, embedded through strengthened curriculum governance, disciplined data assurance and leadership structures that empower students, teachers, and community members to co-design meaningful learning experiences. A hallmark of Balmoral’s strategy is the intentional development of student leadership, aligned to the school values of agency, belonging and innovation. Pathways through the Class Representative Program, Student Council and Junior and Senior Prefect Programs cultivate students as critical thinkers, innovators, collaborators and community leaders. Prefects meet weekly with the principal and contribute to governance twice per term, embedding authentic student voice at the highest levels. With Learner Agency central to transformational change and engagement tools embedded across the school, students are no longer passive participants – they actively shape their learning, school and community, with success measured through growth, capability and self-directed learning. With 88% student participation in the Learner Agency Program, the school has reframed the student experience from passive participation to active partnership. Balmoral’s collaborative approach extends across academic, leadership and industry initiatives: Boeing Australia partnership (21 years): Years 8–12 students work with industry experts to solve complex defence logistics challenges, pitching solutions to Boeing executives. Horizons Academy: A Year 7 selective excellence program cultivating critical and divergent thinking, collaboration, innovation and communication. Duke of Edinburgh International Award: Developing independence, perseverance, service-minded leadership and globally recognised certification. Lord Mayor’s Young Environmental Leadership Network: Students design and deliver environmental projects, building leadership, teamwork and stewardship. As a registered international school, Balmoral promotes inclusion and global citizenship for domestic and international students. The school is also nationally recognised for leading an AI and Emerging Issues research project published by ACER, demonstrating a commitment to rigorous, future-focused innovation. Other innovations include industry-standard laser cutters expanding STEM and prototyping capabilities; refurbished flight simulators for immersive aviation learning; RASCube Educational Satellite Kits enabling students to design, program and engineer satellite solutions; and a bespoke aerospace curriculum shared with Queensland schools. These initiatives have produced tangible improvements: strengthened curriculum consistency and assessment quality, enhanced staff capability with Version 9 curriculum, expanded industry connections and reduced assessment stress through authentic, mixed-method tasks. A cultural shift towards evidence-informed, collaborative teaching has enabled teachers to respond effectively to student engagement levels. Looking ahead, Balmoral will expand its Student Congress framework, lead national work in ethical, human-centred AI and serve as a hub for statewide professional learning. Supported by comprehensive wellbeing initiatives and psychological safety protocols, the school has created the enabling conditions for every learner to thrive.

IQumulate invests in education and people, which are vital to attracting new business and talent to the company. “We have long tenures for several of our key staff, including some in leadership positions, and this sound working knowledge of our business, practices and industry provides great insights and a wealth of experience to offer our clients,” says Bastow. “Our new head of sales, Graeme Gordon, formerly manager for New Zealand, joins us in Australia to drive our sales strategy and lead our team to successful outcomes for our clients and our business. We look forward to great things ahead with Graeme as he continues to be active and present in the New Zealand market as well as building sound working relationships and new connections in Australia.” Clients can also expect a lot from working with IQumulate. “Through active engagement with our trusted broker network, IQumulate provides relevant information, education and training content,” says Graeme Gordon, head of sales. “Our clients can expect IQumulate to support their business in several ways, providing an understanding of what premium funding solutions are available and how IQumulate can spread the cost of insurance and help borrowers get the right level of insurance cover to free up their cash flow for other expenses or business growth opportunities. Premium funding is often considered a tool for those who simply cannot afford to pay their premiums in full. While this is certainly a significant driver for many, it is also successfully used by profitable companies who use premium funding to manage their cash flows more wisely or better manage their liquidity.”

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Benefits

Compensation

Culture

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Innovation

Reputation

Sustainable programs

Overall

Resourcing has been treated as a deliberate lever for growth. ANZ has expanded assessor teams, trained them to combine technical expertise with empathy, and equipped them with the market knowledge to make faster, more reliable decisions. Advisers depend on turnaround times that meet client expectations. “We’ve invested heavily in resourcing and process improvements to reduce friction and speed up approvals,” says Hayley Burgess, ANZ head of mortgage adviser distribution. “We also maintain open lines of communication with advisers so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly.” People development follows the same philosophy. New hires are chosen for both skill and attitude, and training goes beyond technical proficiency. Programs cover credit assessment, economic literacy and client engagement, with equal weight on empathy and communication. Advisers often work with clients under stress, and ANZ expects its people to balance expertise with human understanding.