Team

Our Team

Trent Bagnall

Founder & CEO

Trent has a strong management, operations and finance background. He has managed over 100 startup investments and works daily with founders to take raw entrepreneurial talent, supporting them to turn their inspirational ideas into successful companies.

Trent took resources & logistics software company QMASTOR Limited from inception to ASX IPO to successful exit. An entrepreneur and innovator by every definition, he is the driving force behind the creation of The Melt project

Clint Bruin

Principal Engineer

Clint is a highly regarded Professional Engineer (CPEng & RPEQ) with proven technical and commercial expertise. He has demonstrated his business acumen and ability to see opportunities for growth by building a variety of companies into successful high-turnover ventures.

Clint’s exceptional communication and negotiation skills have led to a career of successful entrepreneurship and corporate leadership. His knowledge, combined with robust professional networks, have been invaluable to help accelerate new start-up companies.

Adam Van Dyck

Program Manager

Adam is a proven GM, COO and CEO with 20 years' experience leading teams of high performing technical staff in the Innovation, Asset Management, Professional Services, Mining and Engineering industries.

Adam has assisted many large corporates to overcome internal innovation headwinds and bring strategic product developments to life. He has also mentored dozens of startup founders, helping them to build great products and establish scalable global businesses.

Brett Thomas

COO

Brett is a proven GM, COO and Director with deep experience in the mining, petroleum, innovation, automation and technical service industries. Brett has a consistent record of positioning organisations for success and managing teams that demonstrate dedication to operational excellence. As a transformational executive Brett has an impressive history of surpassing ambitious business goals and quickly delivering to startups, corporates and government clients.

John Klinkenberg

Senior Industrial Designer

John is The Melt’s Industrial Designer-In-Residence. He has designed products across the retail, defence, mining and rail industries for more than 15 years.

His experience spans a diverse range of manufacturing techniques including fabrication (welding and sheet metal), joinery design and material selection, injection moulding, aluminium extrusion, and additive manufacturing (3D printing). He has a BA in Industrial Design with First Class Honours and has won a Good Design Australia award.

Advisors

Kyle Loades

Chairman, Director, Adviser

Kyle is a Chairman, Non-Executive Director and Advisor with more than two decades of board experience across the community, public and commercial sectors.

Kyle was the Chairman of NRMA until December 2017. Currently he is Chairman of Local Government Super, Director of Credit Union Australia, Chairman of the Australian Transformation & Turnaround Association, Chairman of Hunter Medical Research, and Conjoint Professor of Practice at University of Newcastle.

He established, grew and managed Auto Advantage, an independent car broking business that disrupted the motor vehicle retail industry purchased by ASX listed company A.P Eagers.

Craig Lambert

Founder & CEO

30+ year track record of transforming and future proofing businesses through investments, sales, marketing and innovation. Extensive interaction with c-suite executive management, operations and innovation teams to define and execute strategies to support growth and enhance profitability. Strong local and international business network across a variety of industry sectors.

Founder and CEO of Slingshot Australia's most experienced and trusted corporate innovation partner.

His focus is on innovation for Impact. Innovation which is meaningful, measurable and leaves a cultural mark on the organisation.