Australian Company Capitalises on Shifts in Global Energy and Resources
 David La Ferla
Alumni
Back to profiles |
"An MBA is hard work but immerses you in a deep talent pool, exposes you to opportunities and puts some discipline in place in terms of how you think."
|
After spending a year communing with dolphins in the name of science 20 years ago, an MBA graduate is now communing with the energy and resources industry in the name of business."Researching eco systems taught me how to formulate a line of inquiry, reason, gather information, form a point of view and argue a case," says David La Ferla now the managing director of Negotiaction.
David describes the company as a specialist advisory firm in the energy and resources industry that identifies, pursues and secures major projects and market opportunities.
Thirteen years ago David founded Negotiaction, finished his MBA and became a father in the space of six months. Back then the company provided advice in a variety of industries, helping its clients to make sense of the landscape and to discover growth opportunities. The printing industry featured prominently in the company's portfolio at that time.
"Printing companies were grappling with disruptive shifts in the media landscape and questioning how they could position themselves to understand and respond to new opportunities, while effectively managing their existing markets."
It was this theme of shifting markets and disruptive change which led to the firm's initial exposure to the energy and resources industry, where Negotiaction is exclusively focused, gaining deep insight into the energy and resources landscape and building a solid and purposely under-the-radar track record.
"We're working with some fast-moving companies that are fluidly re-configuring the links between their strategic markets, technology portfolios, strategic partnerships and financing - playing games that allow them to outpace their incumbent competitors - and redefine traditional business models and the rules of engagement."
"Our expertise is developing insight into the traditional games that are being played, questioning realities of the current landscape, and illuminating and exploring attractive opportunities which our clients may be able to capitalise on through clever game play."
According to David, Negotiaction's contribution to a client organisation is different to a traditional management consultancy providing pure advice. The firm is often mandated to lead its clients' engagements and negotiations with influential stakeholders, and has a strong preference to be driven by and be rewarded by success.
"Really understanding which few significant stakeholders with the right assets are going to make the biggest difference ... and then engaging them in a compelling value-creating manner, is an approach often understood but not practised." He is of the view that this is especially important in commercialising game-changing technology where new markets are created, and many parties need to be brought together to realise value.
Negotiaction currently has a team of nine based in Melbourne who work on a handful of cases across Australia and, increasingly, in cross-border initiatives involving growth-oriented organisations in India and China.
David claims both his own and his company's success is due in large part to John Onto, MBS professor of negotiations.
He says, "John Onto shaped my life. He is why I started this company. Had I not had contact with John I would not have had an appreciation for the contribution I could make by negotiating well."
Another faculty member he still admires is Oscar Hauptman. "He had massive intellectual horsepower," he says, describing the way that Oscar could articulate arguments and present cases, as "phenomenal".
David's advice to other people thinking of doing an MBA? "Don't think you are going to walk into the course and walk out with a piece of paper that grants you success. It's about allowing the whole process to inform your growth. An MBA is hard work but immerses you in a deep talent pool, exposes you to opportunities and puts some discipline in place in terms of how you think."
