BlueRock founder Peter Lalor hands over CEO duties to Shaun Kamler
Professional services firm BlueRock has appointed former Macquarie Group senior leader Shaun Kamler as its new chief executive, with founder Peter Lalor moving into the executive chair role.
Kamler joins BlueRock in Melbourne after close to a decade and a half at Macquarie, most recently as chief operating officer for technology within the group’s retail banking division, having earlier held senior roles at ANZ and General Electric.
Lalor, who started out at Grant Thornton, has been running the business for almost two decades since its founding in Melbourne in 2008, building it into a team of more than 300 professionals covering a diverse portfolio of advisory and business services.
“Growth at this scale demands something different and Shaun is the right person for our next chapter,” Lalor said. “I’ve known Shaun for years and we share a clear vision for where BlueRock is headed. He brings the technology company thinking, deep financial services expertise, and the leadership presence and experience to make it happen. BlueRock’s best is still ahead.”
Other roles Kamler held during his time at Macquarie include chief product owner for its wealth division, and head of client management at Macquarie Private Bank. Before that, his three and a half years with ANZ in Singapore were preceded by eight and a half at GE, while he has also served as chair of social change non-profit organisation The Funding Network for the past six years.
“BlueRock has built something special; a genuinely tech-enabled, purpose-led and entrepreneurial advisory firm,” Kamler said. “I’m excited to join a special group of people to make BlueRock the destination for SMEs, their founders, and families. That’s where the market is going and the real value is, and that’s exactly what I want to spend the next phase of my career helping to build.”
Kamler will take the helm of the $70 million-generating consulting firm, which provides services across business advisory, accounting, tax, wealth management, finance, and law, from August, with Lalor to then concentrate on working closely with clients, client acquisition, and mentoring Bluerock’s next generationof directors and senior leaders as executive chair.
“Seventeen years ago, with eight awesome people, I walked away from the traditional professional services model, believing there was a better way to work with business owners,” Lalor said. “No pretence, or unnecessary complexity; just exceptional people doing exceptional work for clients who wanted to build something meaningful. What followed is something I’m immensely proud of.”
