Joe Connell becomes second owner at dandolopartners

Nine years after joining dandolopartners, Joe Connell has now become the firm’s second owner.

Based in Melbourne, dandolopartners is a management consulting firm specialising in public policy and strategy. The firm, which has around 25 staff and recently celebrated its 21st birthday, works for government clients nationwide.

“It’s a real privilege to become an owner of the firm” said Connell. “I feel very lucky to work in a firm with a proud 20-plus year history. I’m looking forward to working closely with the team in the coming years as we continue to build a firm that does important work, and treats and grows its people well.”

Connell joined dandolopartners as a senior consultant in 2015 having previously served PwC in its consulting wing. Before that, he worked as a ministerial advisor and public servant in his native New Zealand. He applied at dandolopartners after seeing a social media post from a university debating friend and made the move to Melbourne to take up the role.

At the consulting firm, Connell leads complex reviews, strategy and development projects for clients in the education sector, healthcare, and medical research sectors. He also has a track record advising major philanthropic investors.

“My aspiration is that all our people can look back on any year and think ‘that project really mattered, and my fingerprints are on it’” said Joe. “I feel that way about lots of projects – career education reform, new funding for paediatric research, big changes in national education policy on the back of our evaluations and new schools for kids that are too unwell for mainstream support.”

Welcoming Connell alongside herself as the company’s second owner, founder and director Bronte Adams said: “Joe is a top-class conceptual thinker, problem solver and communicator. More than that, he cares deeply about dandolopartners and its people, our work and the future of our firm. He is a real standard bearer for our values.”

“In lots of ways becoming an owner is a natural next step,” she continued. “We’ve always worked closely together and Joe has held the title of Director for years. That won’t change. But this step recognises Joe’s contribution so far, and that he is a major part of our long term future.”