The team at Epago Group posses strong Procurement and Strategic Sourcing expertise, extensive market knowledge and contacts, and applies a practical business approach to its activities. This approach, blended with its blue-chip company management background, and the team's local and global industry experience, positions Epago Group head and shoulders above its competition.
If you are looking to spend less on your indirect purchase activity, without compromising on your service delivery, and are looking for a new approach to your indirect procurement then contact Epago Group today, and watch your costs plummet as your profits soar.
Michael O'Brien - Director
Michael is an experienced procurement professional, who has used strong business acumen, industry knowledge, and influencing and management capability to consistently make dramatic inroads into the strategic management of costs, supplier performance and business improvement.
Michael has successfully worked in various senior leadership roles including procurement and operational transformation projects, multi-wave strategic sourcing programs, cost improvement programmes and process reengineering initiatives across both medium-sized and large companies.
Over a 25 year-plus career at in the Banking & Finance industry Michael held roles that required major surgery and repair to turnaround, from Retail Banking to Lending, Training to Process and Operational to Procurement roles. Turning businesses around, and leveraging scarce resources to their maximum benefit and performance to deliver results, proved to be his greatest strength and asset.
His discipline and his relentless eagerness to expand his knowledge and expertise helped him to develop unique and innovative approaches across business unit initiatives including Procurement, Operations, Process, Training, Lending and Retail.
Michael has held key Strategic Management roles; never one to sit idle, he was then promoted to Head of Supplier Management for ANZ, managing suppliers and panels across the $1b+ Indirect spend categories (including business services, travel, events, logistics, IT, telco, people and professional services).
Michael leads with a strong focus and purpose on team development and performance, operational process improvement, delivering on client needs, transforming supplier relationship management, and significant cost and revenue initiative programmes.
In 2009, Michael partnered with John Winzer and Mario Kalogiannis to form Epago Group. Michael is known for his human approach, which, combined with his strong business acumen, senior leadership capability, depth of experience, extensive networks and his reputation, provides a great asset to the Epago Group and our clients.
His professional qualifications and certifications include Master of Business Administration (Corporate Management) and Diploma of Business (Banking & Finance)
John Winzer - Director
Throughout his career, John has been involved in a range of logistic, supply chain management and procurement specialities. He spent the early parts of his career working for the RAAF, as part of the Air Force Logistic Command, eventually leading large teams of service and civilian personnel in the management of specific commodity groups, including the Air Force’s motor vehicle fleet, design and development of uniforms, and capping off his defence career with heading up the finance and HR services for the Logistics Command.
Following the senior role with the Defence Department, John decided to move into the corporate environment, accepting a role with BP Australia where he could apply his seasoned and strategic approach with one of the world's leading energy companies. John was managing the procurement of all IT and corporate services for the company.
In 1996, John was appointed to a new role with Hewlett Packard Australia, established to manage the procurement and travel for that company in this market. John eventually became the lead for travel management and facilities/workplace requirements procurement across the Asia Pacific region.
BHP merged with Billiton in 2001/02 to become BHP Billiton. In travel management this company represented the largest spend in the Australian market outside of government. John was offered the opportunity to lead the global travel management function for BHP Billiton so resigned from HP and was appointed as Manager Global Travel.
After leaving BHP Billiton in 2004, John went into contract work, firstly with Sodexho Australia, helping them to re-shape their procurement function. The following year he took on a role with ANZ. The contract role at ANZ developed into project managing some major changes in their travel management portfolio, and helping ANZ establish a leading global travel program.
After a number of years working with the Australian military logistics service, a number of the world's leading corporate organisations at a local, regional and global level, he is considered a leader in corporate travel management. He has successfully transformed a number of corporate travel programs into leading-edge global programs for many forward-looking companies.
John has worked in the banking, IT, facilities, mining and oil industries, and has had exposure to many leading-edge procurement operations. He also has experience over a range of indirect commodity procurement commodities.
Mario Kalogiannis - Director
Mario brings a significant business background contribution to the Epago Group. He is passionate, driven and committed to saving clients time, effort and money. He brings more than 20 years of business experience, more than a decade of working experience with blue-chip corporates, procurement expertise and industry contact networks that would take many years and much hard work to develop and sustain.
Mario has a passion and keen eye for managing successful businesses. It all began when he was just a boy running his family’s food retail business. While most kids his age were living and enjoying their childhood years, he was more interested in learning the discipline of what it takes to initiate and manage a successful business. That’s where he picked up his management and leadership skills.
With this as a foundation, Mario set out to successfully start and manage businesses in food retail and printing. Concurrently, he studied to achieve a Diploma in Sales Business Management and later completed a Bachelor in Business Applied Economics, with majors in Marketing and Banking & Finance.
His discipline, leadership skills and unique blend of expertise secured Mario a position in the Banking and Finance sector, where he worked for more than a decade. Some of his career highlights there include managing high-value payment operations, finance and reconciliations, leading and managing major IT implementations, management roles in governance and risk.
While Mario was successful at anything he put his mind to, his absolute passion and keen interest was in the management of the cost side of the business. It was only a matter of time before Mario was to move within Strategic Sourcing department where he led and managed many and various corporate services categories various sourcing roles. He managed teams across People, Logistics and Corporate Services, including Travel, Events and Transport categories. He was also instrumental in leading and implementing local and global category transformation projects.
He has demonstrated that capability in delivering business outcomes, including reduced costs and service excellence to clients and suppliers alike. This is overlaid by a strong ethical approach in dealings with suppliers and client stakeholders. Mario also has demonstrated experience in business transformation, organisational dynamics, operations and technology project management.
Achieving and creating value is in Mario’s DNA! He thrives on the challenge, and is passionate about his business – creating VALUE for others.
