Management Team
KOSTA PATSAN MBA GradQual. Mktg. GAICD
Founder & Managing Director
Kosta conceived and founded Finance Now, Allsurity and Equius Finance Group. Kosta’s background is in business process management, having worked in this field in both a development and management capacity for the likes of Telstra and IBM. Kosta brings to Equius the management skills, experience, industry standing, contacts and a strong credit industry management background.
Kosta has an MBA from Southern Cross University, majoring in Entrepreneurship, as well Graduate Qualifications in Marketing from the Australian Graduate School of Management (UNSW). Kosta has also graduated from the Institute of Company Directors and is a Graduate Member of the AICD.
MARK PEARSON CA M.Fin. MBL MBA
Finance Director (Interim)
Mark is a strategic executive, CFO and Company Secretary with more than 20 years of experience partnering with the C-suite to maximise shareholder return.
Qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with EY (Business Services, Audit and Taxation, before moving into industry as a CFO with a number of ASX listed and privately owned companies, Mark is known for his strength in optimising performance through effective strategic planning and execution, robust financial control and an eye on value creation.
Over the last decade, Mark has supported Gerard Lighting Group through periods of growth and market consolidation, multiple forms of ownership and critical financial restructuring. As a trusted business partner to PE firms, Boards and CEOs alike, Mark brings a high level of expertise in corporate finance (including M&A, pre-IPO business readiness and sale of business), working capital management and the process of future proofing business models against ever increasing disruption from technology change.
Mark holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Business Law (MBL) and a Master of Finance (MFin).
JEAN LE ROUX B.Sc.
Software Development Manager
Jean has been actively involved in technology for almost two decades. Jean was initially involved in the telecommunications industry, developing cryptographic support for satellite multi-casting solutions. Jean then moved to the financial industry, where, amongst other projects, he developed an online platform for pre-eminent web based foreign exchange clearing house, leading a team of developers to launch, maintain an end-to-end platform, servicing thousands of speed critical transactions every day.
Jean has clear architectural vision, which he applies with passion to all his projects. He has designed dozens of systems to date, each a result of Jean’s strong process-driven approach to implementation, which delivers a quality product. With the addition of his thorough understanding of financial systems, and the business that drives them, he is able to facilitate comprehensive solutions that serve both the customer and client.
Jean has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
MICHAEL AUER B.Com.
Director of Wholesale Funding & Credit
Michael Auer is recognised as one of Australia’s leading authorities in the field of structured finance, particularly in the field of debt capital markets and securitisation. He has had a long and distinguished career in this industry, having commenced in banking as a graduate at Westpac, followed by eleven years with BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and St George Bank.
Michael established the Client Securitisation business group at St. George Bank. He then managed and grew that business for more than 10 years, being eventually responsible for 9 of the bank’s 20 largest credit exposures, with a client portfolio exceeded $2.0 billion. Michael has experience in seeking wholesale debt lenders across a number of consumer & SME portfolios.
Michael has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Queensland and is a member of the Australian Securitisation Forum. He has extensive post-graduate academic experience in law and securitisation and has an extensive network of contacts in the Australian structured debt and securitisation industry.