About

As the managing director and founder of Australian Pharmacy Group (AP Group), Rob built the company from start-up to the largest specialised pharmacy brokerage in the country.

Rob is a thought leader, problem solver and big picture thinker, leading AP Group toward double digit year-on-year growth, as well as earning the reputation as one of the most forward-thinking B2B companies in the retail pharmacy sector.

A true pioneer, Rob created the first member-based business of its type in the industry, grown to over 3500 active members since inception – and continues to grow daily. Today, AP Group boasts specialised finance and legal services, which are highly successful independently of the sale of business.

Rob is honest and personable, getting great satisfaction from leading a close-knit team, delivering the best possible results for clients, and tirelessly committing to the development of the business. He embraces the opportunity to assist others in building value in their business.

Rob spent the early part of his career in pharmaceuticals at Genepharm, which later became Ascent Pharmaceuticals. At Genepharm, his contributions and capacity were consistently recognised through promotions, eventually moving to Operations Manager of the Pharmasave Group.

Prior to starting AP Group, Rob was responsible for franchise development at Terry White Management, where his responsibilities included the introduction of new brand members, distress management of underperforming members, lease negotiations and growth strategy.

Outside of his career, Rob is the father of two young, energetic daughters. Despite having a hectic work and family life, Rob is a keen golfer and member at The National and Huntingdale Golf Clubs with a single figure handicap.

With a career spanning over a decade, including roles in branded OTC products, generic and branded medicines, brand development, store operations and pharmacy group operations – there are few people in the pharmacy industry with such diverse knowledge as Rob.

If you would like any further information or an opportunity to chat, please do not hesitate to contact Rob directly.

Andrew Whelan is the latest addition to the AP Sales team and has unparalleled business management experience across both Australia and the United Kingdom. He is an expert in strategy development, profit and loss, financial management, cost analysis and forecasting.

Having spent the last ten years working in the Telecommunications and Media Industry, Andrew has held a variety of senior management roles at both Telstra Corporation and British Sky Broadcasting.

Since completing a Bachelor of Commerce and a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance, Andrew spent 7 years at Telstra in a variety of management roles, most recently as the General Manager of Broadband Strategy. This role involved the management of a customer base of three million business and consumer broadband customers and the management of a multi-billion dollar P&L.

Andrew also spent three years in the United Kingdom managing the commercial function for the British Sky Broadcasting Telecommunications business. During his tenure British Sky Broadcasting was the fastest growing broadband provider in the United Kingdom.

Joining AP Sales to head up the Finance division, Andrew is highly experienced in financial management and forecasting. He has retained exceptional relationships in the finance sector and should be your first contact point when considering finance for your new business or refinance of your existing business.

Jack Brown has been a business owner for the last decade during which time he has purchased and sold multiple businesses within his portfolio. In addition to his own businesses, Jack has held roles in strategy and insights along with the exit planning and business sales for in excess of eight years.

Prior to starting at AP Sales, Jack was a Strategic Consultant for ING where his responsibilities were to assess the existing asset portfolio, complete feasibility analysis’ and develop strategic modelling for future acquisitions.

Jack also performed and integral role at Right Angle Studios as a Strategist and Project Manager where his role was to formulate strategic insights that would inform the business strategy of large scale retail developments and how they would achieve their stated objectives both in relation to financial viability and ROI’s as well as community impact.

Over the last 15 years Jack has excelled in a number of senior roles including building, developing and selling businesses across all Industries. With experience in equity funding and exit planning, ground level operations and strategy, it is extremely rare to find someone like Jack who has excelled across multiple industries in multiple disciplines.

Whether it be a small greenfield start up or an established multi million company, Jack’s extensive experience means he is the first person you should talk to when thinking of buying or selling your Pharmacy.

Ian Fedrick became part of the AP Group team upon the merger of his Queensland based pharmacy broking business ‘IF Business Broking’ and AP Group in March 2019. Ian built his business from a start-up in 2008 into one of the most successful pharmacy broking businesses in Queensland. Ian brings that success, extensive skills and knowledge gained having sold more than 120 pharmacies across all parts of Queensland.

Ian has spent 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry, his career began at Alphapharm in 1984 as one of their first employees and until 1999 held sales management roles in Queensland and played an integral part in the generic evolution in Australia. From 2000 to 2006 Ian was part of the Arrow Pharmaceuticals entrepreneurial team that shaped an emerging private prescription market in Australia and re-invented generics through cross-licenced products. In 2006 when Sigma Pharmaceutical acquired Arrow Ian moved into the role of Pharmacy Sales & Acquisition Manager for Queensland.  After just 2 years in the role Ian saw a gap for an independent pharmacy broker and encouraged by pharmacists who had bought and sold through Ian he established IF Business Broking in March 2008.

With a genuine passion for helping business owners Ian became renowned for his great customer service. He follows all transactions right through to being present at the pharmacy the day of settlement, making for a smooth transition for the vendor and the buyer. Ian’s business principles are complimented by AP Groups systems and processes allowing Ian to focus on what he loves, helping his clients.
As a partner and director of AP Group, assuming the role of Queensland Sales Manager Ian is the best resourced pharmacy broker in Queensland. No one in Queensland is better placed than Ian to assist you with your pharmacy sale, purchase or junior partnership.  

Will’s varied professional background and experience endears him to clients and sets him apart from other brokers in the industry.

Will prides himself on being approachable, reliable and responsive. With five years’ experience selling pharmacies across Australia, Will can identify key market opportunities and provide insights that are pertinent to business owners both current and future.

Will’s early career as an English teacher and journalist instilled in him exceptional communication skills and gave him the tools to analyse and present data in its most clear and meaningful form. He also cultivated a distinct ability to connect with people and manage personalities and this has encouraged clients to make him the face of their efforts whether buying or selling.

This unique set of skills has made Will a highly sought after expert in our sales team and enabled him to achieve excellent sale and acquisition results for his clients.

AP Group are delighted to have David Gilbert in the role of Sales Manager - SA & WA as part of its expert team. David is a successful business owner in his own right having owned and operated the Austral Hotel on Rundle Street in Adelaide for the past 12 years. During his tenure, David has developed the Austral Hotel into an iconic brand known by almost every South Australian.

With shifting market forces such as the introduction of Uber Eats and growing competition within the hospitality sector, to be successful in his tenure of the Austral Hotel, David needed to be adept at adjusting strategies for moving market trends and he brings this unique attribute to his role at AP Group.

David's strong knowledge of the retail pharmacy industry derives from 2 years assisting AP Group on a consultancy basis. He attended meetings in South Australia and Western Australia with other AP Group senior team members to assist both in the delivery of AP Groups national offer and, his own personal development.

David is a passionate family man being a father of 4 children with extensive family ties to the local community. Even with a demanding role at AP Group and, a large family David still makes time for his love sport and is a strong golfer with a GA Handicap of 10.

Proven business attributes, passion for the pharmacy industry and an infectious personality make David the ideal candidate to assist you with all of your pharmacy business needs.

If you would like any further information or just an opportunity to chat about the industry in South Australia or Western Australia, please do not hesitate to contact David directly.

Nicholas is a corporate and commercial lawyer, with extensive prior experience working in litigation and insolvency.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics from Latrobe University and achieved a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from Leo Cussen Centre for Law. Nicholas is highly experienced in the pharmaceutical sector, with a particular specialisation in the sale of pharmacy businesses.

This background has equipped him the unique insight and the skills necessary to deal with all the aspects of pharmacy businesses, transactions and matters concerning health professionals.

Overall, he brings a practical, pragmatic and solutions oriented approach in advising his clients on a broad range of matters.

Outside of work Nicholas is a passionate supporter of the Essendon AFL team. He is also dedicated to his training and fitness.

Leo is a dynamic, proactive, and highly reliable professional currently pursuing a degree in Law having completed a degree in Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne.

He possess sound knowledge and understanding of the law and legal procedures through my employment experience and academic background. As such, he is armed with the skill and legal acumen to deal with any matter you may have.

Beginning his legal journey at AP Legal, Leo prides himself on his dedicated approach to work. His great attention to detail and inquisitive mind allows him to find the best legal solutions for his clients.

Outside of work, Leo is an avid Golfer and enjoys a day out on the links.

Matt moved to Melbourne from Adelaide in 2018 and began his finance journey having already worked in a several fields which helped him develop an honest and meaningful approach to his work. He started training as a mortgage broker with one of the largest construction finance brokerages in the state. He’s worked closely with numerous experts in the field and used this to excel his knowledge and experience.

Matt joined AP Group knowing he could apply his finance skills and passion for business to deliver excellent customer service, something that he prides himself on. He is personable, responsive, and strives to deliver results for his clients.

Given his experience in complex lending, he has established the ability to find solutions and ensure clients have their finances structured correctly from day one.

Matt is an avid Adelaide Crows supporter and enjoys varied sporting activities outside work, including golf.

Sarah Tipping brings a wealth of experience to her clients and, to AP Group. Commencing her career in Real Estate, Sarah enjoyed enormous success in the industry as Managing Director of a multi-office network. Sarah’s accolades include being Victoria’s first female Auctioneer, Barry Plant Real Estates first female Director and, Telstra Business Woman of the Year 2000.

Since selling out of Real Estate, Sarah has enjoyed success in consulting, the tourism industry and currently sits as ‘Chairman of the Board’ for prestigious private school ‘Yarra Valley Grammer’. Perhaps most importantly for her clients, Sarah is a mother and a home owner giving her a strong understanding of family budgets as well as excellent commercial acumen.

Sarah prides herself on providing exceptional, personalized service to her clients and AP Group are proud to have Sarah as part of the team.

Dee’s love for creating and implementing tailored marketing strategies has greatly impacted a wide variety of brands throughout her 15+ years of marketing experience.

Her in-depth knowledge and one-size-does-not-fit-all mantra is drawn from scouting leading marketing practices – not only from Australia – but from Dee’s travels to suppliers, conferences and trade shows across the globe.

Dee joined AP Group from a Marketing Agency where she was the Creative Director and has a sweeping portfolio of experience spanning sports, professional services, FMCG, education, tourism, food and fashion industries.

Aside from working, Dee managed to find the time to be published in Marketing magazine and in 2017 completed her Master of Marketing, with Distinction at RMIT University.

Dee is now lending her expertise to AP Group where she is enjoying building on and communicating the unique and progressive positioning and service offering that AP Group has to offer.

Phoenix is an IT consultant with over 18 years experience spanning the corporate, private and consultancy sectors in Australia, Asia and the USA.

He specialises in developing and implementing IT solutions that encompass front-end and back-end development, social media, CRM and ERP systems and infrastructure upgrades - transforming a business's productivity and efficiency.

During his career he has advised and assisted a range of leading companies which includes Sony Corporation, VH1, Macquarie Group, Fast Retailing Co. and Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd.

Phoenix is also an avid surfer and hopes that one day his daughter becomes the next Stephanie Gilmore.

Chris is a highly experienced business professional with exceptional pharmacy knowledge, relationships and results through his career spanning more than two decades in the retail pharmacy industry.

Prior to joining AP Group, Chris has been a key member of Terry White Management and Sigma Retail’s executive and leadership teams. Chris was an integral part of the Terry White Group leading the Franchise & Store Development teams that successfully increased the brand from 80 member stores to over 400 member stores across Australia. Amongst Chris’s many achievements in the retail pharmacy industry are:

• Played a key role in the integration of Terry White Chemists, Chemmart and the ChemPlus brands;
• Developed and implemented new retail formats at Terry White Chemists and more recently WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods with Sigma; and
• Established industry wide relationships having worked closely with a variety of stakeholders including franchisee’s, franchisors, landlords and wholesalers throughout his pharmacy industry career.

As a committed family man, Chris is currently living in Bayside Melbourne with his wife Anita and his two teenage sons. He is an avid cyclist, big time Melbourne United fan and a tragic North Melbourne Kangaroos supporter.

Chris is an authority in the pharmacy industry and has ability to think ‘outside the box’, to achieve the best possible outcomes for his clients whatever they may be. With his unparalleled industry relationships and leadership skills, coupled with Chris being a Nationally Accredited mediator he has frequently negotiated successful outcomes in complex commercial matters. Whatever your pharmacy business needs, Chris is perfectly placed to assist you achieve your goals.

An invaluable member of the AP Group team, Kathy is approachable, capable and  willing to assist in any way she can.

Before joining AP Group in 2016, Kathy held long-term roles in business operations within various specialised industries, including scientific research, analysis, and reporting, quality management and online publishing.  Through this background, Kathy developed instrumental skills in process development and improvement, systems implementation, quality management and business support.

Kathy’s broad experience, keen intellect and adaptability has seen her become an integral member of the AP Group team. Her role operates across all facets of the business including assisting with pharmacy sales, trust account management, finance applications and legal operations.

Beyond the workplace, Kathy has spent significant periods living, studying and working in rural and regional NSW before relocating to Melbourne. As a mother of two young adult university students, Kathy has enjoyed being involved in many volunteer roles for various schools and community sports organisations around Bayside. Along with her partner, she enjoys weekend escapes, catching up with friends and family, watching live games of cricket or AFL, as well as the occasional live concert or theatre performance.

As an integral part of the AP Group team, Elizabeth is adaptable, courteous and hardworking. She provides administrative support for all facets of AP Group. Her role sees her work alongside the pharmacy sales team, finance team and clients, ensuring day-to-day processes run seamlessly.

Elizabeth started her career in Asia where she worked for an international airline, a trade magazine publishing company and an event management company. After moving back to Australia in 2015, she completed a Diploma in Leadership and Management. She has spent the last 6 years applying and growing her skillset, assisting a range of companies with back-office administration duties, always ensuring tasks are carried out professionally, diligently and to the highest level of competency.

Elizabeth is a person who prefers actions with tangible results, rather than promises and words. She approaches all aspects of her role with a positive, hard-working mindset and is passionate about helping the team find solutions — no matter the challenge. Elizabeth is excited to bring her background in administrative and customer service, organisation and unrivalled enthusiasm to the AP Group team and clients.

Away from work, Elizabeth enjoys reading mystery novels, loves travelling and exploring, loves beaches, watching movies, and visiting museums. With her husband, she enjoys long trail walks in national parks and beaches, catching up with family and friends and working in the garden.