B. Economics, Master of Financial Planning
You will rarely find Matthew not busy with his latest entrepreneurial project, but when he has the time he enjoys running, rock climbing, windsurfing and organising charity events. He is also well-known for his accidental matchmaker abilities.
Matthew Brannelly is an entrepreneur, innovator and problem solver, who has spent more than four decades leading and managing teams of people, clients, business associations and community organisations across a broad range of industries. He’s a highly effective strategic planner who is known for getting the job done and bringing innovative solutions to market.
Over the years he’s been a member of various boards, and also ran his own consultancy firm, Orbit Strategists, which helped businesses develop and execute revenue growth strategies. He is the founder of the original Brisbane Bandits baseball team, social enterprise group The Captain’s Club, and he founded the Brisbane Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1983 and the Gold Coast Junior Chamber of Commerce a few years later. Both still flourish today and became the role model for Junior Chambers across the state (QLD). He subsequently joined the Board of Commerce Qld to continue his championing of the business community.
Matthew is a driven, out of the box thinker who is well-regarded for his curiosity and lateral thinking. He is known for introducing a fresh perspective to strategic planning, and brings dedication, passion and endless commitment to all of his projects.
The Carbon Economist
As the Carbon Economist, with a solid foundation in sustainability and a track record as a highly accomplished CEO and Senior Executive, Matthew is driven by a passion for helping businesses take control of their energy use. His goal is to build sustainable and efficient solutions that not only meet today’s needs but also prepare businesses for a more resilient future.
Matthew specialises in partnering with organisations to rethink their energy strategies and to plan, develop, and implement comprehensive, long-term energy efficiency solutions tailored to each business.
Through the Orbit Switch program , he enables companies to break free from inefficient systems. Matthew’s proven strategies guarantee immediate and lasting reductions in energy costs, setting the stage for future success.
Matthew’s business experience and skills have always demonstrated his innovative, strategic,
and leadership capacities. His commitment to working hard for and with clients and community
groups are well known and regarded.
Combined, these attributes are a powerful influence on delivering outcomes and results for the
endeavours he embraces with typical enthusiasm.
For the past 30 years Matt Brannelly has been leading and managing teams of people, clients, business associations and community organisations.
Matt has been responsible for creating compelling and innovative product offerings with clients and the markets connected with specific target groups. Matt has never shied away from a challenge and he has this unique ability to think beyond the challenge, using a combination of curiosity and lateral thinking that sets him apart from most business leaders. When you add this to his ability to work across Finance, Law, Accounting, Sport and Not for Profits then combine that with work he has done with the Brisbane Junior Chamber in his 20’s; the QLD Chamber of Commerce in his 30’s and now the work he is doing with Charitable Foundations in his 50’s, it provides him with a well rounded ability to lead leaders, lead volunteers and to lead clients.
On a personal level, Matt is a leader that believes in service above self and to add value to people first before you expect anything in return.
Matt has demonstrated a natural curiosity and inquisitiveness right from the start. He was an ideas man long before it became fashionable.
His generous nature has resulted in him sharing his ideas and insights to the substantial benefit of the many people and organisations that have benefited from his involvement
Matt is a tenacious business operator who has a
great ability to think outside the square.
Over the 20 years that I have known Matt I have always found
him to have endless energy and commitment to completing projects that he takes on. Matt has a dynamic and engaging style for challenging existing
business paradigms.
If your organisation is seeking direction and renewed
momentum to improve bottom line results… you
look to someone like Matt.
Matt is not an academic theorist or business coach
who sits on the sideline watching. He combines his
enthusiasm and real world experience via processes
of Business Alchemy and Change Leadership to drive
real change and take a vision and make it a reality.
“Simply … Matt is the guy that gets things done.”
I first met Matt 20ish years ago when he owned a very
successful firm in the finance industry. One of the key
reason’s for the firm’s success was Matt’s innovative
mind, his leading-edge marketing practices and the
way in which he differentiated himself from others in
the industry.
Since then I’ve seen him apply the same
skills to advising other businesses. Matt is a driven, out
of the box thinker who makes results happen and is a
pleasure to do business with.
The Inaugural NFP Leaders Roundtable facilitated by Matt Brannelly at Orbit Strategies provided me with the opportunity to connect and create meaningful relationships with key influential professionals in the NFP sector. As a result from the roundtable, I connected with an IT Director who offered his skills and resources and was the keynote speaker at a NFP event at a large accounting firm. I also connected with a director of a Commercial property agent who I referred to one of my valued clients – as a result of the referral, the agent is now assisting the customer with the sale of their commercial properties.I am grateful to Matt who has enabled me to meet key influencers and individuals who are passionate about the sector and understand the challenges and opportunities that are present.”
The calibre of the people I met at the NFP Leaders Roundtable are amongst the highest in their respective fields. Not only do these people have a genuine drive to help the NFP sector, they have authority to make things happen. As a result of the NFP Leaders Roundtable, I was invited to present to combination of clients from a large accounting firm and from one of the big four banks.In addition to the NFP Leaders Roundtable, Matt’s introduction to another high- calibre firm has resulted in us being appointed to provide on-going services.”
Matthew was a Director of Commerce Queensland during my tenure as Chief Executive. He was a very active and contributory member of the board who brought a fresh and positive view to our strategic planning. He was especially good at identifying marketing opportunities and providing constructive feedback on our various initiatives to grow both commercial services and membership sales. More recently Matthew is advising professional service firms on how to better manage their client relations and how to streamline their client attraction process
Nothing short of incredible
The change that Matthew has made in a short period of time is nothing short of incredible. Within weeks our business evolved in new ways we had never imagined. Our way forward is already clear, exciting and brimming with rewarding new potential.
Grow and increase revenue
Matthew’s experience and creative thinking together with his network of associated professionals provides the basis for any professional firm to grow and increase their revenue.
Second to none
Matthew identified in the blink of an eye a niche market and network that will change the shape of our new firm for years to come. Matthew’s profitable ideas are infectious and second to none.
Real solutions
If your organisation is seeking direction and renewed momentum to improve bottom line results, you look to someone like Matthew.
The unfair advantage
Matthew is world-class when it comes to taking businesses to the next level whether that be more profits, more clients or more productivity from their people. His real-world strategies take the complexity out of business growth. He becomes the unfair advantage for the firms he works with in the marketplace. An investment in using Matthew’s expertise will add significant value to your business.
More profits, more clients, more productivity
Matthew is world class when it comes to taking professional service firms to the next level whether that be more profits, more clients or more productivity from their people.
A new paradigm
Given the increasing pace of change being forced on NFPs… there is an urgent need for a new paradigm in accessing solutions to commercial challenges and the embracing of change management.
Nothing short of phenomenal
For NFPs, the work that Matt Brannelly and Orbit do is nothing short of phenomenal. They found efficiencies in our organisation that enabled us to reduce our total overall costs by $200,000 every single year. With the help of this professional network, we were able to find efficiencies where we otherwise wouldn’t think of looking.
Real solutions
I’ve been thrilled by the positive impact on our bottom line. With the help of these experts, we will have saved more in a year than we would normally bring in from fundraising over the same period!
In my experience, Matt Brannelly has been instrumental in bringing together a group of specialists to identify efficiency opportunities and deliver real solutions.
Tangible results
Matthew has the ability to think outside the box, innovate, and leverage his networks and reputation to get things done and produce tangible results. He worked with us in exploring a different approach to structuring philanthropic giving to meet donor and organizational needs”
Dominos Franchisee
As with many small business owners, we’ve felt increasing pressure to manage rising costs and shrinking margins. Energy costs, in particular, have been a significant burden. Matt Brannelly and his team at Orbit were instrumental in helping us tackle this issue by implementing an energy group contract across our stores, leveraging the power of group buying.
Their expertise in energy procurement and ability to negotiate favourable contract terms enabled us to reduce our energy costs by an average of 10% to 15% per year across our stores.
This kind of reduction has made a huge difference to our bottom line, allowing us to focus on delivering quality service without constantly worrying about the impact of rising energy expenses. The Orbit team handled the entire process seamlessly, giving us peace of mind while they took care of the details. Without their strategic approach and knowledge, these savings simply wouldn’t have been possible.
Management Consultant ,Board Member Aged Care
As a former aged care CEO, I understand firsthand the immense pressures of managing rising costs, particularly energy expenses, while maintaining quality care for residents. Energy management is often an overlooked but critical area where significant savings can be made, but without the right expertise, navigating this space can be challenging.
This is where Orbit’s holistic, strategy-first approach truly stands out. Matt Brannelly and his team specialize in helping aged care providers like ours develop comprehensive Energy Management Plans that address not only immediate concerns but also long-term sustainability. Their ability to guide CEOs through the complexities of energy procurement, identifying hidden inefficiencies, and implementing solutions like LED lighting, solar, and improved air conditioning efficiencies is invaluable.
Orbit’s hands-on support in project managing these initiatives ensures that the solutions are executed effectively, delivering real savings and reducing environmental impact. For any aged care CEO, partnering with Orbit is an essential step in staying ahead of rising energy costs while focusing on delivering care.
Return on investment
Micah Projects was trying to find ways to reduce its operating costs, looking into different ways and piecemeal savings. We hadn’t considered reviewing our energy contract before—in fact, it was something the business had never thought about.
Matt Brannelly and team came to us, discussed our contract and usage, and showed us that by reviewing our energy contract, we could make significant, long-term savings. After seeing their proposal and the return on investment, it just made sense.
When it came time, Matt handled everything for us, providing us updates along the way. It was such an easy process, and felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. And the savings we’ve seen since then have been phenomenal
Energy efficiency and sustainability practices
I am pleased to provide a reference for Orbit Strategists, who have been instrumental in our journey towards sustainability at Guide Dogs Queensland. Their expertise and dedication have significantly contributed to our energy efficiency projects, including solar and LED upgrades.
Orbit first assisted us in identifying a grant to fund our sustainability projects. Their knowledge of available funding opportunities and their proactive approach ensured that we secured the necessary financial support. This was a crucial step in making our sustainability goals achievable.
Beyond securing the grant, Orbit took on the role of project manager for our initiatives.
They coordinated the entire process, from planning to implementation. Their team handled all aspects of the project with professionalism and efficiency, ensuring that everything was completed on time and within budget.
The solar and LED upgrades have had a tremendous impact on our operations. Not only have we reduced our energy costs, but we have also made significant strides in our commitment to environmental sustainability. The improvements have created a better-lit, more energy-efficient environment for both our staff and clients.
Orbit’s comprehensive approach and commitment to excellence have been evident throughout our collaboration. They have proven to be reliable, knowledgeable, and dedicated partners in our sustainability efforts.
I highly recommend their services to any organization looking to enhance their energy efficiency and sustainability practices.
Exceptional experience
Working with Matt Brannelly and the Orbit team has been an exceptional experience. Their expertise and hands-on approach were instrumental in helping us implement a comprehensive Energy Management Plan at St Paul’s. They guided us through identifying practical solutions, including LED lighting upgrades, solar , energy contract procurement, hot water upgrades ,optimising air conditioning efficiency, and establishing an embedded network to assist our residents . All of which combined to reduced our energy use and costs by over 50%.
These remarkable results would not have been possible without Orbit’s expert advice and their project management of the entire process. As a busy CEO, I simply didn’t have the time or resources to achieve this outcome alone. Matt and his team were invaluable partners in this journey, ensuring everything was done efficiently and effectively.
For the past 40 years , Matthew Brannelly has been leading and managing Teams of People, Clients, Business Associations and Community Organisations. Matthew has been responsible for creating compelling and innovative product offerings with clients and the markets connected with specific target groups. The leadership work he has done originally with partners of Law and Accounting Firms in areas of Marketing, Product Development and Client Engagement has been world class with results that are setting industry standards. Matthew has never shied away from a challenge and he has this unique ability to think beyond the challenge, using a combination of curiosity and lateral thinking that sets him apart from most business leaders.As an economist and strategic adviser, Matthew is now helping business executives build sustainable, efficient and growing organisations with diverse revenue streams .
Over the last decade , Matthew has helped countless organisations grow by applying innovative and out-of-the-box thinking to their key challenges.As a result , he has also developed a deep understanding of most of the challenges and goals of Australian SMEs.It’s fair to say that the present situation , post the coronavirus pandemic , is one of the most serious we’ve ever encountered in business.On the one hand, it’s heartbreaking to see so many fine businesses struggle. On the other, he feels privileged to be able to help.With a powerful network of specialist providers to call on to deliver solutions , and a strong track record of delivering results, Matthew can help guide your team towards your long-term vision with fresh perspectives.
Captain’s Club is a social enterprise hosting unique sports-themed events across Australia, to raise funds for, and profile, selected charities including The Aussie Athlete Fund and Chappell Foundation.
Founded in 2017, The Captain’s Club encourages those with a desire to unite as a community and give back, in support of charities assisting the next generation of sporting greats and Australian families facing unique challenges, from youth homelessness to disabilities.
Held at various locations around Australia, The Captain’s Club’s special events are an opportunity for business people and sporting icons to connect with like-minded professionals, learn from each other, be inspired, and inspire others, while giving back to the community.
PO BOX 598 Clayfield Qld 4011