Meet The Team
Dean Dalla Valle | Chairman
Dean is our Chairman. Most recently he served as CEO of Pacific National, Australia’s largest private rail freight company.
Prior to that, Dean held senior leadership roles at BHP Billiton during a 40-year career - earning him a reputation as one of the company’s longest serving and most respected leaders. He completed his tenure as Chief Commercial Officer with responsibility for marketing and distribution of commodities, the global Health Safety and Environment program, technology and the highly complex Samarco recovery project in Brazil. Prior to this, Dean was President of BHP Billiton’s international coal business.
Dean is the Chairman of Hysata, which is developing the world’s most efficient electrolysis cell, and a Non-Executive Director of Rio Tinto Group.
Jason de Sousa | Managing Partner
Jason’s strength lies in his deep understanding of the intersection between business, markets and public policy. Prior to leading Ideia Partners, Jason was an Executive Director at Lendlease Corporation focused on strategy, origination and investment in major infrastructure and real estate projects across the Company’s Australian and international portfolio. Prior to this he served in senior policy and leadership roles at both the State and Commonwealth levels of government in Australia.
Jason has acted for public and private sector clients in Asia and Australasia advising on public private partnerships, infrastructure investment strategy, and regulation. He has a particular interest in how to unlock the potential of cities, focusing on how infrastructure and urban renewal projects can make cities more affordable, efficient and accessible, and create value for public and private investors.
Jason holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Graduate School of Management, a Master of International Relations and a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University.
Andrew Huckel | Partner
Andrew has operated at a senior level in corporate, financial and government/public affairs for more than 20 years, including as the former Director of Corporate Affairs for Australia’s largest private rail freight company. At Pacific National, he was involved in the delivery of inland regional Australia’s largest intermodal terminal at Parkes (Central West , New South Wales) and St Marys Freight Hub in Western Sydney.
Major infrastructure projects overseen by Andrew included Sydney’s WestConnex and NorthConnex motorways, upgrades to the Pacific, Princes, Great Western and Newell highways, Bridges for the Bush, and Fixing Country Roads and Rail. He was also involved in the development of the state’s first Freight and Ports Strategy.
Andrew has a deep knowledge and understanding of how to navigate large and complex government agencies and engage with the executive of government. Andrew is a three-time graduate of The University of Sydney, Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and 2004 recipient of a Churchill Fellowship.
Olli Mustonen | Partner
Olli brings extensive international experience across investment banking, corporate strategy and capital markets. His career spans work on investments and transactions in 20+ countries across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North America. Olli has led transformative transactions in mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments, and capital raisings for a range of organisations and clients including leading financial institutions and high-growth start-ups.
Prior to joining Ideia Partners, Olli was Group Head of Funding and Head of Group Corporate Development at QBE Insurance, where he played a pivotal role in a number of major transactions. He has also held senior roles at Westpac, Barclays, Commonwealth Bank and Rothschild, with responsibilities across M&A, financial structuring, financial technology investments, and strategic advisory.
Beyond his career in finance, Olli serves as Honorary Consul of Finland in New South Wales. He holds an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a BA in Law and Business Studies from Warwick Business School.
Ashley Kim | Partner
Ashley's strength lies in her ability to scale organisations and unlock enterprise value while maintaining operational excellence and financial discipline. Prior to joining Ideia Partners, Ashley spent 15 years as Chief Executive Officer of one of Australia's largest private education enterprises, growing the business from 500 to more than 30,000 annual enrolments and expanding operations to 9 campuses across NSW and Victoria.
Ashley led the business through a $100M+ investment partnership, driving capital strategy, commercial modelling and enterprise uplift, alongside strategic M&A integration that unified multiple brands and co-curricular partnerships under a single national vision. She also spearheaded tech-enabled transformation across CRM, LMS and AI-driven platforms, and built the hybrid online learning infrastructure that sustained profitability through the pivot to online delivery during COVID - all while leading a workforce of 300+. Prior to her role as CEO, she spent seven years at Commonwealth Bank of Australia across market risk, governance and remuneration functions.
Ashley holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at UNSW Business School and a Bachelor of Commerce (Actuarial Studies and Finance Co-op) from UNSW.
William Canty | Senior Adviser
Based in New York, William Canty connects global capital with Australian opportunities across key sectors including energy, infrastructure, mining, technology, and education. He serves as a vital bridge, offering international perspective and direct access to investors and projects.
With experience in both public and private markets, William partners with leadership teams on capital raising, growth strategies, and complex stakeholder navigation. He also guides Australian companies entering the U.S. market. Backed by a skilled Australian team, he ensures seamless execution in investor relations, business development, and capital deployment across both Australia and the U.S.
Prior to his work with Ideia Partners, William founded, built and continues to back ventures in mining, technology, media and education.
John Lee | Director
John is a corporate finance and real assets specialist with deep experience across infrastructure and real estate. Over more than a decade he has originated, led and executed transactions in excess of $2 billion, a capability formed inside three of Australia's most significant property and infrastructure groups: Lendlease, Meriton and John Holland. Working at the point where capital meets real assets, he has a sharp instinct for the value the market overlooks and the risks it underestimates.
At Ideia Partners, John advises corporations and investors on capital raising, M&A and complex transactions, with a particular focus on situations where development, private investment and government intersect. Because he has both structured deals and delivered the projects beneath them, he guides clients not just on how a transaction should work on paper, but on whether it can realistically be built and closed.
John holds degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of New South Wales and is a CFA charterholder.
Anna Wyllie | Director
With more than 20 years of experience working in private, public, and not-for-profit organsations, Anna is a dynamic economic development specialist, bringing strategic thinking and a global focus to regional issues.
Anna’s most recent role was with the Department of Regional NSW as the Director of Regional Development for the South-East where she worked with local government (including bushfire affected communities), businesses and communities to develop and implement projects to create jobs, improve infrastructure and attract investment to regional areas, including working in the areas of renewables and the circular economy.
Prior to that, as Chief Strategy Officer for Parkes Shire Council, Anna oversaw economic development, including playing an instrumental role in the development of te Parkes National Logistics Hub and Special Activation Precinct, marketing, communications, tourism, regional drought resilience initiatives, events, and grants. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge and a strong background in leadership, negotiations and stakeholder engagement and management.
Anna has a Bachelor Commerce (Government and Political Economy) Sydney University and a Diploma in Project Management.
Susanna Montrone | Director
Susanna is a trusted adviser working with global and ASX-listed companies to navigate complex policy and regulatory environments. With deep networks across government, and an understanding of how to build collaborative partnerships between the private and public sectors to deliver reform and manage issues, she ensures effective engagement for clients with government policy makers, regulators and investors as a core part of business success.
Susanna has served in senior roles in government across her career including as Cabinet Director to the New South Wales Deputy Premier during the Covid pandemic, Director of Legislative Affairs for the then Government in NSW’s Upper House, and Chief of Staff at the Powerhouse Museum during its $1.2 billion renewal.
More recently she has worked to pioneer precinct partnerships at a local level, and with major philanthropic institutions on policy reform and political leadership. She volunteers her time on the board of Muscular Dystrophy NSW.