The Curtin Ignition Team consists of 6 members: Richard Thorning, the Director; Jane Garrett, the Program Director; Gabor Hernadi, the Program Manager; Jenny Boylen, the Administrative Officer; Jenny Duggan, who handles catering; and Leah Bosse, the Finance Officer. Together they run the Curtin Ignition program, which fuels entrepreneurs' minds with its intensive week-long learning environment based on Cambridge University's Ignite program. The team members bring diverse backgrounds and experiences in business, education, customer service, administration, event organization, catering and finance to support the program.

1. The Curtin Ignition Team
Richard Thorning - Director
Prior to establishing his consultancy, Gabor has held senior
Richard was appointed Director – management positions with high profile FMCG companies
Entrepreneurship & Executive Education such as Arnott’s Biscuits, McWilliam’s Wines and Palandri
at Curtin Business School in 2007, Wines as well as prestigious B2B organizations like Kailis &
following a period as an Adjunct France Foods and Innerspace Commercial Interiors.
Professor. He had worked closely with
the University since 2000 as an industry He has a B. Bus. degree with a double major in Marketing
partner and was attracted to this new and Information Technology as well as an MBA. He is a
role, because he identified strongly with Certified Practicing Marketer (CPM) and is an Associate
the themes of “helping businesses grow” Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He holds
and “lifelong learning”. several other professional memberships including Fellowship
at the Australian Marketing Institute.
Richard’s business experience included thirty years in the
information and communications technology industries, in
the UK and three states of Australia. Over the last twenty Jenny Boylen - Administrative Officer
years Richard has performed a series of executive roles for
IBM, Telstra and Optus, leading sales and service business Jenny joined Curtin Centre for
units and major change projects. Immediately prior to Entrepreneurship in March 2011. She has
Curtin, Richard was General Manager – Western Australia for many years experience in customer
SingTel Optus. service, administration and event
organisation in Commonwealth
Richard completed an executive MBA at Curtin in 2005 and Government, private sector and
this year is studying for a Graduate Diploma in Community Organisations.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation (just for fun).
She is familiar with the work versus
family challenges faced by many women in the modern
Jane Garrett – Program Director workforce, and with her roots in the country, is very aware of
the additional barriers faced by country people in accessing
Jane Garrett is a seasoned business
information and services.
professional with over 25 years in
technology company management. She
Most recently Jenny was employed in a large state-wide not-
has a degree in Physics and spent many
for-profit organisation in the dual role of Executive
years as an employee learning the 'ropes'
Assistant/Office Manager, managing client services,
before embarking on developing her own
supervising staff and supporting senior managers.
Internet software business which she
floated on London's AIM in July 2000.
Born in the UK and educated in England Jenny Duggan - Catering
and Wales Jane spent over 21 years in Cambridge during the
Whilst the Ignition program fuels the
rapid growth of technology businesses that happened in
mind, Jenny has been fuelling our
Cambridge from the beginning of the 1980's and now
participants’ bodies for over 10 years.
commonly referred to as the 'Cambridge Phenomenon'.
With extensive catering experience
Jane now undertakes consulting, training, mentoring and gained at various high profile venues,
interim management roles. Since migrating to Australia in Jenny’s culinary skills are consistently
2006 Jane has been involved in the WA state government's rated the best by Growth participants.
'Innovator of the Year' competition, Univation, has mentored
on Curtin Growth and the BiZFiT program and is a sessional
academic for Curtin's School of Management. Jane is
passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship and
returns to Cambridge yearly to mentor on Cambridge Leah Bosse - Finance Officer
University's Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning's 'Ignite'
program, a weeklong 'pressure cooker' learning environment Leah was born in Melbourne and moved to
which will debut as Ignition on WA shores this coming. Perth when she was 3 years old. Spending
her schooling years in Perth, she then
decided to leave the home nest and head
Gabor Hernadi - Program Manager east again, this time to Sydney. Leah
spent 5 years in Sydney working as a
With over 18 years consulting and senior Cabinet Maker and then moved to careers
corporate experience in Perth and Sydney, as an Office All-rounder and Accounts
Gabor specialises in innovating, planning Receivable/Office Manager. Leah’s return
and executing breakthrough business to Perth saw her continue her career as an Accounts
initiatives. Payable/Payroll Officer. Leah joined the Curtin Growth team
in June 2007, as Finance Officer.
Gabor has worked across small, private
and large, multi-discipline, multinational
corporate environments where he gained
significant experience in the retail, agribusiness,
professional services, hospitality, tourism and resources
industries.