Our Consultants
Book a discussion or 1:1 coaching session with our specialists to start improving your business today
Asia Pacific Consultants
Makoto Asia Pacific
Daniel Giles | Senior Consultant, Director
Perth, Australia
Daniel has a proven background in the implementation of Lean culture in businesses across the mining and manufacturing sectors. He is a strong Lean Practitioner who takes a pragmatic approach to ensuring sustainable change occurs in the businesses of his clients.
Daniel started in the mining industry more than 20 years ago as a heavy duty mechanic, and has since completed a Bachelor of Business (Marketing).
Daniel has risen through the ranks of the largest Caterpillar Dealership in Australia, gaining his Lean expertise in the advanced Caterpillar Black Belt Programs. Subsequently Daniel has the ability to engage at every level of major public companies and local mid-sized businesses.
Daniel has partnered with well regarded boutique Lean consultancy, Makoto Global, launching Makoto Asia Pacific. Makoto Asia Pacific services the region with a people centric delivery of Lean and Six Sigma training, study tours and consulting.
Daniel regularly studies in Japan to ensure he brings the best knowledge on offer back to the Asia Pacific region.
Key Expertise
Lean
Six Sigma
Change Management
Lean for manufacturing, mining, service and office-based teams
Industry Focus
Manufacturing
Mining, Oil and Gas
Maintenance Mobile Mining Equipment
Sales and Financial Departments
Chris Goddard | Senior Associate Consultant
Central Otago, New Zealand
Holding an Engineering Degree focused on engineering, management and process control, Chris has led or supported large scale sustainable operational & commercial transformations in Australia & New Zealand over the past two decades.
His formidable resume encompasses a career in various transformational, commercial and business improvement roles with large multinational mining and steel companies. Chris' areas of expertise include operational leadership, international team management, maintenance & line leadership, capital programme management, operational improvement, Six Sigma and Lean manufacturing, IT and services leadership, and government & supplier relationship management.
Chris now provides support to various SME and local community in core skills including lifting leadership capability, risk management, managing external stakeholders & business transformation, while working alongside Makoto Asia Pacific as a key Senior Associate Consultant.
Key Expertise
Operations Management
Business Improvement (LEAN & Six Sigma)
Budgeting & Cash Generation
Government & Supplier Relationship Management
Industry Focus
Six Sigma & LEAN Manufacturing
IT & Services
Mining
Paul London | Senior Associate Consultant
Sydney, Australia
A hands on mechanical engineer with strong skills in process, quality, warranty, reliability, Paul has 25 years international experience with Blue Chip companies and their suppliers.
Originally training hands on as a motor mechanic, Paul holds a Masters in Science of Quality Management, Statistical Methods and Reliability.
Paul's impressive international experience includes working with and leading projects for multinational companies and suppliers in; project management, setting up manufacturing and engineering processes, improving product quality, leading and training in data analysis, leading the development of policy, improvement of design and manufacturing processes in mining.
Paul is now a Business Improvement Manager and a valued Senior Associate Consultant to Makoto Asia Pacific.
Key Expertise
Lean Six Sigma
Reliability Engineering
Industrial Statistics
Quality Control
Process Improvement
Industry Focus
Manufacturing
Automotive
Electronics
Aerospace
Medical
Craig Henderson | Senior Associate Consultant
Perth, Australia
With a career in the facilitation of business improvement spanning three decades, Craig is a highly skilled and experienced Lean practitioner, holding a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Industrial Engineering.
Craig's career highlights encompass, but are not limited to the successful implementation of holistic business transformation programs across a range of industries including automotive aerospace, mining, manufacturing, defence, food processing and renewable energy.
Craig has completed whole of business Competitive Systems and Practices training programs, effectively engaging staff, targeting culture, systems and process flow.
He currently supports diploma programs and internal projects and is an esteemed Associate Consultant to Makoto Asia Pacific.
Key Expertise
Lean
Manufacturing Operations
Cultural Transformation
Business-level Lean Management
Industry Focus
Automotive, Aerospace, Defence, Manufacturing
Mining Services
Renewable Energy
Food Processing
Taylor Berkelaar | Associate Consultant
Perth, Australia
With a background in ERP implementation and business process improvement across the cabinet making and manufacturing sector, Taylor takes an enthusiastic but practical approach to ensuring sustainable change occurs in the businesses of his clients.
Taylor has been involved in the construction industry for almost 10 years. During this time he has completed a Bachelor of Commerce, in addition to running his own decorative concrete business.
More recently, Taylor’s experience has been in Enterprise Resources Planning software, working in the role of Lead Sales and Integration Specialist. In this way, Taylor has gained experience working with business of all sizes in the manufacturing sector, specifically cabinet makers.
His key areas of expertise are software integration, business process improvement and change management, with an industry focus on manufacturing.
Taylor is an accomplished Associate Consultant to Makoto Asia Pacific.
Key Expertise
Software Integration
Business Process Improvement
Change Management
Industry Focus
Manufacturing
Workshops
Available Enterprise Resource Planning Software Implementation Program Coaching.
Japan Consultants
Makoto Global
Brad Schmidt | Senior Consultant, Director
As the founder and president of Makoto Global, Brad has been a Lean consultant for over two decades. Brad's varied engagements range from working with companies as small as 15 people, to multi-nationals.
His industries of experience include Manufacturing (from making bolts to making airplanes), Logistics (from 4 people operations to global), Service (Front end and back end) Finance and Service.
Brad achieves great results across diverse industries. He is passionate about teaching and motivating the real experts – the people doing the work who are there to see how to take action.
Brad relishes opportunities to implement performance increasing programs, in addition to training and sharing knowledge with internal leaders.
Business leaders globally are able to engage with Brad and Training Within Industry on Makoto’s Japan Lean Experience Tours. Makoto's TWI opportunities follow the original Toyota training methodology, providing insight into how participants can shape and deliver their own sustainable business transformation.
Born and raised in Japan, Brad has connected with Toyota Lean experts and was immersed in Lean thinking from an early age. Subsequently, Brad is also native in both English and Japanese.
Languages: English, Japanese
Key Expertise
Lean / Agile in support and HQ functions
Lean / Agile in direct ares
Training Within Industries (TWI)
Sales and Marketing in Japan
Industry Focus
Insurance / Banking
Manufacturing / Logistics
Pharmaceutical
Sanja Tripkovic | Senior Consultant, Project Manager
Sanja has spearheaded Lean transformation in both Japanese SMEs and global operations in Japan.
Sanja holds a Bachelor of Arts in Oriental Studies, in addition to a Masters of Arts in Liberal Arts/ Comparative Cultural and Literary Studies.
As an associate of Makoto Global since 2008, Sanja is a certified TWI trainer, conducting TWI training courses fluently in both English and Japanese. She is proficient in Shop Floor Management. Additionally, Sanja is experienced in the application of Kaizen and TPS knowledge for the purpose of improving processes in manufacturing and distribution operations, sales, administration and project management.
Sanja's expertise includes assisting bilingual projects with senior Japanese consultants. She is an appreciated Senior Consultant and Lean Project Manager to Makoto Global.
Languages: English, Japanese, Serbian
Key Expertise
Kaizen and TPS Knowledge Application
Lean Transformation
Training Within Industries (TWI)
Lean Project Management
Shop Floor Management (Safety, Quality, Delivery)
Industry Focus
Manufacturing & Service
Niels Michael | Digital Marketing Consultant
Niels is a disciplined student of digital marketing as well as the Japanese language. He takes an honorific and humble approach, while fulfilling his role in a flexible and adaptive manner.
Niels holds certifications for web development and digital marketing, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, Minor Japanese Studies.
Niels' years of experience working in Japanese environments make him a capable communicator in both English and Japanese.
He has a "self-starter" attitude, and is fast and resourceful. Niels is proficient in digital marketing, including SEO, Ad campaigns, email marketing, SNS, and content marketing.
As an outgoing and creative individual, Niels is a talented Digital Marketing and Web Development Consultant to Makoto Global.
Languages: English, Japanese
Key Expertise
Digital Marketing Strategies
SEO, Google Analytics/Ads/Search Console
Web Design/Development
Content/SNS marketing