“Thank you for not selling me to the nearest competitor, but finding a proper strategic partner that valued my people and the mission we've been on: to make aged care better.”
Peter Staples understood what it means to carry responsibility for people, purpose, and legacy.
After serving as Australia's Federal Minister for Aged Care, Peter joined Management Advantage in 1996 and led the company as CEO. Over three decades, ManAd built ManAd Plus — a care-management platform supporting aged-care organizations nationwide.
The simplest option would have been to sell to the nearest competitor. But Peter wasn't looking for the quickest transaction — he wanted a partner who valued his people and the mission.
Instead of packaging the business for a quick sale, Owen Matheson identified strategic alignment. That led to Management Advantage joining forces with Mirus Australia — combining ManAd's care platform with Mirus's data, technology, and operational scale.
You may not be ready to sell today. But eventually, every founder faces the same question: how do you create options without losing what made your business worth building?
Peter's outcome began with clarity about what mattered beyond the sale price. Yours should too.
“In a family business, the most important decisions aren't about speed. They're about timing, alignment and legacy. Working with Owen Matheson as our strategic growth advisor, we developed and executed a multi-year strategy. Our partnership with Introspectus accelerated our cyber capability, and our acquisition of Frame Group gave us the systems and technology delivery to support complex, mission-critical environments. The result was Varley Systems Group — a future-proofed platform that creates continuity, succession pathways and real upside for founders, teams and shareholders. For business owners thinking about their next chapter, this is what protecting legacy while building for the future actually looks like.”
Jeff had a very good problem to solve.
He employs over 1,100 people — how do he, his ownership group, and his board, being one of Australia's oldest and largest private businesses, stay relevant and positioned well to serve the clients and opportunities of the future?
The answer wasn't speed. It was a multi-year strategy built on timing, alignment, and legacy — resulting in Varley Systems Group, a future-proofed fourth operational pillar.
Find out where your business stands today — before options are forced upon you.
Whether you want a strategic partner, a succession pathway, or an eventual high-value exit, benchmark your readiness now.