Leadership Team

Aaron Sansoni
Executive Group Chairman

Aaron Sansoni, aka ‘Mr Empire’ has built a fortune in business by starting, building, and investing into over 80 companies to date. He’s also an international-acclaimed speaker, best-selling author and nominee for Australian of the Year 2017 and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2016. Featured in over 40 publications around the world, Aaron runs successful venture capital companies with interests in media, technology, ecommerce, events, retail, space, health and many more. Aaron has spoken at some of the most exclusive venues around the world and shared the stage with business icons, including billionaire Sir Richard Branson, Hollywood A-Lister Arnold Schwarzenegger & world-leading speakers Tony Robbins, Gary Vee, Tim Ferriss and Dr Eric Thomas to name a few. Having inspired the lives of 250 million people, Aaron has coached 500,000 students in 132 countries from over 100 industries, on and offline, through his training spanning a decade of mentoring. As a global authority on empire building, he’s authored two books, including his most recent, Think Like, which has sold over 45,000 copies worldwide.

Helen Stana
Group Chief Financial Officer

Helen Stana serves as Group CFO of Sansoni Management. In this role, Stana has overall responsibility for the controllership and financial reporting activities for Sansoni Management, which include the Empire Group International, the Global Coaching and Speaking Authority, Aaron Sansoni Group International and Paragon. Stana had previously held a variety of senior financial management positions with Hewlett Packard, Varian International and Nissan Motor Manufacturing Co. In these roles, Stana had overall responsibility for the companies’ financial reporting, planning and budgeting, systems of internal controls, corporate and benefits accounting. A Certified Practicing Accountant, Stana holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Swinburne University.

Kate Russell
Portfolio Director

With her strong commercial background and expertise in technology, innovation, startups and media, Kate Russell has founded her own international businesses as well as worked with founders and CEOs around the world to scale theirs. She has worked for large global technology startups in augmented reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning as well as leading international startup accelerator and private equity firm, Startupbootcamp, as Head of Corporate Partnerships. She has contributed to the commercial success and growth for organisations such as Blippar (UK), Layar (Netherlands) and News Corporation in Australia. She co-founded a media company that represented over 300 creatives, journalists and photographers to publishers in over 60 countries. Kate was instrumental in establishing Corbis (US) in the Netherlands, a creative image and footage archive, then owned by Bill Gates. Kate is passionate about innovation, growing businesses and making visions a reality.

Carolina Ale
Head Of Marketing & Public Relations

Having worked across Fashion & FMCG industries the last 22 years across brands such as Levis, Jockey, Gestuz, YAYA, Jag, Chase Distillery & Deeds Brewing. She has a diverse experience ranging across design, product development, marketing, PR and nurturing brands and products from infancy to market. Carolina has a strong focus in developing and driving solutions across branding, customer experience and creating new opportunities to connect brands with audiences. She’s passionate about design, big ideas and giving brands life. Outside of work, Carolina loves all things art, exhibitions and immersive experiences. She finds zen in yoga, music and loves to cook and entertain.

Avarile Wang
Chief Technology Officer

Avarile is a full-stack developer with Manufacturing / Supply Chain Integration background, or Vice versa. He has been working for Ford / General Motors, and multiple logistics companies, and created many software solutions for supply chain and logistic projects.

Challenges are pretty much daily life in manufacturing as well as programming, it makes people upset and stress out, but it also provides a handsome reward if enough problems have been solved and goals achieved, He kind of of always enjoyed it.

Stuart Gibson
Legal Counsel

“Unafraid to go the extra mile, Stuart Gibson is a passionate defender of his clients’ brand and reputation.

Stuart has extensive experience in the fields of Intellectual Property (non-contentious and contentious) and Media and Entertainment law – with a particular bent for defamation cases. He has been recognised as one of Australia’s top media and defamation lawyers and has been involved in many landmark judgments.

Stuart’s expertise has been sought out by a number of high-net-worth individuals, Fortune 500 Directors and notable names in the entertainment industry. His perseverance in protecting the personal brand of internationally acclaimed and high-profile clients led to his recognition in Doyles Guide and a Leading Lawyer in the area of Technology, Media and Telecommunications.

In addition to this work, Stuart advises many of Australia’s leading retail brands including Brett Blundy Retail Group and global brands Lovisa, Honey Birdette, Bassike and State of Escape Accessories.”

Elena Sansoni
Chairwoman, Aaron Sansoni Foundation

As co-founder and Chair of The Aaron Sansoni Foundation, Elena Sansoni brings an extensive background in education, academia and policy, communications and community engagement across the not-for-profit, public and private sector including government and global corporations.

Through personal life experience, as well as throughout her teaching career, Elena has seen first-hand what a difference even the smallest amount of help can make to a child, adult, family and entire community in need.

She enjoys working with stakeholders to create positive outcomes for our partner charities, be it through fundraising, mobilising volunteers and facilitating beneficial connections, or raising awareness.

David Galle
Executive Assistant to Aaron Sansoni

David is Executive Assistant to Aaron Sansoni. With over 25 years of organisational and operations experience with International brands such as Hilton, David is passionate about connecting with people and providing exemplary support. His ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of an entrepreneur and has seen him working with Aaron on multiple projects from the ground up.