In big BlueRock news, we’re thrilled to announce the recruitment of two experienced directors to lead our R&D and Government Incentives team. Over the last few years, we’ve seen the demand for grants and incentives advice increase as our clients, and businesses all around Australia, continue to grow, innovate and expand into new markets.
Jason Crawford joins BlueRock after seven successful years running his leading advisory firm, Incentive Advisory, and working with businesses to identify and access broad-based tax incentives and government grants.
Prior to launching Incentive Advisory, Jason was a partner at Deloitte. He has also worked as a partner at mid-tier firms, more recently SWA and Moore Stephens, where he led R&D and Tax Incentive teams and advised some of Australia’s largest ASX-listed, privately owned companies, SMEs and startups. With over 28 years of experience, Jason excels in leadership, strategy formulation and execution, operational excellence, team building, client management and service excellence, business development and new market segment identification.
Rachel van Ketwich also joins us as a Director in R&D and Government Incentives , bringing Big 4 experience of her own to our firm. Rachel spent over five years consulting on R&D Tax and Government Incentives at EY and KPMG, where she also provided strategic trade and investment advice to companies looking to expand globally. Before joining BlueRock, Rachel was the Head of R&D and Grants at leading grants advisory firm GrantReady.
More Support for Australian Businesses Doing R&D Across Various Industries
The new directors will bolster BlueRock’s credentials across various industries, with Jason bringing a broad range of industry expertise in manufacturing , engineering, construction , agribusiness, FMCG, IT and the energy and resources sectors.
Rachel also boasts broad sector experience having advised Australian startups, SMEs, universities and public companies in the fields of sustainability, engineering, infrastructure, medical technology and more.
Leveraging this experience and leadership, BlueRock’s R&D and Government Incentives team is excited to build upon over a decade of successful partnerships helping clients fund and grow their businesses through programs such as the R&D Tax Incentive , Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) and an array of state and federal programs.
Boosting BlueRock’s R&D Capabilities in New Zealand
BlueRock’s first Director in the R&D space, Tom Moore , who in 2022 returned home to launch BlueRock in New Zealand – a boutique offering of BlueRock’s grant consulting, brand and marketing , and digital services – said;
“We’re delighted to welcome Jason and Rachel to lead the team at our Melbourne HQ. They’re both incredibly experienced in the R&D space and will be excellent mentors to our consultants, not to mention an incredible boost for our existing clients. While we’re focusing on building our brand and client base in the New Zealand market, it’s fantastic that BlueRock is able to invest in these strategic appointments to cement our position as trusted and expert advisors in our hometown.”
Our Executive Managing Partner of Accounting, Trevor Gordijn said, “Rachel and Jason aren’t just incredibly experienced operators in the R&D and Government Incentives space, but they’re also fantastic leaders and great people. We’re delighted to bring directors of this calibre into our firm, and we look forward to seeing them help our valued clients prosper through increased grant funding and tax incentive maximisation.”
For Rachel, Jason, and the rest of our superstar R&D and Government Incentives team, the focus in coming months is preparing clients for the new-look and competitive EMDG program , which launches in November. They’ll also continue to work with our entrepreneurial clients investing in innovative R&D projects to maximise their returns under Australia’s R&D Tax Incentive program .
Need Help Securing the R&D Tax Incentive?
If your business is investing in R&D, you could be eligible for the Australia R&D Tax Incentive ! Find out how we work with businesses, such as the award-winning furniture and homewares outfit, Eva! They recently joined us for a Good Talks episode at their stunning new showroom.
