Meet The Team

Managing Director

Elaine Canny

Elaine has over 15 years international brand, marketing and customer experience, having attained a Masters in Marketing in Dublin and worked in New York with the majority of her career in national roles in Australia.

Her experience ranges from retail to wholesale industries with a particular emphasis within the property sector – BTR, student accommodation, apart/hotels and long-term (non-student) all-inclusive living.

Having significant experience in start-up environments, she has a customer centric focus with insight across the fuller business spectrum from planning, design, NPD, sales, marketing and operations. As a strategic marketer, she has a proven track record in generating sales opportunities, managing financial responsibilities, developing new products, and building brands.

Director, PBSA & Operations

Cam Bestwick

Cam has nearly 15 years of experience within PBSA and related service operations across Australia. His expertise extends well beyond PBSA, encompassing a broad range of services and operational oversight for numerous accommodation assets.

Cam has held leadership roles with several universities, peak bodies, and the largest PBSA operator across three states. His achievements include the successful mobilisation of a dozen new residential communities. Notably, he led the University of Melbourne’s portfolio through its formative years, enhancing its business operations through multiple mobilisations and the challenges of the pandemic.

In addition, Cam has provided consulting services to numerous organizations at the intersection of the Living and education sectors. His consulting work covers a wide array of issues, including procurement, culture, strategy, operations, service design, evaluation, and organizational development.

Director, People & Recruitment

Janine Rodrigues

Janine is a HR professional with over 20 years of experience working within the intricacies of people management. Janine has a unique capability to quickly recognize and prioritize critical programs of work required to support businesses and switch between Strategy and Operational HR.

Having worked in the areas of Professional Services, Energy, Manufacturing, Retail, Sport, Hospitality, and State Government, Janine is well-versed in HR leadership, generalist HR, culture, people strategy, and employee engagement.

With a strong coaching background, Janine has supported complex project delivery for clients across both large corporate organisations to small and medium enterprises.

Non-Executive Director

Christo Winters

With a track record spanning over 20 years in the property development industry, Christo brings a diverse range of experience, expertise and insight. Having worked and lived across the world, he brings an international perspective and a strong focus on forward thinking solutions.

Christo has had broad experience delivering projects in the Living sectors, including Student accommodation, co-living, build to rent and seniors living and has been involved in the successful delivery of projects valued at over $2b. Christo has held senior management roles with Urbanest and GSA, and founded Innovate RE, a development business with a specific focus on the Living sectors.

Christo has also had considerable international experience, having lived and worked in London, Vietnam and Japan.

Founder

Phil Shelley

As the founder of The Living Advisory, Phil identified the growing need for specialised support that investors, developers, and operators require across various property sectors in Australia. His vision for The Living Advisory was to provide comprehensive guidance and expertise to help these stakeholders navigate the complexities of the BTR, student and co-living markets.

Phil started his career in property by running hotels and lifting their performance. Moving into PBSA, he was instrumental in setting up the Scape business in Australia in 2016, establishing it as the industry leader. Following his success at Scape, Phil launched the Home BTR platform, solidifying its position as the leading traditional/premium Build to Rent business in the country.

Phil has worked across all elements of the living sectors, including premium, affordable, mixed-use, and integrated use. Over the past decade, he has provided guidance and coaching to many in the industry, sharing his extensive knowledge and experience to help them succeed. An entrepreneur at heart, Phil excels in supporting businesses through their start-up phase and as they transition into stabilisation, ensuring they achieve sustainable growth and success.