Quick Facts
Biography
James Spenceley (born in 1976) is an Australian businessman. He is the founder and former CEO of the fixed line telecommunications provider Vocus Communications, co-founder of Fund management business MHOR Asset Management. Chairman of Airtasker as well as the owner of the National Basketball League (NBL) team the Illawarra Hawks.
Career
He founded Vocus Communications in 2008 by selling his houseand listed the business on the ASX in July 2010 with a debut with market cap of $ 25 million.
During his time as CEO he oversaw several acquisitions
- E3 Data Centres in 2010 for $5.9 million
- Digital River Fibre Network $3.95m
- Newcastle based Ipera Networks for $9.8 million
- New Zealand based FX Networks in 2014 for $107.7 million
- Western Australia Data Centres from ASX Listed ASG Group for $11.7 million in 2014
- Acquired Enterprise Data Corporation (EDC) for $23.5 million in 2015
- Acquired SEA-ME-WE 3 Cable that links Australia and Singapore in 2015
- Telecommunications provider Amcom Telecommunications for $636m
- Acquired Nextgen Networks for $861 million in 2016
In July 2014, Spenceley took over as the owner of National Basket Ball (NBL) team the Illawarra Hawks. The Hawks made the Semi-Finals in 2015/2016 season, the second year of his ownership and made the grand final in the 2016/2017.
In January 2016, he became the Chairman of Airtasker. In August, Spenceley along with Tony Grist, made a multi-million dollar investment into South Australian wireless broadband firm Uniti Wireless.
In October 2016, along with fellow Board member Tony Grist, resigned from the board of Vocus Communications.
Spenceley was an elected board member and treasurer of the APNIC Executive Council and founding director of AusNOG (Australian Network Operators Group), which he retired from in February 2011.
Awards and Honours
- 2010 Australian Entrepreneur of the Year winner (young category)
- 2015 Australian Entrepreneur of the Year winner (listed category)
- Inducted into the Pearcey award hall of fame in 2010
- 2015 NSW Pearcey Entrepreneur Winner –James Spenceley was re-nominated on the basis of the acquisitions with Amcom and the forthcoming merger with M2 telecommunications.
- BRW magazine’s annual Young Rich List ranking:
- 91st with $24million in 2011
- 91st with $24million in 2012
- 81st with $22million in 2013
- 52nd with $37million in 2014
- 61st with $45million in 2015
- 49th with $51million in 2016
- BRW Fast Starters list ranking 28th in 2008-09 - 9th in 2009-10 - 6th in 2010-11
- Deloitte Fast 50 ranking 1st in 2010 - 5th in 2011 - 25th in 2012 - 26th in 2013 - 7th in 2014
- Deloitte Fast 500 Asia Pacific ranking 2nd in 2009-10 - ranked 489 in 2011 - ranked 324 in 2012 - ranked 275 in 2013