Steve Douglas

Executive Chairman

The co-founder and Managing Director of Australasian Taxation Services (1995) and Chairman of SMATS Services Pte Ltd. His area of taxation specialisation includes non-resident property investors, migration and expatriate taxation planning.

A regular presenter on Taxation matters affecting property investors, expatriates and intended migrants, Steve has delivered seminars on behalf of many industry organisations and developers including the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia and Australian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong.

Steve has been featured in articles by the Singapore Business Times, South China Morning Post, Australian Entrepreneur Magazine, Benchmark, Western Australian Property & Investment and Property Link magazine.

Steve began his career with Ernst Young in 1984 and established a private taxation practice in 1988 specialising in small business taxation and management. He is a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia and a Registered Tax Agent.

In 2009, Steve was recognised as one of the leading 50 Australians in Asia by Advance and invited to participate in the Advance Asia 50 Summit and in 2010 was awarded the Singapore Austcham Entrepreneur Award and in 2017 Steve was The Finders "Expatreneur Awardee 2017".

Helen Avis

Director of Finance

Helen Avis is one of Australia’s leading Finance Brokers, having been awarded Top Flame Broker (St Georges Bank) in 2013 and 2014, Flame Foundation Member at St Georges Bank, ANZ premium Broker, as well at International Broker 2016, 2017, 2018 in the Specialist Finance Group Awards. Her success is built on her ability to respond to client requirements promptly and professionally and go beyond the norm.

Having joined SMATS Group in 2003, Helen now holds the position of Director of Finance for SMATS Services Pte Ltd, the main holding entity of Specialist Mortgage, and also sits on the Board of a number of the company’s subsidiaries around the world.

She is primarily responsible for managing and facilitating the lodgement and successful processing of all group lending activities and manages a team of 15 lending staff across the SMATS International operations.

Helen has successfully completed her Diploma of Financial Services (Finance/ Mortgage Broking Management) and is a member of the MFAA as well as being the Licence Holder under the ASIC Australian Credit Licence for Specialist Mortgage.

In addition she holds formal accreditation with most of Australia’s leading financial institutions including National Australia Bank, Westpac and St George Bank and has passed her UCCC Exam.

Helen has extensive lending experience, and has been involved in the Mortgage industry since 1989 when she became licenced under the UK FSA, as a Mortgage Broker and Financial Planner. Prior to this she was a Fund Manager for UK Equities for John Hancock International.

She successfully operated her own business working throughout Europe, advising clients on Finance and Mortgages, until 2002 when she was recruited to relocate to Singapore. Soon after, she decided to concentrate on the mortgage aspect of her profession and took up a position with Specialist Mortgage where she remains today.

Ravin Chatlani

Director of Taxation, Global Head of aussieproperty.com

Ravin is a director of the SMATS Group and manages the Singapore, Malaysian and Indonesian operations of Australasian Taxation Services.

SMATS Group is the operating arm for Australasian Taxation Services (ATS) who, since 1995, has been managing the Australian taxation needs of approximately 20,000 expatriates and non-resident Australian landlords through its network of 11 offices worldwide.

His area of Australian tax expertise includes non-resident property investors, expatriate and migration tax planning.

Ravin is a regular presenter on taxation matters for Australian expatriates and property investors. He has presented on behalf of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, the SMART Property Expo exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore and Beijing as well as to expatriates and investors in Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Dubai.

Ravin is a Fellow of the Tax Institute of Australia and UCCC accredited with some of the major banks in Australia.

Matt Heron

General Manager

As General Manager, Matt is responsible for developing and executing improved strategies to deliver continual enhancements across all business entities and international offices, with the primary vision to maintain SMATS Groups position as international market leader and ensure the quality of our services to our valued clients and partners. Matt works closely with all stakeholders to identify new business development opportunities.

“SMATS Group delivers a unique service to Australian expatriates and international investors. SMATS Group is focused on ensuring the integrity of our service and exceeding expectations in a timely, effective and ethical manner.”

Matt returns to SMATS Group, after previously establishing the Dubai office as the Operations Manager. As a 15 year Australian expat, SMATS client and shareholder, Matt successfully self-funded his retirement back to Australia aged just 45. Coming out of retirement, Matt brings an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience to ensure other Australian expats optimise their financial opportunities.

His previous experience has been in highly specialised and technical project engineer and management positions, working on multi-million dollar equipment for the Australian Air Force and one of the largest airline companies worldwide. Matt was recognised and awarded for developing technical training programs for engineering personnel. He also established new international standards for specialised technical personnel training and qualifications within aviation flight training.

Aside from Matt’s passion in financial investments, he is known to be meticulous, energetic and client focused. He loves camping in Australia and travelling abroad. He also loves the ocean and is an enthusiastic ocean sailor, surfer and kite surfer.

Julie Kelley

Global Sales & Marketing Manager

Julie is the Global Sales & Marketing Manager for the SMATS Group of companies, which includes aussieproperty.com and Australian Property Investor Magazine.

She has built a successful sales and marketing career working for some of the world’s largest and most prestigious companies across a diverse range of industries, including property, financial services, pharmaceuticals and engineering.

Julie has a passion for continual education and personal growth. She holds a Bachelor of Commence with a double major in Marketing and Management and a minor in Business Law. She is a registered WA Real Estate & Business Sales Representative and a registered QLD Real Estate Salesperson. She has a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing, is an accredited DISC ADVANCED® trainer and has completed world leading training in Sales Execution & Applied Leadership with companies including AchieveGlobal and rogenSi.

As the Global Sales & Marketing Manager for the company’s property division, Julie works with a vast network of industry professionals and has a deep knowledge of the Australian market. Julie regularly travels overseas to assist her international clientele with property investment and deliver insight on the Australian property market.

Her creation and execution of seamless sales & marketing strategies, discipline to achieve results and expert communication skills are recognised through outstanding company achievements and her numerous national sales awards.

Allen Habbouchi

Licensee/Australian Property Consultant – Sydney

Allen Habbouchi joined SMATS Group in 2017 holds the position as - Head of the Project Sales and Distribution for aussieproperty.com.  He is also a Licenced Agent and the Licensee of our aussieproperty.com Sydney Office.

His career in Real Estate began in 1999 upon completing his business Diploma in Real Estate and obtaining his Licence in 2000.  He has successfully operated his own Property Sales company since 2013 and has been responsible for assisting over 1,000 property investors acquire premium opportunities across Australia.

Allen’s skills extend beyond traditional real estate sales to specialised project marketing where he assists developers to identify paths to maximise the results for both the buyer and seller.  This win/win attitude is a key point of difference in his business practice that has seen him become a leader in the property industry.

His sincerity and passion for his role has seen him create long lasting relationships, such as that with SMATS Group, where he was a key partner since 2005 before making the step to join the senior management team and take his expertise to a larger international market.

Paul White

Director / Licensee WA - Perth

Celebrating 25 years of local Real Estate success!

Paul White is a third generation real estate agent who specialises in the (off plan and established) sale and management of Perth property.

Paul's real estate career started in 1993 when he began working for his family owned company "Clifton White" located in the Western Suburbs.

It was here Paul earned a solid reputation for honest, reliable and effective service as enjoyed by his countless number of clients. Paul went on to become a partner and director of the firm and continued to enjoy success with his late father up until the company was sold in 2008. From here Paul worked for a small number of boutique firms in the Western Suburbs building strong client relationships and cementing himself as a well respected member of the real estate community.

Paul is now the Director & Licensee of aussieproperty.com Perth and has taken his sphere of influence and local knowledge to a global audience.

Having contacts in all corners of the globe Paul is able to assist clients from all walks of life nationally and internationally to secure their "piece of Australia". If you would like assistance with any real estate matter then please give Paul a call for a confidential no obligation chat. He's always happy to help.

We were recommended to Paul to act on our behalf for the purchase of a property in Perth by AussieProperty in Singapore. He was very experienced and always available to advise and act on our instruction.

R.Yeung - Singapore

Thank you again for your outstanding support to complete my Perth purchase. Your support and advice were crucial and excellent during this transaction.

M.Khalaf - Asia

Laura Scott

Licensee / Senior Property Manager - Melbourne

Laura is the Licensee of our Melbourne office, working closely with the Senior Consultant for Client Services and managing a team of property managers. Laura is highly regarding for delivering strategic client advise which she attributes to her expertise in using a range of real estate software, coupled with her knowledge of current market conditions and local area information.

Laura’s career has been dedicated to providing property management services in the region of Melbourne, Australia and she has developed an impressive skill set in ensuring both Australian based and International landlord’s properties are performing effectively.

As a qualified and experienced Senior Property Manager, Laura’s passion for providing outstanding service to tenants and landlords is displayed through her exceptional communication, attention to detail and promptness to complete all tasks.

Laura, we really appreciate the professionalism demonstrated by yourself and the Aussie Property team in managing our asset in Melbourne.

Y.Lian – Singapore

Glenn Hitch

Syndication Manager

Glenn is our Consortium Manager and has been involved in Australian property since 2000.

Glenn’s primary role is to work closely with our joint venture partner and offer assistance to clients interested in participating in our syndicate projects opportunities.

Between 2000 - 2008 Glenn was a property investor who built his personal property portfolio through focusing on higher yielding properties, blending them with multi-currency loans and ultimately selling them with capital appreciation.

Since 2008 Glenn has been an active property developer, specializing in boutique infill sites delivering over A$50M in projects through syndication structure.

Glenn has developed sites in Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Gladstone and Sunshine Coast, Perth, Karratha and Bunbury.

Glenn welcomes you to contact him to discuss anything related to our Consortium or property development.

Shayanee Indra

Australian Property Consultant - Malaysia

Shayanee is our Finance Executive and Australian Property Consultant, with over 9 years of experience in Australian property within the Malaysian market. Shayanee also manages all operations and services from the Malaysian office.

Shayanee is passionate about Australian property and enjoys studying property developments to present clients with products offering the best opportunity to suit their individual requirements. Shayanee is dedicated in seeking the best finance options available to ensure clients are fully confident in the product they purchase and comfortable throughout the process.

Norbert D'Souza

Australian Property Consultant - Middle East

Norbert joined SMATS Group in 2007 and heads up our Migration Team based in Dubai.

With over a decade of experience in Migration services for people moving to Australia, Norbert is well placed to assess the merit of your potential relocation and assist with all aspects of the application through to successful completion and acceptance into Australia.

Having lived in Dubai since 1975 he is very familiar with the issues facing those living in the Middle East and how this may impact on their intentions to find a new home in Australia.

Norbert holds a Bachelor of Arts and has a special interest in Hockey and Harley Davidson Motorbikes.

Steve Janes

Licensed Real Estate Agent - Melbourne

Steve Janes is an Australian Property Consultant for aussieproperty.com in Victoria, having joined us as a part of our property business launch team.

He began his real estate career in the UK with special focus on delivering customised real estate strategies for sustainable property investment, before moving to Australia in 2009 to enhance his global expertise.

Possessing high levels of local and international knowledge and proven success in residential sales and property management, you can be confident that Steve has the professional expertise and dedication to ensuring strong results and advice for his clients in Melbourne.

We purchased an apartment in Melbourne using SMATS Financial Services, primarily their office in Hong Kong. We can highly recommend Steve, throughout the process Steve provided thorough information regarding suburbs, properties and detailed information for each step of the purchasing process.

Jens and Virginie – Shanghai

Steve Janes stood out for the clarity of his thoughts and for the ease of communicating with him. He is very well organised, he is pragmatic in his sales strategy; and very effective in executing it.

R.Swarup – Singapore

Steve made selling from overseas an easy undertaking with his communication, dedication and professionalism.

Steve was on our side all the way, taking care of the process with his wisdom, connections and determination. We could feel that he not only loves his job, it is his passion.

Selling a property is much more than finding a buyer, it is keeping in touch, reporting regularly and making the whole process as painless as possible. Steve did it in spades, the empathy and consideration shown helped to make the selling process not only very successful but stress free.

He was always attentive to any questions, requests and needs through the different phases and took the time to follow up / check in to ensure the negotiation and settlement process was on track.

Right from the first open home where he and his team transformed an empty flat into a cosy home until to settlement, Steve provided a friendly and professional service.

His local market knowledge was fantastic and provided a lot of great insights through our selling experience. We would absolutely recommend Steve if you are thinking of selling, buying or looking for your new home!

Hans - Hong Kong

David McElwain

Senior Property Manager - Sydney

David McElwain, an awarded property manager with over 20 years’ experience in both Sydney and Singapore heads our property management division in Sydney.

As a property investor himself, David is fully aware of the requirements and fears faced by overseas based investors and local landlords. He is committed to offering our clients a Property Management service which will remove stress and uncertainty and ensure both clients, properties and tenants are treated with care and respect to ensure a productive, profitable and trouble-free environment.

He is an excellent negotiator and communicator and is fully conversant with New South Wales statutory requirements and legislation.

If you have investment properties in Sydney and are looking for an improved standard of service based on old-fashioned quality, David will be happy to help discuss your requirements and set things up for you to ensure your ongoing satisfaction.

David, I can’t thank you enough for your ongoing management of our property. Your expertise comes to the fore dealing with the tenants, looking after the property’s maintenance with your expert team of tradespeople and your frequent inspections of the property to ensure the tenants are maintaining it in a satisfactory manner.

A.Stone – Sydney

Sabrina Song

Property Manager - Melbourne

Sabrina’s introduction to real estate started as a Business System Operator where she successfully managed 6 real estate franchises before moving on to property management. A motivated and fast learner with exceptional administrative skills, Sabrina went from Assistant Property Manager to Property Manager in just 6 months.

With a Bachelor in Business Management and an Advanced Diploma in Accounting, it comes as no surprise that Sabrina possesses strong management skills and an ability to grow her portfolio at a rapid pace.

Sabrina prides herself on her multilingual abilities to communicate with numerous cultures, relishes a challenge and believes that her yoga practice keeps her centered.

Sabrina Song is the best for many reasons. She is honest, accurate, efficient, patient and very friendly, thank you Sabrina.

K.Tan – Victoria

Kirsty Pilcher

Senior Property Manager - Perth

Kirsty is passionate about property management and delivering the highest level of customer service to landlords and tenants.

With a wealth of experience as a Senior Property Manager and landlord herself, Kirsty understands the dynamics of managing and overseeing day to day operations and the importance of attention to detail.

With an established portfolio of both local and international clients and an in depth understanding of the complexities of managing foreign investment properties, Kirsty is skilled at providing expert advice and implementing strategies to maximise rental return and reducing vacancy.

Clients recognise Kirsty for her honesty, dedication and professionalism.

Anna Perniskie

Property Manager - Perth

Anna is dedicated to building long-lasting relationships and rapport with both tenants and landlords based in Australia and Internationally. She prides herself on being efficient and highly organised having previously worked in a large corporate organisation.

Upon completing her REIWA Property Managers License, Anna quickly went on to successfully manage close to 100 properties. She is excellent at problem-solving and can adapt to any situation thrown in her direction. Anna’s clients always come first and she is devoted to maintain her properties to a high standard and avoid devaluation as much as possible.

Shanna Ratcliffe

Property Manager

Shanna’s passion for property management stems from her love for people and everyday client interactivity. Her energetic and bubbly nature allows her to stay motivated and compassionate towards her tenants and landlords.

Shanna quickly advanced from Assistant Property Manager to Property Manager due to her fast-growing portfolio and her ability to set up procedures to streamline her workload. Shanna is very organised and likes things done efficiently, combined with excellent time management and problem-solving abilities Shanna effortlessly juggles all her management responsibilities.  Her solid understanding of real estate and tenant legislation allows her to effectively manage her clients’ properties.

Joanne Ayris

Contracts Administrator & Developer Liaison

As Contract Administrator and Developer Liaison, Jo is responsible for working closely with Australia’s largest developers, completing due diligence for international legal compliance, collating and distributing marketing collateral to our global sales team, completing all aspects of contract administration and updating our websites, just to mention a few tasks.

Jo is credited for her meticulous attention to detail, ability to liaise with a wide spectrum of stake holders and outstanding communication skills, which she has developed throughout her career in the banking and property sectors.

With almost two decades experience in the Australian property industry, Jo initially worked for a company that provided a niche service to international executives relocating to Australia. It is here that Jo acquired expert skills and understanding in assisting overseas professionals to find and settle into their new homes.

Jo was also instrumental in establishing the residential sales and leasing team at a well-known Perth commercial and industrial real estate company. With Jo’s assistance the company exceeded their leasing departments KPIs and became exclusive selling agents to one of Perth’s largest developers, selling large scale projects in East Perth, Leederville and Subiaco.

Shanaye Herwig

Assistant Property Manager

Shanaye is part of the Perth team and has experience with both local and international clients. She is always striving for excellence with a strong dedication to reducing rental vacancies. Shanaye is great at conflict resolution and has the poise to deal with stressful situations calmly and effectively.