Leadership Team

At INSIGHT, our leadership team is made up of people who have solved big problems before in pioneering new technologies and commercializing new products. We are committed to transforming INSIGHT from an emerging leader to a dominant player in the global marketplace.

Meet the team.

Mark Smith, Chief Executive Officer

Mark founded INSIGHT in 2004. An accountant and serial entrepreneur, he has more than 25 years’ experience building and managing companies in Australia, Asia and the United States. In the late 1990s, he launched Smartvision, which focused on convergent technologies over IP networks, and sold this business in 2000. Before that, he built, developed and sold a telecommunications sales and services organization, Hounslow Communications, and a computer integration and application business, 3D Computers.

In addition, Mark has commercialized several ventures, including Narhex Life Sciences, a pharmaceutical company that developed an HIV/AIDS protease inhibitor and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2004, and Leading Edge, a publishing company that he sold to a global publisher in 2004.

He was the associate director of Tear Fund, growing the fund ten times over the term of his involvement in the 80’s, and project manager of a $30 million aid program run by Across in Sudan in 1987. He was senior accountant with chartered accounting firm PCM Financial Services for several years and involved in setting up and owning several successful businesses which he went on to sell. In one of these businesses, Mark was a business partner with Ericsson in establishing Ericsson Business Phone Centers around Australia and supported Ericsson and Telstra in launching GSM. Mark set up a video technology business, Smartvision, in 1998 and was a strategic business partner of VTEL a global video technology company. After selling Smartvision in 2000, Mark was appointed global chief of staff and director of sales and marketing for Davnet a global technology company and IP carrier. Mark is currently owner and director of Managed Business Outcomes, as well as owner, director and CEO of Nexstep (Australia).

Mark lectures on entrepreneurship and venture capital for Monash University’s MBA program and speaks often about entrepreneurship. He received a bachelor of business degree from Monash University.

Paul Steele, Founding Director

An entrepreneur and industry leader, Paul has worked with a range of enterprises, from designing and developing a smart card for banking to managing a $40-million Y2K project rescue for leading Australian retailer. Currently, he is head of the solution, software/product development and business consultancy areas of Managed Business Outcomes Pty. Ltd.

Previously, Paul was a Director of Steele Systems Solutions.

With more than 15 years of experience in the telecommunications and IT product industries, Paul specializes in business and management solutions, software development and project/program management.

Derek Winter, Chief Operating Officer

Derek is Chief Operating Office of INSIGHT. Prior to INSIGHT, Derek was instrumental in the design and delivery of core solutions at CREST International Solutions Pty Ltd. He established both the European office and client base, establishing a million-pound business in just two years. At the Applix UK Ltd, the UK arm of Nasdaq-listed Applix Inc., Derek was the CRM Professional Services Manager. He developed a comprehensive sales strategy and methodology for the product line, overseeing services revenue of 1.5 million pounds.

At both CREST and Applix, Derek developed and implemented project management methodologies based on PRINCE2 and DSDM.

Derek sits on the leadership board of Managed Business Outcomes, a company that specializes in transforming people, processes and technology for major corporate clients in Australia. Derek is also the General Manager of Regional Outcomes, an outsourced services company that specializes in satellite broadband installations in regional and remote Australia and spare parts logistics.

Derek received a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors from the University of Tasmania.

David Lin, Vice President, Sales and Marketing

David has more than 15 years’ experience in high-tech sales management targeting both the enterprise and wholesale markets. As vice president of sales at Global Crossing, he managed a yearly revenue base of $145 million. Before that, he was senior sales director at XO Communications, where he developed the wholesale carrier channel. He began his sales career at AT&T.

He received a B.S. degree in Economics from Rutgers University and attended the Keller Graduate School of Management.