André walked away at the top. After 26 years rising through some of Australia's most respected corporate and multinational organisations — from HR Manager to Managing Director — he made a deliberate choice to leave it all behind.

He wanted to work directly with people, not around them. To build businesses he believed in. To focus entirely on the thing that had always driven him: developing leaders who change the rooms they walk into.

That was 17 years ago. Since then, he has built and led multiple businesses across Australasia and beyond. He co-founded The Ariel Group Australasia in 2014, bringing actor training and adult learning principles to executive presence development. He established Forum India Learning Solutions in 2008, growing it from the ground up with a team of young professionals — an organisation he now chairs. He runs his own executive coaching, consulting and speaking practice through andrealphonso.com. And his most recent venture, leaderxlr8.studio — a collaboration with Darren Bagshaw in Canada — launched its first e-learning program in 2025, designed to rapidly build the skills and confidence of first-time leaders.

He has sat where your leaders sit. That's what makes the difference.