inflection points — exit preparation, governance formalization, AI integration, and technology-driven disruption. Engagements range from board-level strategic advisory to independent director appointments. Michael's operating background includes 35 years building and running two award-winning Ottawa hotel properties (sold 2020), founding BookDirect — one of the first online hotel reservation platforms — and leading technology companies serving the hospitality and aviation sectors. He most recently served as Board Chair of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), a statutory regulator overseeing 2,400 registered businesses, where he led a governance restructuring, an Auditor General Value for Money Audit, and the implementation of a new industry funding model. The practice operates from a core positioning: operator-level judgment combined with regulator-tested governance discipline — for organizations where the cost of a wrong call is measured in years, not quarters.