Commercial strategy, sustainability and project development

We help businesses make sound choices and get their projects moving.License2Operate (L2O) brings commercial strategy, approvals, sustainability and social licence together. We help owners, boards and executives assess opportunities, resolve barriers and coordinate the work needed for investment and delivery.We build community participation and lasting benefits into the way projects are planned and delivered.

What we do

Practical support for business decisions and project delivery. We bring commercial strategy, approvals, sustainability and social licence together.

Commercial strategy and project development

We review businesses, assets and development options to help you decide what to pursue and where to invest. We identify barriers early, coordinate specialist studies and develop business cases and practical development plans.

Approvals and land access

We map approval requirements, plan the sequence and coordinate applications and specialist advice. We support land-access negotiations and establish systems to manage approval conditions and commitments.

Social licence and community benefits

We help clients work with government, Traditional Owners, landholders and communities. Our work includes engagement, impact assessment, agreement-making and practical plans for local jobs, training and business participation.

Integrated sustainability systems

We connect environmental, social and governance commitments with how a business operates. We develop policies, responsibilities, procedures and reporting, prepare evidence for investor and lender reviews, and help put these arrangements into practice.

How we work

We give frank advice, make trade-offs clear and bring the right expertise together around one practical plan.

Diagnose

Understand the commercial goal, test the options and identify the risks, impacts and requirements.

Align

Bring business priorities, project requirements and stakeholder interests into a workable plan, with clear responsibilities and decision points.

Act

Coordinate specialists, put plans and systems into practice, and help resolve issues as the work progresses.

We offer ongoing advisory and delivery support through retainers, alongside defined project engagements. Each engagement combines director oversight, research capability and specialist expertise as needed.

Relevant experience

Our work combines commercial judgement with practical experience in approvals, sustainability and project delivery.

Relevant experience includes:

Investment readiness: developed policies, plans and evidence to address environmental and social gaps identified in international lender due diligence, followed by implementation support.
Project reset: helped leadership redesign a resources project after its original proposal was rejected. The revised project has entered a new approvals assessment process.
Business options: reviewed a business group’s assets and development options, identifying risks, evidence gaps and priorities for the owner.

Founding directors

Michael Tennant and Sibylle Brautigam bring senior business, government and board experience, with practical knowledge of how projects are developed, approved and operated.

Michael Tennant

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Michael brings more than 30 years’ experience across business and government, including chief executive roles. His experience spans project development, operations, approvals and stakeholder negotiations. He brings a commercial and operational perspective to strategy and delivery.

Sibylle Brautigam

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Sibylle brings senior executive and board experience in economic development, governance and regulatory systems. She connects business, government and community perspectives, helping clients bring strategy, sustainability and practical delivery together.

Sibylle serves on the National Board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Contact us

Tell us what you want to achieve and what is getting in the way.Australian-based. Available for engagements across Australia and internationally.