Pathways — Rob Halliday, Netball Australia
Summary
Rob Halliday’s career has been shaped by a unique blend of finance, technology and entrepreneurship, starting in forensic accounting at Deloitte before co-founding health tech scale-up Seer Medical.
A defining early decision came when choosing between coding and accounting — ultimately opting for finance, which opened the door to strategic, business-facing roles rather than purely technical work.
His experience in a high-growth startup environment refined his interest in strategic finance, where he found greater value in leading discussions, planning and decision-making rather than focusing on transactional detail.
At Netball Australia, he stepped into a newly created finance function post-COVID, helping stabilise the organisation through financial pressure while contributing to a strong cultural reset and long-term growth focus within the sport.
Where tech meets finance
Rob Halliday has built a fascinating career portfolio across the sport, finance and technology sector — from consulting at a Big4, to Co-Founding powerhouse medical scale-up, Seer — so it’s no surprise that Netball Australia came knocking post-COVID.
The Head of Finance sat down with Atlas Director, Liam Killen to discuss career sliding door moments, personal strengths and how a love sport conquers all.
Episode transcript
Liam: Rob Halliday, thank you so much for joining us today. Can you walk us through your career to date?
Rob: Yeah, for sure.
I’m currently Head of Finance at Netball Australia, where I’ve been since early 2022. It’s been a really interesting ride — stepping into a sports organisation post-COVID came with its challenges, particularly rebuilding the finance function. When I joined, the team was entirely new, so there was a lot to establish from the ground up.
My background is quite varied. I studied a double degree in Accounting and Computing, and throughout my career I’ve tried to combine both the technology and finance sides.
I started in consulting at Deloitte, initially in forensic accounting before moving into technology consulting, where we built bespoke data capture solutions. That was a great foundation — learning in a Big Four environment and being exposed to a range of problems and industries.
From there, I followed my passion into sport and joined the Melbourne Football Club. I spent about four years there, working initially in strategy before moving into finance as a business analyst. It was a challenging time for the club performance-wise, but it gave me a really strong grounding in the sports industry and in applying analytical skills within a finance function.
After that, I returned to technology consulting briefly, working remotely for an ERP business. I then moved to BlueRock, which had a fantastic culture, and at the same time co-founded a health tech startup called Seer Medical.
What started as a side project grew very quickly. By 2018, I made the decision to go all-in. I progressed into the CFO role, helping scale the business rapidly — we hired 60–70 people in a year and grew to around 150 employees by COVID.
During that time, I was responsible for finance, operations and IT. I also completed my CA during lockdown. As the business expanded internationally, I handed over the CFO role to someone with more experience, stayed on for another year, and then took a short break before joining Netball Australia.
Looking back, I’ve been fortunate to wear a lot of different hats — which has helped shape my path into finance leadership.
Liam: How did your consulting background prepare you for your founder journey at Seer?
Rob: Consulting gives you exposure to a wide range of environments and challenges, which is incredibly valuable in a startup.
You learn how to solve problems quickly, adapt to different situations and communicate effectively. In a startup, you’re constantly switching between roles and responsibilities, so that adaptability is critical.
My combination of technology and finance also helped — whether it was implementing systems, analysing data or managing finances in a lean environment.
Liam: You’ve had a varied career — was there a sliding doors moment that stands out?
Rob: The biggest one was early on — choosing between coding and accounting.
At university, I actually enjoyed coding more, but I realised the way I worked — pulling all-nighters on projects — probably wasn’t sustainable long-term. My dad, who’s an accountant, also influenced that decision.
Choosing accounting led me into the business side of things, which ultimately brought me to where I am today.
Liam: When did you decide to focus more seriously on finance?
Rob: It was a gradual shift.
Starting in forensic accounting at Deloitte naturally steered me toward finance, but it was really during my time at Seer that it clicked. I realised I enjoyed the strategic side of finance — planning, decision-making, leading discussions — more than the detailed transactional work.
That’s what really cemented my focus.
Liam: Tell us about Netball Australia as an organisation.
Rob: It’s been a great experience so far.
When I joined, both my role and the CFO role were newly created, and we jumped straight into an audit. The organisation had come out of COVID in a challenging financial position, so there was a lot to stabilise quickly.
Being able to build the finance function from the ground up has been really rewarding. We’ve also gone through leadership changes, with a new CEO and chair, which has brought a fresh perspective.
The culture is strong, and despite the challenges, it’s a really exciting place to be.
Liam: What do you enjoy most about working in sport?
Rob: I’ve always loved sport, even if I wasn’t particularly good at playing it.
Working in sport brings a unique energy — the camaraderie, the culture, and the passion. Even with limited resources, people are incredibly driven.
I’ve also been fortunate to be part of cultural shifts in organisations — whether at Melbourne Football Club or now at Netball Australia — and seeing that translate into success is really fulfilling.
Liam: How important has your network been?
Rob: It’s been hugely important.
A lot of my opportunities have come through connections — whether it’s former colleagues, managers or friends. For example, my manager at Deloitte played a big role in opening doors early in my career.
I don’t have a formal mentor at the moment, but I’ve leaned on past managers for guidance at different points. It’s something I’d like to invest more in as I continue at an executive level.
Liam: And finally, what advice would you give to future CFOs?
Rob: Two things.
First, understand your strengths and be comfortable being a generalist. You’ll need to wear multiple hats, especially in smaller or growing organisations. Build a team around you that complements your weaknesses.
Second, don’t be afraid to try new things. Diverse experiences are incredibly valuable — they build your perspective and help you become more effective at a senior level.
The more environments and challenges you’re exposed to, the stronger your foundation will be as a leader.
Liam: Rob, thanks so much for joining us.
Rob: Thanks, Liam — appreciate it.