Our Team
Our Investment Team has extensive experience in investment and asset management, agriculture, mergers & acquisitions, financial services, transaction due diligence and managing large-scale development projects.
Partner
Tony Tremlett
Tony is responsible for the management of Bottle Tree Capital, with a particular focus on investment management and operations.
Tony brings a wealth of experience in personnel management, strategic analysis, risk management, and project delivery from his 20-year military career.
Tony’s diverse experience includes leading complex high-risk operations, strategic analysis for Australia’s Special Forces, and leading project scope and cost analysis for a portfolio of Defence projects worth over $6 billion.
Tony applies his skill set to focus on our farmland operating systems and ‘life of investment’ risk management aimed at providing high assurance in the management of Bottle Tree Capital’s investments.
Partner
Hugh Esler
Hugh is responsible for the management of Bottle Tree Capital, with a particular focus on investment management and transactions.
Hugh has more than 17 years corporate and transactional experience across the agriculture, food and beverage, property, and finance sectors.
Prior to transitioning to investment management in 2018, Hugh developed extensive transactional experience as a senior lawyer at a global law firm focusing on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate advisory and governance, commercial agreements, and general contract law.
Hugh holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Queensland, a Juris Doctor from Bond University, is admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Agribusiness Executive Program (Harvard University).
Partner
Richard Allen
Richard is responsible for the management of Bottle Tree Capital, with a particular focus on financial analysis, water strategy and transactions.
Richard brings valuable experience across the Bottle Tree Capital business having joined in 2017. Richard is responsible for farmland investment management focusing on portfolio and commercial management whilst leading transaction deal analysis.
Richard is also engaged in the analysis of investment performance, new investment modelling, valuation management, optimisation of the performance of existing investments and provides regular oversight of accounting of farmland and water investments.
Head of Governance
Alex Nunn
As Head of Governance at Bottle Tree Capital, Alex oversees its legal, compliance, risk, and people functions.
With over 15 years of experience as a solicitor in both private practice and in-house roles, Alex specialises in mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, financial services, ASX Listing Rule compliance, and general corporate matters.
Alex plays a key role in all mergers, acquisitions, and transactions at Bottle Tree Capital, while also actively contributing to investment management, ensuring the legal, risk, governance, and human resources aspects of investments are effectively managed.
Investment Manager
Matthew
Merlano
Matthew is responsible for the management of Bottle Tree Capital’s agricultural investments, with a strong focus on execution and ongoing management of irrigated farmland and water investment strategies.
Since joining in 2017, Matthew has gained extensive experience across all aspects of the business, including investor relations, capital markets, risk and compliance, asset management, and transaction analysis.
Matthew is actively involved in commercial management, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), business development and strategy execution across Bottle Tree Capital’s portfolio.
Matthew also leads the integration of ESG within the Bottle Tree Capital business and investment strategies.
Additionally, Matthew contributes to transaction due diligence, deal analysis, and onboarding of Bottle Tree Capital investments.
Investment Manager
Greg Pitt
Greg is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) with over 15 years of experience across investment management, accounting and finance, with a strong specialisation in the agricultural sector.
At Bottle Tree Capital, Greg plays a pivotal role in mergers, acquisitions, transaction due diligence and the development of financial models that underpin investment decisions.
Additionally, Greg contributes to the commercial management, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), budgeting, business development and strategic management of Bottle Tree Capital’s investments.
