Meet the team

Rory is a hotelier, developer, community builder, entrepreneur, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. He is a pioneer, driven by for-purpose outcomes.

An enormous ambition for innovation led Rory to develop a remote island in Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago, where he founded the mission-driven real estate group, Song Saa Collective. The group developed Song Saa Private Island under his leadership. The highly regarded sustainable resort was recognised as one of the Top 10 Global Luxury Hotel Developments of the Decade (2010-2020).

While in Cambodia, Rory also established the country’s first marine reserve and founded the Song Saa Foundation, an independent NGO dedicated to preserving Cambodia’s marine environment. His efforts earned him the 2013 National Geographic—Leader in Sustainable Tourism award.

Rory’s journey has taken him from Cambodia to Harvard and Stanford. Returning to Melbourne, he turned his focus towards a question that apparently had never been asked: Could a residential building enhance the well-being of its residents and the environment? This simple yet burning question led to the formation of MODEL. And with Rory at the helm, MODEL is set to answer: yes.

Phil is an expert in operational excellence whose journey through the living sectors has lasted over two decades. He is a big thinker with a proven track record in growth.

Phil’s path began in the hotel industry where he led the management of finance, yield management, staffing, and customer service – the engine room behind every successful operation. Going on to lead the launch and growth of student accommodation leader Scape, Phil brought both management impact and efficiency to a category in need of brand differentiation. His expertise helped the brand expand throughout Australia.

With a laser focus on innovation, Phil made the pivotal transition to the Build-to-Rent sector, pioneering the opening of Melbourne’s first two BTR buildings as Head of Operations at premium lifestyle brand Home. Phil has opened, launched and overseen more than 6,000 living sector apartments in Australia, plus supported the design, acquisition and opening of an additional 10,000.

In 2023, Phil founded The Living Advisory, a consulting and management service that granted him the freedom to further innovate the Build-to-Rent, Affordable Housing, PBSA/Student Accommodation and Co-Living sectors – creating detailed local community programs, people structures and technology stacks used across a range of living environments.

Phil has been an integral part of a vast range of living sector projects, with an end asset value of over $6B. Together with the MODEL Executive Team, Phil is set to redefine the BTR offering.

Matt is a highly credentialed development director driven with experience across Australia, the UK, and the Middle East. He thrives on bringing large scale, complex projects to life.

His two decades of experience in property development and project management has seen him lead major projects here and offshore, working for the likes of Mirvac, Sinclair Brook and Majid Al Futtaim in the Middle East. He led a development team that oversaw the development of Australia 108 – the tallest residential building in the Southern Hemisphere and the second tallest building in Australia. This $1.2B project has since ingrained itself in Melbourne’s cityscape – both physically and as a premium lifestyle brand.

In pursuit of greater creative impact and strategic influence, Matt founded Fathom Group – a company of handpicked experts able to influence each stage of the development and design process, from concept through to delivery. His guidance has established a brand with a wide reputation for delivering quality outcomes without compromising on their sense of purpose.

Since 2014, Matt has developed more than 13,000 residential apartments totalling over $5B in construction value, and $7.8B in revenue. With Matt’s unparalleled experience, MODEL is set to change the shape of regenerative development possibilities in Australia.

Dan combines deep consumer insights, communication expertise, and strong commercial real estate experience to shape forward-thinking strategies that transform the rental experience at MODEL.

When it comes to devising innovative solutions that challenge convention, Dan Penny is no stranger. With over 20 years as Founder and Managing Director of Mustard Creative Agency, Dan brings a strategic and creative flair to MODEL, allowing us to understand and answer the needs of our customers and the wider community. Over the years, Dan has also built an extensive commercial property portfolio, making him an astute observer of the ever-changing industry.

Under Dan’s guidance, MODEL is poised to tackle the systematic flaws in the rental and property sectors, offering creative solutions that are long overdue. His unique blend of creative and commercial experience positions MODEL to lead the way in redefining what it means to rent and live well in Australia.