Darian Smith

Executive summary

Darian is a Director in the Consulting team with BDO in Brisbane. With more than 16 years’ experience in consulting, transformation, and portfolio governance, Darian advises organisations across the public and private sectors on business strategy, operating model design, service transformation, enterprise portfolio management and investment governance.

Darian specialises in helping organisations translate strategic priorities into investable, actionable and measurable outcomes. He works closely with executive leaders and boards to strengthen governance, improve decision-making, and deliver sustainable organisational change.

His experience spans public sector, telecommunications, critical infrastructure, energy and utilities, technology, healthcare, mining and resources, and financial services. Recognised as a trusted advisor, Darian brings clarity to challenges and combines strategic thinking with practical expertise to deliver lasting outcomes.

Expertise

• Business strategy and investment governance for government, infrastructure, and regulated industry clients
• Operating model design and service transformation
• Enterprise portfolio management and investment decision-making frameworks
• PMO and enterprise portfolio office design, governance uplift and organisational maturity improvement
• Executive and board reporting frameworks that support strategic decision-making
• Business case development and assurance for major transformation and infrastructure initiatives
• Risk management, schedule assurance and governance controls for complex programs and investments
• Digital transformation, service management and organisational capability development.

Experience

Business cases and investment planning

• Developed business cases, investment governance frameworks and portfolio prioritisation approaches for government and infrastructure organisations, supporting capital allocation, investment approvals and strategic decision-making.
• Designed executive and board reporting frameworks that improved portfolio visibility, governance and investment oversight.

Organisation design and transformation

• Led operating model, organisational design and governance initiatives across professional services, technology and advisory organisations, supporting growth, delivery capability and operational performance.
• Developed enterprise portfolio management frameworks, capability assessments and maturity roadmaps to drive long-term organisational improvement.

Program governance and delivery

• Established governance, reporting, assurance and PMO frameworks across major transformation and infrastructure programs, strengthening executive oversight and delivery confidence.
• Developed risk, schedule and performance reporting methodologies that enhanced decision-making and program outcomes.

Qualifications and affiliations

• Advanced Diploma of Project Management
• Agile Scrum Master Certified (SMC)
• P3O Practitioner
• Management of Portfolios (MoP) Practitioner
• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Microsoft Power BI Data Analysis and Visualisation Certification
• SAP SuccessFactors Certified Application Associate