Building a Pragmatic Risk Advisory Brand That Stands Apart from Industry Giants

In early 2024, Tykee Advisory approached Gilligan Group at a pivotal moment in their journey.

After spending years in senior risk roles at organisations like BHP, Woodside, and BCI Minerals, founders Brendan Valentine and Daniel Bani-Ardalan had identified a critical gap in the enterprise risk management market. While traditional consultancies were creating complex frameworks that required constant oversight, Tykee believed in a fundamentally different approach – one focused on simplicity, practicality, and building client independence.

As Brendan explained during our discovery sessions: “If it’s not simple, then it’s not the best in class.” This philosophy stemmed from their frustration seeing organisations invest in elaborate risk frameworks that looked impressive but proved impractical in real-world operations.

However, they faced significant challenges. As a new consultancy competing against established players, they needed to clearly articulate their unique value proposition. Their target audience spanned multiple industries – from mining and oil & gas to private equity and community organisations. And despite their deep expertise, they needed to establish credibility in a market where the Big Four dominated the conversation.

Most importantly, they needed to establish themselves as a credible alternative for organisations that “can afford us and want us” – those seeking a more pragmatic approach to risk management that would enable rather than hinder growth.

We began by immersing ourselves in Tykee’s world. Through comprehensive interviews and workshops with the founding team, we gained crucial insights into their operational background, unique philosophy, and vision for transforming risk management.

Our strategy focused on three key areas:

Finding the Story Behind the Name

We developed foundational brand elements that would differentiate Tykee in the marketplace. This included refining their name – inspired by Tyche, the Greek goddess of fortune and prosperity – to reflect their belief that “you create your own luck and fortune when you are preparing yourself properly and taking all the correct measures.”

We crafted their distinctive tagline “Confidently Riskee” to capture their core philosophy: that effective risk management isn’t about avoiding risk but taking the right risks with confidence.

As Brendan explained: “When you’re confidently risky, it gives people a sense of thinking, ‘I’m doing something that shouldn’t be being done, but I’m doing it with confidence.’ And if you’re a business that wants to innovate or work in a space that is challenging, then you’re operating with confidence.”

Speaking to Every Decision-Maker

We created a comprehensive messaging framework that clearly articulated Tykee’s unique approach to different stakeholder groups.

For Board Members, we emphasised providing assurance that risk management systems were working effectively. For C-Suite executives, we focused on gaining deeper visibility and independent review capabilities. For Risk Managers, we highlighted practical implementation techniques and capability building.

This framework explicitly differentiated Tykee from both Big consultancies that “create dependency through complexity” and boutique firms with narrow technical expertise. As Brendan noted: “It’s in the big four’s best interest to develop a system that is complex. Complex to the point that only they can invent the process and they will need to be involved every step of the way.”

Bringing the Brand to Life

We developed practical brand applications across all touchpoints – from their website (tykeeadvisory.com) to corporate collateral. We prepared them for industry events, including Energy Exchange Australia 2025, designing everything from their exhibition booth to banners and collateral that communicated their unique approach.

Our partnership with Tykee Advisory resulted in a comprehensive brand and communication platform that positioned them distinctively in the enterprise risk management marketplace.

Their new identity clearly communicates their pragmatic approach to risk management, while their messaging framework enables them to articulate their value proposition effectively to diverse stakeholders – from mining executives to private equity investors.

The Tykee brand now authentically reflects their core philosophy – that risk management should be simplified, practical, and focused on building client independence rather than consultant dependency. Their positioning as pioneers of a “confidently riskee” approach has resonated with organisations seeking a more pragmatic alternative to traditional consultancies.

Perhaps most significantly, Tykee made a successful debut at Energy Exchange Australia 2025, where their distinctive booth and clear messaging generated significant interest. Their social video campaign directly addressed critical industry questions – “What does risk management have to do with the energy industry?” – with Director Brendan Valentine demonstrating how risk management is accessible for businesses of all sizes and stages of maturity. This approachable, no-nonsense communication style perfectly embodied their brand promise of making complex risk concepts practical and accessible.

Their authentic approach to communication, including direct-to-camera videos explaining complex risk concepts in accessible language, has helped build credibility with potential clients seeking practical solutions rather than theoretical frameworks.

We continue to support Tykee Advisory as their marketing partner, helping them navigate the complexities of establishing a distinctive brand in a competitive market.

From creating engaging social content that simplifies complex risk concepts to supporting their presence at industry events, we help Tykee articulate their unique value proposition to a market that traditionally views risk management as unnecessarily complex.

As noted in one client appreciation post: “Rounding out the year with the guys from Tykee Advisory who are assisting us to put the strategy and controls behind some new workflows and procedures… Thank you Daniel Bani-Ardalan and Brendan Valentine for helping us map out a critical process and bringing clarity to our team on key gateways and deliverables.”

This ongoing partnership exemplifies our approach – we don’t just deliver projects; we grow, shape and journey with our clients, ensuring their brand and messaging evolves alongside their growing business.