Presenters

• Alison Baker
• Andrew Bloore
• Andrew Sommer
• Bruce McFarlane
• Bruce Thomas
• Chris Catto
• Chris Kinsella FCA
• Christin Schaller FCA
• Damien Lockie FCA
• Daniel Butler
• David Lilja
• Derek Hilliard
• Emma Woolley
• Gordon Mackenzie
• James McPhedran
• Jennifer Ball
• Jennifer Forge
• John King
• Justin Rossetto
• Ken Mansell
• Lesley Simmons
• Mandy Holloway FCA
• Mark Inston
• Mark Payne
• Mark Wilkinson
• Nina Sunday
• Peter McGinty
• Peter Nicol CA
• Peter Poulos
• Rebecca James
• Robyn Schofield
• Sam Ayoubi
• Scott Heezen CA
• Sharlene Anderson
• Shirley Schaefer FCA
• Stephen Bourke
• Susan Orchard CA
• Tao de Haas
• Verne Ordman

Presenter Profiles

Alison Baker

Alison has an extensive employment practice, advising clients on all aspects of employment and workplace relations law.

 Her experience includes:

• Advising on compliance with changes to workplace relations laws
• Drafting and advising on employment contracts, workplace agreements and independent contractor agreements,
• Advising on the application and operation of awards
• Drafting and advising on workplace policies and procedures, including employment and human resources manuals and policies
• Advising on the implementation of terminations and employee performance management
• Advising on and acting in employment and workplace relations litigation.

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Andrew Bloore

Andrew is currently CEO of Super IQ. He has had over 25 years of experience within the SMSF and administration space.

Andrew has had involvement in a wide range of legislative and ATO committees including the Simple Super legislative committee, Instalment Warrant committee, Superannuation Consultative committee within the ATO, Regulations review for SISA, Henry Tax Industry review panel and the Cooper Industry review panel.

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Andrew Sommer

Andrew Sommer has been practising as an indirect tax specialist since 1994. Prior to joining Clayton Utz in 1998, Andrew worked in the indirect tax division of a major accounting firm.

He has provided extensive advice to clients on all aspects of GST, from appropriate financing structures (including securitisation), the structuring of major projects to property dealings and the full range of commercial transactions. He also advises on issues associated with a wide range of indirect taxes, including income tax, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax and R&D tax incentives.

He regularly presents on GST and indirect tax issues at tax specialist conferences and is an adjunct faculty member of the University of New South Wales Law Faculty where he teaches postgraduate courses in GST. Andrew is recognised as one of Australia's leading taxation lawyers by PLC Which Lawyer (2009-2011).

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Bruce McFarlane

Bruce has a wide range of expertise in commercial transactions, including private mergers and acquisitions, business/asset sales, share sales, joint ventures and partnerships, franchising, licensing and distribution agreements, drafting, and advising on commercial property sales and acquisitions, commercial leasing, IT contracts and arrangements, and general commercial agreements.

Bruce's clients include public and private companies in the energy, financial services, IT and retail sectors, franchisors, franchisees, landlords, equity investors, commercial property developers and a variety of other businesses.

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Bruce Thomas

Bruce has many years of experience in various areas of taxation including GST, FBT and sales tax. He holds a Bachelor of Economics degree (commerce major) from the University of Adelaide and a Master of Taxation degree from the University of New South Wales.

Bruce was previously a tax manager with William Buck Chartered Accountants in Sydney, where he provided advice to a wide range of clients on the application of the GST and FBT, and in developing and presenting seminars and workshops on the GST and FBT for businesses and industry groups.

Bruce was involved in drafting objections and has represented clients before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. He was particularly active in assisting clients involved in large property developments on aspects of the GST margin scheme and advising on FBT and salary packaging. 

He also spent 17 years working for the ATO, including assisting in the implementation of GST from December 1998 to December 1999. Bruce has prepared and presented many tax seminars for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and CPA Australia over a number of years.

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Chris Catto

Chris’s career to date spans 15 years and has involved various senior financial and management reporting roles for world class industry leading organisations. Across his career Chris has successfully managed and improved cash flow, budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and business intelligence systems. His experience also includes conducting due diligence on acquisition targets for a publically listed multinational organisation, concluding with price recommendations.

Chris has been employed by global industry leaders such as Aviva, the BBC and leading Australian companies Toll and Southcorp. Apart from being a qualified accountant, Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Master of Business Administration.

Currently Chris is a Director and Senior Advisor of Putney Breeze Business Advisors; A specialist cash flow and performance management business advisory for SMEs.

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Chris Kinsella FCA

With more than 25 years’ experience, Chris is principally focused at Maddocks on potential and actual tax disputes with the ATO. Chris’ areas of practice include tax controversy, statutory interpretation and taxation law. Prior to joining Maddocks, Chris was a senior tax partner with PwC for many years.

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Christin Schaller FCA

Christin has been a member of the Institute’s Quality Review team for over 10 years, specialising in audit and assurance.  Her varied role includes preparing and updating questionnaires used during quality reviews, preparing  and reviewing quality review reports to practices, and assisting members who have queries relating to their quality review.  Christin is strongly committed to the educational aspects of the quality review program and to providing practical assistance to members required to comply with technical and professional standards.

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Damien Lockie FCA

Damien practises as a Barrister-at-Law at the Victorian Bar and as a Nationally Accredited Mediator. Dual qualified in law and accounting, he is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Bond University, teaching Climate Change and Emissions Trading Law.

He has more than 25 years experience as a solicitor, accountant and advocate specialising in property and environmental laws and Federal and State revenue laws. Formally a partner at Ernst & Young, Baker & McKenzie and Freehills, he is one of Australia’s leading experts in emissions trading law and the Clean Energy Bill 2011.

Damien has been involved in consultation on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the Clean Energy Bill 2011. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow (Life) of the Tax Institute.

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Daniel Butler

Daniel is recognised as one of Australia's leading SMSF lawyers. He has worked predominantly in the fields of tax and superannuation over the past 28 years.

Daniel is a regular seminar presenter on tax, superannuation and succession topics and has published extensively in these areas. He is a contributing editor for CCH's superannuation services, an author of the Wills, Estates and Succession Planning Service and a range of other publications.

Daniel currently chairs The Tax Institute's (TTI) National Superannuation Committee and is a member of the TTI National Tax Technical committee and the Law Institute of Australia's Superannuation committee. 

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David Lilja

David Lilja is a recognised Employment Taxes specialist with extensive experience in the areas of FBT and salary packaging.

David works closely with a broad range of clients across a wide variety of industries, assisting organisations with managing their FBT obligations. He also assists organisations with the development and refinement of salary packaging programs.

David draws on this experience when facilitating seminars providing very practical and commercial solutions in dealing with FBT and salary packaging.

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Derek Hilliard

Derek Hilliard’s extensive experience includes providing insolvency, bankruptcy and reorganisation advice and litigation services to administrators, liquidators and receivers and conducting a range of commercial litigation on behalf of individuals and companies. He provides practical and commercial advice on the operation of the Personal Properties Securities Act 2009, registration of security interests, searching the Personal Property Securities Register and enforcing personal property securities.

Derek has worked with insolvency practitioners and others to unravel complex financial transactions and thereafter to strategise effective recovery options including pursuit of commercial litigation.  Derek is accredited by the Law Society of New South Wales as a specialist in commercial litigation (insolvency and reconstruction) and is a serving member on the Law Council of Australia’s insolvency and reconstruction committee as well as a member of the Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia and INSOL International. Derek Hilliard is listed in the Asian In-House Handbook (2008/2009) for Restructuring & Insolvency.

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Emma Woolley

Emma has the primary responsibility for the personal and family business succession practice within the Private Clients group. Her practice includes estate planning, testamentary trusts, trust establishment and ongoing administration, asset protection, structuring for succession of ownership and control of family businesses and family business governance.

Emma's clients include high net worth individuals, families and family businesses.

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Gordon Mackenzie

Gordon is the convenor of the Masters in Taxation and Financial Planning at the Australian School of Taxation (Atax) at UNSW. He researches and teaches in the taxation of superannuation and tax strategies used in financial planning.

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James McPhedran

James McPhedran is a Tax Training Specialist at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

His extensive experience branches across a wide range of industries from Mining and Energy, to Entertainment and professional tax bodies. He has acquired advanced knowledge in tax and superannuation through his work in a variety of tax advisory roles, from international acquisitions and business structuring, to individual and small business taxation matters.

Prior to his training role at the Institute, James was a Tax and Superannuation Advisor at the Knowledge Shop (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hayes Knight). The role required the drafting of technical papers and presenting professional development sessions in tax for professional bodies such as the Institute and the Tax Institute of Australia.

James holds a Bachelor of Laws and Economics from the University of Queensland and a Master of Taxation from the University of Sydney.

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Jennifer Ball

Jennifer Ball practises in commercial litigation specialising in all areas of insolvency, restructuring and banking litigation. With over 21 years' experience, Jennifer acts and advises receivers, administrators and liquidators in large-scale administrations on all aspects of insolvency and is widely recognised for her skills in workouts. Jennifer's experience in large-scale administrations has involved businesses in the airline industry and the rural and farming sector.

Jennifer is recognised by her peers as a leading practitioner by Chambers Global (2009-2011) and as one of Australia's leading restructuring and insolvency lawyers by PLC Which Lawyer 2011.

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Jennifer Forge

Jennifer has worked as an Accountant in Public Practice for the last eleven years, working closely with small businesses.  She advises her clients on taxation, accounting, structural and business matters in the areas of superannuation, small business and personal taxation. 

In addition, she audits self managed superannuation funds for other accountants and gives advice to accountants on superannuation legislation.  She also gives presentations to clients and other accounting professionals on superannuation related matters.

In mid 2007, Jennifer and her husband Daryl started up their own business, JDFA.  The aim of JDFA is to help its clients create, accumulate and protect their wealth by providing business, personal financial and tax advice.

Jennifer Forge’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Economics, a Post Graduate Diploma of Accounting and a Diploma of Financial Planning. Jennifer is also a member of CPA.

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John King

John King   FCA, FCPA, MBA, B Com, FAICD – AJK Consulting

Investment strategy and corporate finance strategy is the focus of John’s consulting practice. Working with Australian and international businesses, John has assisted in improving value creation across a wide range of industries. He also provides investment strategy advice to financial planners.

With Chief Financial Officer experience in major companies in resources, banking, insurance and retailing, as well as a strong consulting background, John brings extensive practical experience and knowledge to investing and corporate financial performance.

John teaches Investments and Corporate Finance in the MBA program at the University of Western Australia. He has taught at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University in the US and McMaster University in Canada.

A Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia John holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Chicago, as well as a commerce degree from the University of Western Australia.

John presents various specialist sessions for the Institute in corporate finance and financial performance improvement.

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Justin Rossetto

Justin specialises in corporate income tax. He has advised on a wide range of corporate income tax matters, including private equity transactions, cross-border transactions and mergers and acquisitions (both domestic and international). Justin has worked extensively with foreign investors in connection with different forms of inbound investments, including schemes of arrangement involving public companies.

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Ken Mansell

Ken currently works as the Taxation Manager for Raytheon in a part time capacity. Ken has worked on the secretariat of the Review of Australia’s Future Tax System (“Henry Review”), in the office of the Assistant Treasurer advising on taxation policy and have worked in the Revenue Group of the Treasury developing and implementing policy in relation to Consolidations, Taxation of Financial Arrangements, scrip for scrip rollovers, amendment periods, specific anti avoidance provisions and objections. Ken has also worked in the Tax Division for both KPMG and Deloitte, a Tax Trainer and Tax Specialist for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the Head of Taxation for the Seven Network Limited group. Further, Ken has worked as a legal researcher in both commercial and academic roles.

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Lesley Simmons

Lesley Simmons FCA, has been a member of the Institute’s Professional Standards Team since 2000, initially managing that team and now as a part time consultant. Lesley started professional life with a Sydney based sole practitioner and practised in the SMP area prior to joining the Institute’s staff as a Technical Consultant for the CA Programme.

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Mandy Holloway FCA

Mandy Holloway draws on personal experience, in-depth business understanding, real business application and passion to inspire others to be Courageous Leaders. This passion translates into the commitment to model courage both personally and professionally inviting others to develop confidence and conviction to do the same.

Mandy’s continuing personal leadership journey from emerging leader to partner at KPMG and for the last 9 years inspiring courageous business leaders, while juggling the roles of wife and mother, means she shares many stories and experiences with her readers to bring leadership alive with the reality of what people are facing every day.

Mandy regularly receives feedback from program participants about her rare ability to engage people’s hearts when she brings to life the real and practical aspects of leading others and leading yourself through stories and experiences.

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Mark Inston

Mark Inston heads the Banking & Finance team at leading Melbourne law firm, Hall & Wilcox. He has 15 years experience acting for Australian and overseas borrowers and financial institutions in a broad range of banking and finance transactions, including:

• Bilateral and syndicated facilities and related security issues;
• Structured and asset based finance involving ships, aircraft, mining and other large industrial equipment; 
• Derivatives; and 
• Restructuring and turnaround matters ranging from advisory work on existing debt agreements to major rearrangement of debt finance structures.

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Mark Payne

Mark has close to 15 years' experience acting for Australian and international corporations in a broad range of tax, superannuation and financial transactions, including structuring of private equity and hedge funds, corporate transactions, reconstructions, de-mergers and reorganisations.

Most recently, Mark has gained invaluable experience as Director of the Private Wealth Group at Goldman Sachs JBWere in Sydney, focusing on superannuation and taxation technical issues.

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Mark Wilkinson

Mark has 27 years experience working as a Chartered Accountant . Formally a Partner at Deloitte Private, Mark is now the principal of Wilkinson  Superannuation and consults to Accountants, financial planners , fund members and trustees on the full range of superannuation and retirement matters affecting high net worth individuals and fund trustees.

In recent years Mark has narrowed his focus and now regards himself as a financial consultant that assists clients and their advisers in implementing strategy that will grow the clients wealth during their working life , protect it from creditors  or in the event of death, and enable them to enjoy it during retirement

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Nina Sunday

Twenty years ago Nina Sunday founded Brainpower Training, now one of the country’s top 40 national training companies. She leads a team of multiple facilitators delivering essential business skills training.

Last year Nina was awarded her CSP or Certified Speaking Professional, the highest designation from the National Speakers Association of Australia.  The Australian Institute of Training and Development gave her a prestigious Innovation in Learning national award.

Nina is listed in the ‘Who’s Who of Australian Women’ and is a leading educator who captivates audiences everywhere with her stories, insights and effervescent presentation style. 

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Peter McGinty

Peter is a Chartered Accountant with a degree in Commerce and Law from the University of Melbourne.

Peter has had over 20 years experience in income tax. This experience has been focused on domestic Australian tax issues affecting family businesses, SME’s and high wealth individuals.

Peter has worked for mid-tier accounting firms and is familiar with their in-house training needs. Peter has spent a number of years advising tax agents on tax matters.

Peter has extensive tax training experience having previously worked for the NTAA. During this time Peter also specialised in managing the ATO liaison functions and represented the association on various ATO committees.

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Peter Nicol CA

Peter is the Principal of the Perth Superannuation Division of RSM Bird Cameron.  He has extensive knowledge of superannuation legislation and its application to SMSFs, using it to service trustees and accountants of SMSFs.  Peter is a Chartered Accountant and is a firm believer that “prevention is better than a cure”, so he is proactive in the area of trustee education.

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Peter Poulos

Peter specialises in the application of the general anti-avoidance provisions and strategically managing compliance risk reviews and tax audits. Peter has also been a partner at PwC Legal, and the head of the tax practice of the Australian Government Solicitor, advising the ATO on tax compliance, audits and its recovery of debts.

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Rebecca James

Rebecca’s practice involves advising on all facets of private superannuation for employers, employees, self-managed superannuation funds and high net wealth individuals. She provides prudential regulation and compliance, taxation and estate planning advice as it relates to superannuation as well as providing advice on structuring commercial arrangements involving self managed superannuation funds including superannuation fund borrowing arrangements. Rebecca also provides advice to employers, employees, principals and contractors on complying with their superannuation guarantee obligations. Rebecca’s practice includes acting in the establishment and administration of superannuation funds, including structuring advice, prudential and taxation compliance and document preparation. 

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Robyn Schofield

Robyn Schofield joined the Clayton Utz practice in 1999 and during her time has predominantly acted for large corporate clients in respect of all areas of Australian tax, including international tax, taxation of financial transactions, general corporate tax and tax audits and litigation.

Robyn has worked with Macquarie Bank, HBOS, ING Australia, Barrick Gold, Noble and many other top tier Australian corporate clients.

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Sam Ayoubi

A seasoned tax trainer, Sam brings a wealth of practical experience to his role at the Institute. His extensive consulting and training skills have been developed in second-tier firms including Moore Stephens and William Buck. Prior to joining the Institute Sam worked as a tax trainer with Kaplan Professional where he was involved in major training engagements including the ATO and Big 4 accounting firms. He has also been involved with the delivery and assessment of the Chartered Accountants Program since 2003. Sam is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Masters in Tax and Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting, Commercial Law, and a sub-major in Economics.

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Scott Heezen CA

Scott specialises in taxation of M&A transactions and cross border financing. He has extensive experience in Australian domestic, inbound and outbound M&A transactions, including the structuring of Chinese investment into Australia. Scott is also an experienced UK tax practitioner, having advised on UK taxation for a major UK law firm and developed strong expertise in Australian / European cross border leasing and investments.

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Sharlene Anderson

Sharlene Anderson is a Director of Veritas Corporation, specialising in Audit and Forensic Accounting services. Sharlene has significant experience auditing across various legislative frameworks, and is known for her practical approach. Having audited in excess of 5000 SMSFs, Sharlene is recognised as an expert in her field with considerable knowledge of the rules and regulations pertaining to audit and superannuation. Sharlene provides technical advice to the clients of Super Auditors and others within the profession. 

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Shirley Schaefer FCA

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Stephen Bourke

Stephen is a Director of Certus Law, a practice specialising in Estates, Trusts and Superannuation.  He also consults to other practitioners through the consulting practice Supersplitting, a practice that specialises in superannuation law and family law.  Stephen has written several publications and papers on superannuation splitting and author of the text “Super Splitting for Family Lawyers”.

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Susan Orchard CA

Susan is a sole practitioner with over 20 years experience in superannuation. She has run a specialist superannuation practice since 1998, acting as an auditor to over 600 SMSFs. She is a member of the Institute’s SMSF Committee and also represents Institute members on the ATO Auditor working group. Susan is currently a GAAP Consulting Network member.

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Tao de Haas

For over 25 years Tao has worked to combine psychological and management sciences, together with neuroscience, emotional intelligence and systemic thinking. Some of his work includes:

> Personal and professional people development
> Executive mentoring and coaching
> Team building for performance
> Conflict resolution/mediation
> Meeting facilitation

Tao is considered an innovative thinker. His unique difference is his ability to use psychological understanding and to think innovatively about complex and difficult issues. Tao has a unique ability to quickly uncover the core of an issue to then move beyond consensus reality thinking in order to facilitate long lasting change.

Tao holds a degree in Business and Administration (The Netherlands) a postgraduate and a Masters Degree in Social Ecology. He is a qualified psychotherapist and counsellor and a clinical member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Association of NSW. Tao has been a senior lecturer at various Sydney colleges, one at which he won an award for the most inspiration lecturer. Tao is an accredited Emotional Intelligence Trainer and assessor in Baron EQi and Baron EQ 360. Tao is the author of book The Delusion Delusion. Tao’s clients include: Westpac, NAB, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Publicis Mojo, Telstra, ICAP, The Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, The Dockside Group, FreeTV.

As a corporate trainer and mentor he specialises in Emotional Intelligence, People Skills, Communication, Management and Leadership training. Tao works with others to build organisational capability in strategic thinking and leadership capability. He is recognised as one of Australia’s most authentic, inspirational and gifted facilitators and trainers. Tao is a published author and makes regular appearances on national radio and television.

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Verne Ordman

Verne Ordman has worked for over 25 years in the corporate training industry in Australia, the USA and South Africa. She has designed numerous seminars and online programs, one of which won an Australian Institute of Training and Development – Training Design Award. She is a well-known and respected business writing coach, consultant and author. Her company is a preferred tenderer for the Australian Public Service Commission Leadership Learning and Development Panel. Her new book, the Business Writing Style Guide will be available in all bookshops in September.

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