CFO Summit | 2023 Event

Jess Adamson

Facilitator 

Jessica Adamson is a presenter, facilitator and one of South Australia’s most sought after MC’s.

Jess forged a reputation as one of the state’s finest journalists after 24 years in television news.

Jess is a board member of the Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation and the Adelaide Crows Foundation.

She’s also a passionate ambassador for CanTeen – the Australian organisation for young people living with cancer, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Jess is married to Dave and they have twin boys, Angus and Louis, and a daughter, Sophie.

Jamie McKeough

Managing Director, William Buck

Once described by a close business associate as ‘a rock’ in challenging situations, the same description could be applied to Jamie’s role at William Buck. Grounded, thoughtful and a straight-shooter who likes to deal with facts, Jamie takes great pride in leading a practice providing solid, stable and reliable advice, and that genuinely cares about its clients.

With an exceptional ability to take a holistic view of situations, Jamie seeks to enter the inner sanctum of businesses that he works with and understand the full implications of any decision for all stakeholders. ‘I suspect that I have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility and once I get involved with a client, I feel a duty to make things better’, he explains.

Jamie provides business and financial management, tax and accounting advice to clients across many different industries. His key strengths are in problem solving, understanding business models and the key drivers of business. For these reasons, he is called upon to assist many clients with strategic decision making.

The close relationship that Jamie develops with his clients enables him to identify, assess and rank risk areas within the entire business environment and thereby assist in management performance and accountability.

With the responsibility for overseeing the running of a business himself, Jamie understands the challenges involved and takes great satisfaction from seeing people and businesses grow and develop as a result of his input.

ROBERT WALTERS

Since 1985, we’ve been on a mission to be the world’s leading specialist professional recruitment consultancy. To achieve this, we’ve needed to distinguish ourselves both on the quality of service we offer, as well as through a unifying purpose — to power people and organisations to fulfil their unique potential.

We’ve also remained committed to the same core principles that have driven our success from the beginning. These principles of teamwork, integrity, passion, innovation, quality and inclusion ensure our consultants are always putting the needs of candidates and clients first.

Together, our mission, purpose and core principles underpin our working culture around the world. Moreover, they continue to cement our reputation as the recruiter of choice, trusted by the world’s leading organisations and professionals.

MOLLYDOOKER WINES

Mollydooker is a family-owned winery in the charming wine region of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Mollydooker is Aussie slang left-hander where Sarah Marquis (Founder / Chief Winemaker and Owner) and many of her team are left-handed.

Established in 2005, Mollydooker has grown to a passionate team of 50 that produces 100,000 cases of wine each year, sold to wine-lovers across Australia, the US and beyond. Their hero grape is the McLaren Vale Shiraz, whilst other varieties include Cabernet, Merlot, and Verdelho.

Mollydooker has been praised globally, including five 99-point Wine Advocate scores by world renowned wine critic, Robert Parker. Their Carnival of Love Shiraz has been listed a record three times in Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wines in the World.

Dr Tom Nehmy

Clinical Psychologist and Founder, Healthy Minds

Dr Tom Nehmy is an award-winning clinical psychologist with a passion for preventing psychological problems while also enhancing resilience and wellbeing. His university research produced the world’s first prevention program to prevent the onset of symptoms of depression and anxiety while also reducing risk for eating disorders. Tom currently works with companies, schools and professional organisations to help them build psychological skills for mental health, wellbeing and resilience. More than 45,000 people have attended his workshops, training programs, invited keynote addresses, and conference presentations across Australia and around the world. His work has been featured widely in the media, but most importantly it gets outstanding feedback from participants. Tom is the author of the book Apples for the Mind: Creating emotional balance, peak performance and lifelong wellbeing.

Amanda Baldwin

Chief Investment Officer, G’day Group

Amanda is Chief Investment Officer at G’day Group, Australia’s largest regional accommodation provider with more than 300 properties around the country.

An experienced Chartered Accountant and business valuation specialist, Amanda oversees G’day Group’s investment and development teams and oversees the company’s national portfolio of assets valued at more than $1 billion.

Since joining G’day Group in 2014, she has fulfilled several senior roles in the company’s investment team, including M&A Manager and General Manager of Investment, before being promoted to the role of Chief Investment Officer in 2021.

During her time with the company, she has led the acquisition of more than 50 properties and provided critical strategic direction to G’day Group’s Board on major investment decisions. She has executed numerous key strategic acquisitions, including the hostile takeover of the Aspen Parks Property Fund in 2015, which doubled G’day Group’s portfolio of holiday parks, and iconic regional properties El Questro and Kings Canyon Resort, establishing the Group’s entry into the resort category.

Amanda is regarded as future industry leader as was recognised as one of South Australia’s brightest young business talents as part of the 2022 inDaily 40 Under 40 Awards. In 2019, she received an Industry Leaders Fund grant to attend Harvard University to study negotiation and competitive decision-making. Most importantly, she’s on a mission to see all of Australia’s ‘big things’ before she turns 40.

Gerry Cawson

Director, Kain Lawyers

Gerry Cawson is a Director and shareholder at Kain Lawyers, a mid-market transaction specialist law firm that regularly ranks in the top 5 most active M&A advisers in the country.

Gerry has been advising growing companies on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and capital markets transactions for over 30 years. He has worked for leading international law firms in key financial markets including Sydney, Hong Kong and London.

Gerry is regularly listed in ‘Best Lawyers’ guide to the legal profession as a ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Adelaide for M&A, Private Equity and Commercial law. In 2022 he was recognised by Asia Pacific Legal 500 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in Australia for Corporate and M&A and is ranked by Doyle’s Guide to the Legal Profession as a ‘pre-eminent’ M&A lawyer.

Samantha Nicholls

Director, Corporate Finance, William Buck

Having competed at an elite level in netball, it’s not surprising that Samantha is a determined and driven individual who strives to achieve outstanding results for her clients. She has a friendly, ‘can do’ nature which enables her to develop strong relationships with her clients and colleagues.

Samantha is a strong believer in life balance, and having faced many challenges in her 30 years she lives by the philosophy that you should live for today and cherish the people and moments you experience along the way.

One of Samantha’s defining career achievements was taking out William Buck’s 2013 Employee of the Year Award, which recognises the outstanding service she provides clients and the important role she plays within the team.

Beginning her career with William Buck as a graduate in 2007, Samantha has quickly progressed through the firm and was promoted to a Manager in the Corporate Advisory Division in July 2013, Principal in July 2018 and appointed a Director in July 2021. She specialises in providing corporate business advice and liaising with clients on a regular basis.

Samantha thrives on daily interaction with her clients, particularly those she has built relationships with over many years and helped their businesses grow.

Kevin Osborn

Director, Port Adelaide Football Club (AFL)

Kevin was CEO of Bank One Australia, one of Australia’s first international banks. After a 20-year global career with Bank One (now part of J.P. Morgan Chase) Kevin became a professional non-executive director in 2003.

He has previously served as Deputy Chairman of Bendigo Adelaide Bank (an ASX top fifty company) ABB Grain, SA Water, the National Board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Calgary-based Viterra, a then Canadian listed top fifty company, and the Accounting Professional Ethical Standards Board (APESB)

As advisor to the South Australian Government, Kevin served as Deputy Chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB), Chairman on the build of the $1.6 billion desalination plant and the Fines Enforcement Review for the SA Attorney General.

Kevin brings tremendous financial and strategic skills to VUCA and its clients. Known for his ability to problem solve and provide solutions to clients is well known across Australia. Kevin’s exceptional directorship career has enabled him to clearly understand the distinct roles between the Board and Management, the significant role the Chair plays on Boards and the importance of financial literacy for directors on Boards.

In 2019 Kevin was awarded the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Distinguished Fellow award for his outstanding contribution to the progression of Australian Governance through is formal appointments and extended activities.

Brett Lodge

Managing Director, Subnet

Brett Lodge, Subnets Managing Director, has had over 30 years in the ICT industry. With a technical background, Brett understands and translates technical speak into business-based methodologies and outcomes for review.  Through his experience managing over 250 staff in large Australian-based corporations, Brett provides insight and understanding of business-based process, ICT alignment to business strategy and ICT management and staffing reviews.

SUBNET

From our launch in 2000, Subnet has grown to over 50 staff across three offices in both metro and regional locations, providing support where our customers need it. Even though we are one of the larger ICT providers in Adelaide, we still act like a family business that genuinely cares and wants to make a real difference for all our staff, partners, and customers.

Subnet’s innovative and transparent approach to managed security enables SA-based organisations to evolve to the appropriate level of security maturity for them. Our team can take a business that isn’t even on the Australian Governments recommended ASD Essential 8 scale, to maturity level 3 with minimal effort, ensuring you can continue to protect your business and maintain your cyber insurance without skyrocketing your premiums.

Our in-house 24×7 team are highly skilled and certified but speak non-technically to provide a best of breed operational support, consulting and project services that are right sized for the SA market.

Suzanne Ridding

Founder and Principal Consultant, Sustainable Business Consultants

Suzanne is Founder and Principal Consultant of Sustainable Business Consultants, professional experts in sustainability and ESG strategy since 2008. As an ex-CFO and banker, Suzanne brings unique skills and experience to a rapidly developing and crucial area of focus for our future and for the ongoing sustainability of our companies.

Alan Oster

Group Chief Economist, NAB

Alan Oster is NAB’s Group Chief Economist. Alan joined the Bank in 1992 from the Federal Treasury where he worked for 15 years – his special field being economic forecasting and monetary policy. He grew up in Newcastle and graduated (with first class honours) in economics from Newcastle University. He also holds a Masters degree in economics from the Australian National University. Immediately before joining the Bank, Alan was the Senior Adviser in Treasury responsible for economic forecasting and modelling. In 1987 he was seconded for nearly four years as Counsellor-Economic and Financial with Australia’s delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris. As Group Chief Economist, Alan is responsible for NAB’s global economic and financial forecasts. He is also a highly respected and much quoted commentator on Australian and global economic trends and policy issues.

Hon. Stephen Mullighan MP

Treasurer of South Australia

The Treasurer is the Hon. Stephen Mullighan MP.

Stephen was appointed Treasurer in the Labor Government in March 2022.

Stephen was first elected as the Member for Lee in the South Australian Parliament in 2014.

‍In 2014, he was appointed the Minister for Transport & Infrastructure, and in 2016 added the portfolios of Housing and Urban Development.

‍Prior to entering the Parliament, Stephen led Deloitte’s economics team in Adelaide between 2010-2013 providing economic advice to corporate clients, the non-profit sector and state and federal governments.

‍Stephen is a proud western suburb resident, is married to Antonia and they have three children Benjamin, Isaac and Olivia.

Along with his responsibility as Treasurer, his portfolio responsibilities include Finance.

Donald McGurk

Company Director and Former CEO of Codan

Donald spent 21 years with Codan Limited, holding various executive management positions before assuming the role of Managing Director and CEO for 11 years. During his time at Codan, the team created exceptional shareholder value, driving enterprise value in excess of $3 billion and being included in the ASX 200 index. Donald began his career as a manufacturing production engineer and developed a passion for people and change management, which drove me to work in many distressed manufacturing businesses in sectors such as consumer appliances, automotive and footwear. Donald supplemented his lifelong education journey by graduating with an MBA from Adelaide University and completing the Advanced Management program at Harvard Business School. Donald has a fundamental belief that people and culture are the key success in any business.