Fast Track is a carefully curated and impactful seven-part development program with ongoing support provision, designed for ambitious mid-career marketing, business development and communications talent in professional services firms who are preparing to emark on the path to senior leadership.

Each session builds practical capabilities, deepens strategic acumen and strengthens cross-team influence, with immediate application to live work and growth priorities.

Key points at a glance 

• Format: Blended delivery across online workshops and in-person sessions in select cities.
• Session length: Each session runs for 90 minutes, allowing time for discussion and practical application.
• Timing: Program runs from March to June 2026. 
• Who should join: Mid-career practitioners in law, accounting, engineering, consulting and other professional services.
• Outcomes: Practical tools, leadership capability, peer network and confidence to contribute at a higher level.
• Recording: Online sessions recorded for enrolled participants.

Participants can register for individual sessions, or secure a discounted rate by registering for the full seven-part program.

Who it is for?

Fast Track is suited to:

• Mid-career professionals preparing for more senior roles

• New managers developing people and stakeholder leadership capability

• Specialists moving into broader or more strategic BD, marketing or communications roles

• Experienced professionals returning from a career break who want a structured refresh

What you will learn?

The 2026 Fast Track program focuses on the practical skills required to operate effectively at a more senior level in professional services firms.

Across the seven sessions, participants develop capability in:

• Leadership presence and influence

• Strategic thinking and decision-making

• Leading and influencing people and teams

• Managing relationships across the firm

• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration

• Career development, mentoring and sponsorship

• Practical and responsible use of AI tools in BD and marketing

Each session is designed to support immediate application to live work and current priorities.

Get to know your fellow Fast Trackers and engage with industry leaders while enjoying refreshments: our commencement event is a great way to grow your network, share ideas with other professionals working in your sector and learn more about what’s in store and the value you will gain from the program. Guest speakers will share key insights into their long and fulfilling careers in professional services. For those who can’t attend the in-person event, there will be an opportunity to participate online.

Date: 26 March 2026

Time: 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm,

Location: Ashurst, Level 16, 80 Collins Street, South Tower, Melbourne 

Speaker:

Michael O'Sullivan

Ashurst, Global Head of Client Development 

Michael is a senior business development and client growth specialist with nearly 20 years' experience in the legal sector. He currently serves as Head of Global Client Development at Ashurst, where he leads a team of senior global account managers working on the firm's most strategic clients and is responsible for the operationalisation of its Key Client Programme.

Throughout his career, Michael has held a number of senior business development and client leadership roles at leading law firms across the United Kingdom and Australia, and has worked extensively across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. With a particular interest in Client Experience (CX), Michael enjoys working with the next generation of client growth specialists, sharing his experiences in promoting what clients value.

Date:  31 March 2026

Time: 09:00 am  to 11:00 am

Location: Clifford Chance, Level 24, 10 Carrington Street, Sydney

Speaker:

Kate Potter

Head of Employee Experience, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers,

Kate leads the firm-wide initiatives to enhance employee experience, engagement, and innovation. With a career spanning legal operations, strategic consulting, and design thinking, Kate brings a unique blend of commercial insight and creative problem-solving to the legal sector. Her work focuses on aligning client needs with business strategy, driving continuous improvement, and fostering a culture of collaboration and responsiveness. Kate’s experience across both private practice and consulting gives her a broad perspective on how law firms can evolve to meet the demands of a changing market.  

Emma Hansen
Head of Marketing, Sydney and Newcastle, PKF

Emma is a senior marketing and brand leader with extensive experience in professional services. She currently serves as Head of Marketing at PKF – Australia, where she leads the firm’s national marketing strategy, driving brand growth, adviser positioning, and strategic business development initiatives across the network.

Throughout her career, Emma has played a pivotal role in shaping compelling brand narratives and building high-performing, collaborative teams. Known for her ability to see both the big picture and the unique strengths of individuals, she works closely with leaders to articulate what sets them apart in a competitive market.

With a strong interest in leadership, team performance, and inclusive culture, Emma is an active contributor to PKF’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and Impact initiatives. She is passionate about elevating others, strengthening client connections, and helping professional services firms stand out with clarity and confidence.

Date: 2 April 2026

Time: 1:00 pm  to 2:00 pm

Speaker: 

Andy Bevan

JLL, Senior Director, Head of Pursuits Asia Pacific

Andy is a business development, pitching and marketing specialist with 15 years of experience working in the professional services sector across the UK, Singapore and Australia.

Currently serving as the Senior Director and Head of Pursuits for Asia Pacific at JLL, Andy leads a team of over 50 Pursuits experts spread across the region. Over six years he has successfully scaled the Pursuits team from a two-person operation to a powerhouse of over 50 professionals in 13 countries.

Andy's expertise lies in developing and implementing sales enablement strategies that drive revenue and margin growth, revolutionising pitching methodologies, and establishing offshore Centres of Excellence. Prior to JLL, Andy held key positions at Norton Rose Fulbright and Freshfields, where he honed his skills in business development and marketing, working across various practice areas and industry sectors.

Andy brings a global perspective to his roles, and excels in collaborating with executive leadership, driving teamwork across diverse cultures, and implementing data-driven approaches to measure and enhance performance.

Date: 24 April 2026

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm AEST

Effective executive leadership is demonstrated in everyday interactions. This highly practical session builds the capability to lead individuals and teams with clarity, accountability and confidence, whether or not you have direct reports. The pathways to leadership are varied and nuanced.

We begin with a short introduction and icebreaker before exploring what leadership means in practice, including Maxwell’s 5 Levels of Leadership. Participants will reflect on the type of leader they are today and the type of leader they want to become as expectations increase.

Drawing on Hawkins’ work on high performing teams, we examine what top teams consistently do well and how leaders create the conditions for trust, alignment and performance. Participants will then craft a clear leadership vision and begin developing a practical team charter to guide behaviours and expectations.

The session moves into essential influence skills, with applied practice throughout. This includes coaching skills grounded in psychological safety, deep listening and the GROW model, a coaching style of delegation, how to give feedback that lands, and how to set effective leadership boundaries. We also address sustainable leadership, including managing energy and avoiding burnout in high demand environments.

The session closes with clear action steps to embed learning into daily practice.

You will leave with:

• A defined leadership vision
• A draft team charter
• Practical coaching and delegation tools
• A simple framework for giving effective feedback
• Clear personal action steps to strengthen your leadership impact

Speaker

Trevor Smith

The Orchard Partnership

Trevor is an ICF Master Certified Coach and EMCC-accredited executive coach, facilitator and trainer. He works alongside individuals, teams and businesses to support the achievement of their personal, professional and corporate goals.

With over 30 years of international business and leadership experience across Europe and Asia, and based in Hong Kong for more than two decades, he works with CEOs, senior executives, leadership teams and emerging talent to strengthen leadership capability, navigate change and achieve strategic goals.

Formerly a member of the Executive Management Team at Standard Life (Asia), Trevor brings C-suite experience and frontline commercial expertise to his coaching. He has accumulated over 4,000 coaching hours across industries including financial services, government, legal, technology and media. He also holds certifications in applied neuroscience, narrative coaching, team coaching and a range of psychometric tools including MBTI® and Hogan Assessments.

Date: 30 April 2026

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm AEST

Shifting from a trusted functional role to strategic leadership requires a different type of presence and influence.

This 90 minute session focuses on how you shift your mindset to show up more strategically, communicate with clarity under pressure, and contribute effectively as expectations increase when stepping into more senior roles.  

Drawing on real world examples, discussion and insights from a panel of experienced leaders, the session explores how to frame recommendations that resonate with partners and navigate internal dynamics with greater confidence. We will also touch on visibility, sponsorship and perception, grounded in practical, lived experience.

Through case studies, breakout discussions and panellists Q&A, attendees will learn how leaders have developed their own business cases, navigated transitions to senior leadership and influenced outcomes.

As part of the session, you will receive templates for:

• A personal leadership positioning statement
• An influence and sponsorship map
• A easy-to-follow plan for increasing profile

Speakers

Cheryl Lee

Executive Coach; Fractional M&BD Leader 

Cheryl is an accredited Executive Coach and fractional M&BD leader with over 13 years of legal business development experience in regional roles based out of Singapore and Hong Kong. Prior to legal BD, she worked in B2C marketing and events for clients including Lane Crawford, Shanghai Tang and CLSA. 

She currently sits on the boards of ICON APAC and the International Coaching Federation (HK Chapter). 

Toni Borthwick
Relationships and Brand Director, Pitcher Partners Sydney

Toni Borthwick is Director of Relationships and Brand at Pitcher Partners Sydney, where she leads the firm’s brand, marketing and client engagement strategy, working closely with partners to strengthen positioning, build authority and create meaningful connections that drive growth.

With a long career in professional services, Toni’s work spans brand strategy, thought leadership, client experience, business development, communications and internal engagement. She is known for aligning commercial outcomes with purpose‑led storytelling, helping firms and their people articulate not just what they do, but why it matters.

Toni is particularly passionate about helping professional services firms move beyond transactional marketing to build trust, relevance and long‑term impact with clients and communities.

Cristina Piccioli

Head of Business Development - Products, Herbert Smith Freeholds Kramer

Cristina Piccioli is a senior legal industry leader with deep expertise in business development and growth strategy. Based in Sydney, she leads business development across a broad product portfolio at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, spanning disputes, competition and employment, and works closely with partners and teams to drive market growth, sharpen client strategy and enable cross‑practice collaboration.

Cristina brings a rare mix of legal and commercial experience, having practised as a banking and finance lawyer in Sydney, Milan and Singapore before transitioning into senior business development roles at Linklaters and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. A Certified Ontological Coach (ICF Level 2), she is known for her strategic mindset and coaching capability, supporting lawyers and professionals to navigate complexity, build strong client relationships and lead with clarity, confidence and purpose.

Date: 11 May 2026

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm AEST

This session equips participants to collaborate effectively across complex professional services environments. It focuses on understanding the priorities, pressures and success metrics of partners and key internal stakeholders - and aligning your approach accordingly.

You will learn how to map stakeholder influence, anticipate objections and connect marketing and BD initiatives directly to revenue, profitability and client outcomes. The session includes practical scenarios on navigating partner dynamics and balancing immediate demands with long-term strategic value.

Designed to strengthen commercial credibility and cross-firm alignment, this module sharpens your ability to drive outcomes without formal authority.

You will leave with:

• A stakeholder engagement planning framework
• A practical influence pathway map
• A business case template to secure faster decisions and approvals

Date: 29 May 2026

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm AEST

This hands-on session shows how to use AI as a strategic accelerator for marketing and business development - moving beyond experimentation to measurable impact.

Participants will learn how to craft high-quality prompts, streamline workflows and embed AI into pursuits, campaigns and thought leadership processes. The session focuses on identifying what to automate, what to enhance and how to maintain professional judgement through human-in-the-loop safeguards.

You will also explore governance considerations, risk management and how to position yourself as a credible AI champion within your firm.

You will leave with:

• An AI-enhanced workflow for a live marketing or BD initiative
• A curated prompt library aligned to common tasks
• A simple impact-tracking framework to measure efficiency and strategic contribution

Speakers:

Catherine Toms

AI Growth Academy - Cofounder

Catherine is an AI expert, educator, and strategic consultant with over 25 years’ experience leading digital transformation and growth for global and national brands.

A former digital strategist and CMO, she combines the commercial, technical, and human sides of AI adoption helping teams shift how they think and work, not just implement new tools.

She serves on industry and government advisory boards, including the FSO AI Advisory Group and supporting NAIC on national AI adoption strategies.

Stephen Toms

AI Growth Academy - Cofounder

Steve has 25 years’ experience across education and digital, helping businesses grow through smarter strategy, marketing, and AI adoption.

He’s worked with global brands including Adobe and Salesforce, advising hundreds of teams on safe and effective AI for growth.

A former General Assembly global instructor who has trained over 10,000 students, Steve is known for making AI practical, accessible, and immediately actionable, leaving audiences with clarity, confidence, and strategies that deliver results fast.

Date: 9 June 2026

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm AEST

Sustained progression requires intentional development. This session helps participants design a structured growth plan that aligns personal ambition with firm priorities.

You will clarify the difference between mentoring, coaching and sponsorship — and learn how to secure each with a clear value exchange. The session also explores targeted capability building, thought leadership positioning and purposeful networking across sectors and client ecosystems.

The focus is on building long-term visibility, credibility and momentum beyond the program itself.

You will leave with:

• A six-month professional development roadmap
• A strategic relationship-building plan
• A practical reflection and accountability cadence

Speakers:

Charles Handley
Director, Dalton Handley

Charles Handley is a seasoned career adviser and recruiter. He is trusted by hundreds of talented marketers in professional services to enhance their careers, and various world class firms to bring them talent. With over 15 years of experience specialising in marketing, business development, and communications recruitment roles within the professional services sector in Australia, he has a deep understanding both client and candidate needs has established him as a respected and connected recruiter across the Asia Pacific.

Daniel Quinn,
Chief Marketing Officer, Gilbert + Tobin

Daniel Quinn is the Chief Marketing Officer at Gilbert + Tobin, where he leads the firm’s client relationship management, business development and marketing functions. Since joining G+T, he has focused on building a high-performing, collaborative team that delivers meaningful client impact and drives the firm’s growth agenda in a competitive legal market.

With more than 20 years’ experience in business development, client relationship management and marketing, Daniel has held senior roles across international professional services organisations in Australia and the UK including Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and A&O Shearman. His expertise lies in aligning brand, client and business strategy to position firms for sustainable growth and deeper client engagement.

Ryoko Nekoto-Bird

Senior Japan Lead, Bird & Bird

Ryoko Nekoto‑Bird is Senior Japan Lead at Bird & Bird, with more than 10 years of experience in international business development, supporting Japanese companies in their Japan outbound expansion across APC, Europe and the Nordics. Her work sits at the intersection of client visibility, strategic relationship building, and long‑term network development—both within firms and across external ecosystems. She regularly collaborates with investment promotion agencies and professional associations, including the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to design platforms that enable sustained professional and commercial growth.

Date: 16 June 2026

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm AEST

Our perennial favourite: Get the benefit of years of experience without having to do the hard yards. This practical panel discussion brings together seasoned professionals to share what they wish they’d known at pivotal moments in their careers — the successes, the missteps, and the lessons learned along the way.

This in-depth conversation will explore modern avenues of leadership and how to define growth when traditional career ladders narrow or bottleneck. Is leadership still the goal, or are there other meaningful ways to progress and build influence? Our panellists will also share candid perspectives on the value of further study (including MBAs) and whether it’s genuinely helped them advance.

You’ll walk away with practical tips on negotiating progression within your current firm, positioning yourself externally for a step up, and sharpening your CV and approach to market — plus plenty of real-world advice to help you navigate the next stage of your career with confidence

Each session has its own event page with full details and learning outcome

Facilitator:

Charles Handley
Director, Dalton Handley

Charles Handley is a seasoned career adviser and recruiter. He is trusted by hundreds of talented marketers in professional services to enhance their careers, and various world class firms to bring them talent. With over 15 years of experience specialising in marketing, business development, and communications recruitment roles within the professional services sector in Australia, he has a deep understanding both client and candidate needs has established him as a respected and connected recruiter across the Asia Pacific.

Speakers:

Rory Grant

Chief Growth Officer, Squiz

Rory Grant works at the intersection of professional services, technology, and growth strategy. As former Co‑Chief Marketing Officer at Gilbert + Tobin, he led marketing and business development through major digital transformation, helping a knowledge-driven firm adapt to changing client expectations.

Now Chief Growth Officer at Squiz, Rory partners with professional services, higher education, and government organisations to deliver digital platforms that boost engagement, unlock insights, and enable marketing and BD teams to move faster, prove ROI, and adapt to AI-driven change.

Kim Wiegand,
Founder, Julip Advisory

With over 22 years of global experience in professional services, Kim Wiegand is a strategic growth and client experience advisor specialising in transformational leadership, operational capability uplift, and sustainable revenue expansion. Her career spans leadership roles across major law and accounting firms, where she has built high-performing teams, advised Boards, and reshaped firm-wide growth agendas. Her core strength lies in translating strategic ambition into operational reality. Specifically coaching senior leaders, optimising client engagement models, and embedding firm-wide frameworks that drive commercial outcomes. Kim brings a commercial mindset, a passion for people development, and deep expertise across business development, client experience, and organisational transformation.

Jayson Williams
Head of Marketing & Business Development, Asia at DLA Piper

Jayson Williams leads marketing and business development across Asia at DLA Piper, working closely with partners to drive client growth, strengthen market positioning and deliver high-impact campaigns across the region.

He brings over a decade of experience across international law firms, including senior roles at DLA Piper, Deacons and Clifford Chance. His background spans strategic client development, sector growth initiatives and major bids across Asia Pacific. Known for his client-focused approach, Jayson combines commercial thinking with a practical delivery mindset and is particularly strong at turning ideas into action and building engaged, high-performing teams.

Delivery and locations

• Online: Interactive 90-minute workshops delivered via Zoom.

• In person: Select sessions in major Australian cities, subject to demand.

• Cohort size: Places are limited to support discussion and interaction.

Registration and pricing

Members:  $490 for the full series | $100 for individual events

Non Members:  $690 for the full series | $160 for individual events

Frequently asked questions

Will sessions be recorded?

Online workshops are recorded for enrolled participants.

Can I transfer my place?

Once the program commences, transfers can be made in exceptional circumstances only. 

Do I need to be an ICON member?

Non-members are welcome. ICON members receive preferred pricing.