Session 1: Client Experience That Drives Growth - From Programme to Revenue Lever

Five years ago, GHD set out to lead client experience in its market and drove an enterprise-wide shift in how the firm delivers client experience.

Rather than being a listening or account management initiative, the program sits at the centre of the firm's growth strategy, connecting clients, employees and delivery teams into a single, aligned model.

It introduced a more relationship-led approach to selecting and managing clients, supported by unified data, dashboards and practical AI tools such as "Know Your Client" to enable more informed and effective client conversations.

The rollout brought together CX, marketing, BD, finance and people globally, breaking down regional silos and replacing fragmented ownership with a clear One GHD approach.

This session unpacks what changed, what worked, and what it takes to move from fragmented activity to a coordinated, revenue-focused model.

Bianca Hayes

Global Leader Client Experience

Bianca is GHD's Global Client Experience Leader and the architect behind the firm's five-year transformation to become an industry leader in client experience. With more than 20 years of experience in strategy, client relationships and business growth, she has led the creation of a connected enterprise model that brings clients, employees, partners, data, AI and delivery together around a shared growth agenda.

A Certified CX Specialist, Bianca is passionate about translating insight into action and creating human experiences that strengthen trust, unlock collaboration and deliver better outcomes for both clients, partners and the business. She brings a practical perspective on what it takes to move from siloed activity to coordinated, relationship-led growth.

Session 2: Marketing in an AI Environment

Artificial intelligence is changing the way professional services firms market themselves, how clients find information, and how buying decisions are made. As content becomes easier to create, standing out is no longer about producing more. It is about creating content that is credible, discoverable and genuinely useful.

In this session, Justin Flitter will explore how AI is reshaping marketing and business development, and what BDMC teams need to rethink to stay effective. He will examine how AI is influencing search, content discovery and client behaviour, and what this means for visibility, reputation and winning work.

Attendees will leave with practical insights into how marketing and communications can help position their firms for growth in an AI-driven environment.

Justin Flitter

Founder of AI New Zealand

Justin Flitter is the founder of AI New Zealand and one of the region's leading voices on the practical application of artificial intelligence. He works with organisations to help them understand emerging AI technologies and apply them in ways that improve performance, decision making and customer engagement.

Justin is a sought-after speaker who combines strategic insight with practical examples, helping leaders cut through the hype and understand what AI means for their organisations today, and how to prepare for what comes next.

Session 3: Connecting Marketing to Growth

This session explores how marketing earns trust, secures investment and demonstrates its contribution to business growth. As expectations on marketing teams continue to evolve, success is increasingly measured not just by activity, but by the commercial value marketing creates and its ability to influence business outcomes.

In this session, John Marshall examines how marketers can build credibility with leadership teams, connect marketing efforts to measurable growth, and create systems that consistently generate value across the business. John will also discuss how organisations can develop marketing functions that drive commercial performance while maintaining a clear point of differentiation in competitive markets.

This session will provide fresh perspectives on elevating marketing’s influence within organisations, communicating value in a way that resonates with decision-makers, and developing practical approaches that strengthen both commercial performance and competitive advantage.

John Marshall

Group Head of Brand & Marketing, Beca

John Marshall is Beca's Group Head of Brand & Marketing and a seasoned Chief Marketing Officer with more than 25 years of experience leading brand, marketing, and growth strategies across New Zealand, Australia, and global markets.

Prior to joining Beca, John spent six years as Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at MitoQ, where he developed the company's go-to-market and brand strategy and built a high-performing marketing team during a significant period of growth. His career also includes senior marketing leadership roles with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Rural Bank, NZ Post, and Westpac.

John brings deep expertise in brand development, customer engagement, commercial growth, and building strong marketing capabilities.

Session 1: Marketing in an AI Environment

AI is rewriting how firms win and keep clients - but what does that actually mean for your business development? Join us for a sharp, practical session on where legal AI really stands today and how leading firms are already using it to pull ahead. We'll begin by levelling the playing field on what "AI in legal" actually means today, then examine how leading firms are already using these tools to sharpen their competitive edge. From there, we'll shift from theory to application for Business Development of the future to deepening client relationships.

You'll walk away with concrete, ready-to-use ideas for putting AI to work on your own client relationships - no hype, just what's working now.

Eric Chin

Director, Asia Pacific NewLaw, PwC Singapore

Eric is the Legal Transformation Leader at PwC Singapore, where he leads Legal Generative AI initiatives for the NewLaw practice across Asia Pacific. With 17 years of experience, he has guided domestic, regional, and international law firms and legal departments across Asia Pacific through complex strategy, innovation, and Legal Tech engagements. Eric is currently the lead Legal Tech consultant for the Legal Innovation and Future-Readiness Transformation (LIFT) initiative, helping Singapore law firms with AI adoption.

Session 2: Panel — What Clients Think (But Don't Always Say)

This session creates space for a more open conversation with senior clients about how decisions are actually made.

Discussion themes include:

• What clients look for when selecting and working with firms
• How decisions are made in practice
• What builds trust — and what erodes it
• How expectations differ across sectors
• Where firms miss the mark when trying to win or grow work

Moderator:

Alanna Yoshioka

Director of Market Development, Asia, K&L Gates

Panelists:

Nathalia Lossovska

Head of Legal for Asia, Willis Towers Watson

Sophie Lenox

Associate General Counsel, FTI Consulting

Session 3: Coordinator to Director — How Careers Actually Progress

What does it take to move from BD Coordinator to Director in a professional services firm? It is rarely a straight line, and the unwritten rules of promotion can feel like a mystery. The people who advance are rarely the ones who simply do the most — they are the ones whose thinking gets noticed.

This panel brings together experienced BD and marketing leaders and a specialist recruiter who sees how these moves play out across the market. They will engage in a candid conversation about how successful careers are forged: the habits that get you noticed, the pivotal moments that truly matter, and the hard‑earned lessons they have learned.

No corporate script, just what works and what does not. You will leave with practical takeaways on building visibility and earning your next step.

Moderator:

Denise Lee

Senior Manager, Marketing & Events, Linklaters

Panelists:

Katie Hutchinson

Asia‑Pacific Head of Markets & Practices, Baker McKenzie

EJ Tecson

Associate Director, Rajah & Tann Asia

Aditi Raisurana

Communications & Corporate Affairs Manager, Asia; Linklaaters

AI Workshop: Rethinking Motivation, Productivity and Career Agency in the Age of AI

As AI makes baseline output instantaneous, the rules of value creation are shifting fast. When good enough becomes effortless, how do individuals and teams differentiate their value-add? Drawing on insights from Professor Matthias Fahn and his work with the HKU Centre for AI, Management and Organization (CAMO) and the Deloitte–HKU Lab for Organisational Transformation, this session explores how AI is reshaping human behaviour, organisational design, and the future of good jobs in professional services.

Key takeaways

• Reclaim agency in an environment where AI can do the first 80% of the work.
• Identify where your expertise still creates disproportionate value.
• Redesign your own incentives, habits, and career strategy for an AI-first economy.
• Position yourself not as a producer of output, but as a verifier, curator, and strategic amplifier.

Matthias Fahn

Associate Director, HKU Centre for AI, Management and Organization

Panel: What Clients Think (But Don't Always Say)

This session offers a unique opportunity for open dialogue with clients, shedding light on the true drivers behind their decision-making processes. We will explore what clients value most when navigating uncertainty and how their expectations are evolving, particularly concerning emerging technologies. The panel will also candidly examine areas where professional services firms might fall short in winning or growing work, providing invaluable, practical takeaways on how to refine your approach to client growth and engagement.

Panelists: Canna Cheng, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions, Heitman; Lisa Leung, APAC General Counsel, Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank; James Dalton, Senior Legal Counsel, Disputes and Government Investigations Legal, Standard Chartered Bank.

Panel: Coordinator to Director – How Careers Actually Progress

What does it take to move from BD Coordinator to Director in a professional services firm? It is rarely a straight line, and the unwritten rules of promotion can feel like a mystery. The people who advance are rarely the ones who simply do the most. They are the ones whose thinking gets noticed. This panel brings together experienced BD and marketing leaders and a specialist recruiter who sees how these moves play out across the market. They will engage in a candid conversation about how successful careers are forged: the habits that get you noticed, the pivotal moments that truly matter, and the hard-earned lessons they have learned. No corporate script, just what works and what does not. You will leave with practical takeaways on building visibility and earning your next step.

Panelists:
• Andrew McGrath, Founder and Director, Greenlight Consulting
• Jayson Williams, Head of Marketing & Business Development for Asia, DLA Piper
• Axton Cao, Head of Business Development and Marketing, Deacons

Session 1: Client Experience That Drives Growth — From Programme to Revenue Lever

Five years ago, GHD set out to lead client experience in its market and drove an enterprise-wide shift in how the firm delivers client experience.

Rather than being a listening or account management initiative, the program sits at the centre of the firm's growth strategy, connecting clients, employees and delivery teams into a single, aligned model.

It introduced a more relationship-led approach to selecting and managing clients, supported by unified data, dashboards and practical AI tools such as "Know Your Client" to enable more informed and effective client conversations.

The rollout brought together CX, marketing, BD, finance and people globally, breaking down regional silos and replacing fragmented ownership with a clear One GHD approach.

This session unpacks what changed, what worked, and what it takes to move from fragmented activity to a coordinated, revenue-focused model.

Natalie Taylor

Global CX Transformation Advisor

Natalie is GHD's Global CX Transformation Advisor, helping translate client experience from strategy into everyday action. Over the past decade, she has contributed to GHD's client-centric transformation through roles spanning client experience, client programs and communications and the developer of GHD's award winning "Know your Client Agent".

Working across a complex global organisation, Natalie brings lessons learned from GHD's ongoing CX transformation journey, including how organisations can move client experience beyond a standalone initiative to strengthen client relationships, improve business outcomes and contribute to sustainable growth.

Session 2: Marketing in an AI Environment

This session explores how AI is reshaping marketing in professional services, and what BDMC teams need to rethink to stay effective.

It looks at how AI is changing not just how content is created, but how it is found, interpreted and used by clients, journalists and the broader market.

As content becomes easier to produce, the challenge shifts from creating more to creating something worth noticing and easy to find. This has direct implications for how firms are seen externally, including whether they are visible, credible and selected by clients, journalists and the market more broadly.

It also reinforces the role of marketing and communications teams in leading this shift, ensuring that content, channels and positioning support BD teams in generating demand and opportunity.

Anna-Louise Coppock

Growth Marketing Director, JLL — Moderator

Luke Dale

Partner, HWLE Lawyers

Luke is a Partner at HWLE Lawyers, specialising in intellectual property, brand protection, technology, media and entertainment law. He manages trade mark portfolios for large corporate clients and helps to protect their brands in Australia and throughout the world in all key markets.

Luke advises clients on AI issues and helps businesses manage the risks and opportunities associated with the adoption of AI, including associated regulatory, IP and privacy issues.

Luke has been named Intellectual Property Law "Lawyer of the Year" for Adelaide in the 2025 and 2022 editions of Best Lawyers™ Australia. Luke is also recognised for Commercial Law and Privacy and Data Security Law.

As a panellist, Luke will share his perspective on the influence and impact of AI through a legal lens, highlighting the key challenges and opportunities business development and marketing professionals should be alive to when utilising AI.

Kristen Eckhardt

Associate Director, Brand SA

Kristen is a senior marketing leader with proven experience in brand, audience development and commercial growth across some of Australia's leading cultural and sporting institutions. As Associate Director, Brand SA, she leads the development and protection of South Australia's brand and reputation, while driving initiatives that encourage consumers to buy South Australian and support economic growth. Previously, as Chief Marketing Officer at Port Adelaide Football Club, she led brand and marketing strategy, driving brand health, audience growth and commercial performance, contributing to the club's highest-ever membership and revenue outcomes in 2024. Her career includes senior roles at Adelaide Festival Centre, Arts Centre Melbourne, National Gallery of Victoria and ACMI.

Rosa Johnston

Senior Manager of Brand, Advertising & Media, RAA

Rosa is a senior marketing leader with 20 years of experience spanning brand strategy, integrated communications and media innovation. Currently leading the Brand, Advertising & Sponsorship function at RAA, South Australia's largest member organisation, Rosa oversees a team of 12 and is responsible for brand positioning and governance, media and advertising strategy and RAA's significant sponsorship portfolio.

A recognised innovator in the AI marketing space, Rosa led RAA to become one of the first brands in Australia to launch AI produced television advertisements. She brings a practitioner's perspective on how AI is reshaping creative production, media operations and brand strategy and what it means for marketing teams navigating that shift in real time.

Session 3: Managing the Matrix — Priorities, Influence and Working Across Multiple Stakeholders

BDMC professionals often work across multiple senior leaders, practice areas and priorities at the same time, balancing competing demands with limited time and resources.

This session explores how to operate effectively within a matrix environment, including using data to manage competing priorities and understanding the commercial drivers shaping firm decisions and senior leader expectations. The discussion will also examine how BDMC professionals can improve focus, prioritise more effectively and reduce low-value activity.

Sue Stewart

Director of Client Value & Design, Aurecon

Sue Stewart is Director of Client Value & Design at Aurecon, where she leads the firm's client engagement and design thinking agenda across Asia Pacific. Over a career spanning EY, Woods Bagot, Unispace and Aurecon, Sue has built a reputation for turning complex, competing priorities into clear action; designing the frameworks, tools and capability programs that help professionals engage effectively across multiple stakeholders, practice areas and geographies.

A human-centred strategist, she brings hands-on experience in teaching and workshop facilitation. Sue holds a Master of Arts in Communication Management and is past program architect for Aurecon's RMIT-accredited Design Academy.

Session 1: Client Experience That Drives Growth — From Programme to Revenue Lever

Five years ago, GHD set out to lead client experience in its market and drove an enterprise-wide shift in how the firm delivers client experience.

Rather than being a listening or account management initiative, the program sits at the centre of the firm's growth strategy, connecting clients, employees and delivery teams into a single, aligned model.

It introduced a more relationship-led approach to selecting and managing clients, supported by unified data, dashboards and practical AI tools such as "Know Your Client" to enable more informed and effective client conversations.

The rollout brought together CX, marketing, BD, finance and people globally, breaking down regional silos and replacing fragmented ownership with a clear One GHD approach.

This session unpacks what changed, what worked, and what it takes to move from fragmented activity to a coordinated, revenue-focused model.

Jorinda Hart

Global Client Listening and Insights Lead

Jorinda is GHD's Global Client Listening & Insights Lead, responsible for shaping how GHD listens, understands, measures and improves advocacy. With an MBA and accreditation as a Certified CX Specialist, she has played a key role in transforming GHD's client experience ecosystem from a collection of listening activities into a connected, enterprise-wide capability that links client feedback, relationship intelligence, business performance and AI-enabled insights.

Working across GHD's global footprint, Jorinda brings practical experience in turning insight into strategy, showing how listening can evolve from a standalone initiative into a cohesive CX transformation strategy that supports data-driven decisions, strengthens client relationships, improves delivery outcomes and builds advocacy.

Session 2: Marketing in an AI Environment

This session explores how AI is reshaping marketing in professional services and what BDMC teams need to rethink to stay effective.

It examines how AI is changing not just how content is created, but how it is found, interpreted, and used by clients, journalists, and the broader market.

As content becomes easier to produce, the challenge shifts from creating more to creating something worth noticing and easy to find. This has direct implications for visibility, credibility, and selection.

The session reinforces the role of marketing and communications teams in leading this shift, ensuring that content, channels, and positioning actively support BD teams in generating demand and opportunity.

Session 3: Client Panel — The Questions You Can't Ask (But Should)

This session creates space for a more open conversation with senior clients about how decisions are actually made.

Discussion themes include:

• What clients look for when selecting and working with firms
• How decisions are made in practice
• What builds trust — and what erodes it
• How expectations differ across sectors
• Where firms miss the mark when trying to win or grow work

Facilitator

Natasha Breach

Partner, HWLE

Natasha specialises in construction dispute resolution, including providing advice and representation in arbitration (domestic and international) and litigation proceedings, as well assistance in claims management before formal proceedings are commenced. Natasha has advised on, and managed, large international arbitrations seated in different jurisdictions around the world (Singapore, London). Natasha has extensive mediation, hearing and trial experience.

Natasha is also experienced in adjudications under the security of payment legislation (the now Construction Contracts (Former Provisions) Act 2004 (WA) and the Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2021 (WA)) and resultant enforcement proceedings, as well as general commercial dispute resolution.

Natasha received the inaugural West Australian Bar Association Distinguished Service Award in 2014, for her contributions to pro bono work at the West Australian Bar, both on behalf of all members of the Association and the community in general. Natasha has also been listed in Doyles this year under the "Leading Construction & Infrastructure Litigation Lawyers – Western Australia, 2024".

Panellists

Nadine Marke

Partner, Corporate Finance and National Corporate Finance Lead, RSM

Nadine Marke is a Partner in RSM's Perth office and National Head of Corporate Finance. She leads the firm's Valuations and Litigation Support team, providing expert advice on business valuations, mergers and acquisitions, disputes, financial investigations and litigation matters across a diverse range of industries.

Known for turning complex information into clear, practical advice, Nadine helps clients make informed decisions with confidence. She is an accredited Business Valuation Specialist and Forensic Accounting Specialist with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and regularly presents on valuation topics. Passionate about leadership and collaboration, Nadine is committed to building high-performing teams and delivering exceptional client outcomes.

Bronwyn Davies

Lead – Legal, Land Access and Native Title
Senior Projects Counsel, HanRoy

Bronwyn leads HanRoy's legal, land access, and Native Title functions, ensuring projects are supported by robust legal frameworks and enduring stakeholder agreements. She brings deep expertise in mining and commercial law, with a strong track record in negotiating and drafting a wide range of agreements including project acquisitions, joint ventures, land access, heritage, royalty, and off-take contracts.

Bronwyn has advised on major iron ore developments in Western Australia, including matters involving State Agreements and infrastructure access. Her career spans both private practice and government, providing her with a strong understanding of administrative law and regulatory processes.

She holds an MBA from the University of Western Australia, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and was previously a partner at one of Australia's leading national law firms. Bronwyn has been recognised in Best Lawyers Australia for Mining Law, Natural Resources Law, and Commercial Law.

Yee Yang Ong

General Counsel, Ertech Group

Yang is General Counsel for the Ertech group of companies, which includes Ertech, Fortec, Geomarine, Groundex and Yaraandoo. Yang provides front end and back-end advice and assistance with the various civil, specialist engineering, nearshore marine, specialised piling and electrical construction projects that the group undertakes.