McGrathNicol

Congratulations to our Managing Partner Jamie Harris FCA on becoming a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) — an honour that reflects his achievements and contributions in the profession of accountancy. Read more about Jamie: https://lnkd.in/gpvHZ5AN

Wrapping up 2024, we were fortunate to co-host a series of national events with SentinelOne and their Chief Public Policy Officer, Chris Krebs. These sessions explored the critical importance of Australia’s recent cyber reforms, providing actionable strategies to strengthen our defences and maintain public trust amidst global and regional challenges. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made these sessions such a success. We look forward to continuing the conversation and hosting similar events in 2025. Darren Hopkins

Our people are our greatest asset. Congratulations and thank you to our newly promoted professionals for their commitment to delivering high quality outcomes for our clients. View the full list of promotions here:  https://lnkd.in/g8AjhEwP

This week, we co-hosted a Climate Disclosure Workshop for CFOs, exploring the upcoming AASB S2 climate-related financial disclosure standard. Thanks to our speakers, Andrew Fressl and Courtney Roe as well as Edge Impact's Alison Rowe, Dr. Mark Siebentritt, and Jake Atkinson for sharing their insights, and to attendees for a collaborative session. Key takeaways included: 🔑 Preparation is Key: Early “dry runs” help organisations fine-tune processes ahead of compliance deadlines. 📊 The Role of Data and Tools: High-quality data and technology are essential for effective climate reporting and improving confidence in results for directors. 📈 Strategic Value of Climate Reporting: Integrating climate risks into financial statements offers compliance benefits and drives strategic business value. 🌐 Market Impacts: From supply chain shifts to customer demands, these standards are already influencing operational decisions.

Working capital was more difficult to manage this year, with Australian companies seeing an increase in the working capital cycle and often passing the pain on to suppliers as a result. Partner Jason Ireland featured on Sky News Australia to elaborate on the findings of our 2024 Working Capital Report, the trends he has seen over the past five years, and why taking longer to pay is only a “short-term fix”. Watch the full interview with Ingrid Willinge on Sky News Australia. 

We are pleased to announce that Partners Matthew Ashby, Matt Fehon AM, Siobhan Hennessy, John McGuiness and Graham Newton have been recognised in the 2025 Australia and New Zealand Lexology Index as leading experts in their fields, including forensic matters, investigations, commercial disputes, litigation, and arbitration. Read more about the 2025 Australia and New Zealand Lexology Index and our industry experts here: https://lnkd.in/gd5d9Yfx 

Recent Australian legislative changes are expanding the role of CFOs in climate disclosure reporting. This article, co-authored by Partner Andrew Fressl and Mark Siebentritt, Edge Impact, delves into the new Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards, the challenges and opportunities the standards present for CFOs, and how finance teams can harness climate disclosures to enhance investor confidence and drive strategic value. Read now: https://lnkd.in/gZQk7fhY

Partners Darren Hopkins and Brendan Payne joined Fear & Greed this week to explore the key takeaways from our fourth annual Ransomware Survey. The average cyber ransom payment has soared to an alarming $1.35 million, with Australian businesses increasingly willing to pay to regain access to technology systems and critical data. Listen to the full podcast recording with Sean Aylmer below.

We recently had the pleasure of hosting a panel discussion with Michael Courtney (CEO, Coles Liquor), Karen Jenkins (Managing Director, General Mills), Chris Klingbeil (Managing Director, Touchstone Executive Search Australia), and moderated by Partner Siobhan Hennessy. The panellists shared valuable insights on leadership pathways, the challenges of stepping into C-suite roles, and their visions for shaping the future. A big thank you to our speakers for their thought-provoking perspectives and to all attendees for contributing to the success of this event.

20 years on: Lessons learnt from the AWB 'oil for wheat' scandal | To mark International Fraud Awareness Week, the McGrathNicol Financial Crime Exchange hosted an expert panel discussion on one of Australia’s most significant foreign bribery and corruption cases, the Australian Wheat Board's 'oil for wheat' scandal. By reflecting on the past, the panel considered how to best navigate a corporate corruption crisis today in the face of new legislation, geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions and tougher economic conditions. A special thanks to our panel, Trevor Flugge AO FTSE (Former AWB Chairman), Richard Baker (Investigative Journalist & Baghdad Nights Podcast Host), Abigail Gill (Head of Investigations and Inquiries, Corrs Chambers Westgarth) and Partners Sara Deady and Graham Newton. Watch the full recording here: https://lnkd.in/gAYZTqMq