1:30 PM – 2:15 PM | Session 1: Beyond the Buzz: AI that actually works

Join Microsoft experts as we cut through the hype and explore how AI is delivering real value in business development (BD) and marketing for professional services firms. This session will showcase how AI-powered tools are being used to drive smarter, more efficient strategies in a competitive market.

What to Expect:

• Insights into current and emerging AI trends shaping BD and marketing
• Real-world use cases including automation, personalisation, content creation, and data-driven decision-making
• Key considerations for successful AI adoption—covering data quality, ethics, integration, and governance
• Practical tips for evaluating and implementing AI solutions that align with business goals

Live Demos: See AI in action through live demonstrations of Microsoft free AI technologies. These demos will highlight how firms are using AI to enhance client engagement, streamline operations, and deliver measurable impact.

Whether you're in BD, marketing, or simply curious about how AI is transforming professional services, this session offers valuable insights and inspiration.

Felicity McNish
AI Business Solutions Specialist, Microsoft

With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, Felicity specialises in developing and implementing AI strategies that improve business operations and client experiences. She’ll share how AI can be applied in ways that make a tangible difference in professional services.

Jon Eime – Copilot Solution Engineer at Microsoft

Jon Eime is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience across diverse customer segments, with a strong focus on the public sector and defence. Currently working as a Solution Engineer, Jon specialises in Microsoft technologies, modern workplace solutions, and AI-driven productivity tools such as Microsoft 365 Copilot.

His career spans the evolution from on-premises infrastructure to virtualisation and cloud transformation, including full adoption of Microsoft 365 and Azure services. Before joining Microsoft, Jon supported organisations in modernising their systems and driving workplace innovation, most recently through roles at Avanade and Accenture.

Passionate about enabling users to unlock the full value of modern workplace investments, Jon is committed to helping organisations embrace AI and Copilot technologies to boost productivity and collaboration.

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM | Session 2: Client Influence: Turning relationships into results

In today's volatile and uncertain business landscape, maintaining and developing your key accounts and client relationships is more important than ever. But how do you adapt your account management strategy and skills to meet the evolving needs and expectations of your clients, partners, and stakeholders? How do you create value, trust and loyalty in a competitive and dynamic market? How do you identify new opportunities for growth?

In this panel discussion, you will learn how to:

• Assess the current state and potential of your key accounts and relationships, using a simple and effective framework
• Align your account management objectives and actions with your clients' goals and challenges, using a consultative and solution-oriented approach
• Nurture and expand your key accounts and relationships, using a proactive and creative approach

By the end of this session, you will have a clear and actionable plan to manage and grow your key accounts in a rapidly changing environment, and a set of tools and tips to help you implement it successfully.

Facilitator

Anna-Louise Coppock – Growth Marketing Director ANZ, JLL

Anna-Louise brings extensive Executive and Board-level experience across property, major events, sport, economic development, and vocational education sectors. As Growth Marketing Director, she specialises in stakeholder engagement to create impactful One JLL client campaigns and events, delivering strong ROI and enhanced client retention through strategic Account Based Marketing initiatives.

Her expertise in B2B marketing, brand development, communications, and transformational leadership has driven growth across diverse industries. Anna-Louise's passion lies in developing highly creative marketing campaigns that strengthen brand positioning and client relationships while delivering measurable results for complex B2B environments.

She is a Certified Practising Marketer and Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute.

Angela Taylor
Head of Client Experience & Market Strategy, BDO

Angela Taylor leads a national Clients & Markets portfolio spanning business development, bids, and client and market research. A passionate advocate for placing clients at the centre of strategy, Angela embeds the voice of the client into every conversation through BDO’s client listening programs. Her work ensures client feedback shapes service innovation, market positioning, and growth strategies. With over 20 years’ experience in professional services, Angela brings a practical perspective on how influence, insight and collaboration can turn strong relationships into measurable results.

Carmen Wearne, Senior Leader and Strategist - Clients and Market Growth, Consulting 

A driven and resilient leader with over 20 years’ experience in senior roles, focused on driving Business Growth, Organisational Transformation & Team Performance. Carmen’s career is shaped by a unique foundation — representing Australia, as an Olympian, in Rowing. She is passionate about taking her high-performance experience and skills into business, helping organisations to transform and adapt, unlock their workforce potential and to create competitive advantage.

Her career spans global corporates and complex change environments, including Ernst & Young, Ashurst and Deloitte. Carmen spent 10 years in the UK building the foundations of her career in marketing, business development, and client strategy and experience. Most recently, Carmen has worked in senior Client Leadership, GTM strategy and Growth Transformation roles at Deloitte Australia.

Lucy Monteiro, Regional Market Leader - South Australia, GHD

As Regional Market Leader for South Australia at GHD, Lucy has a career spanning senior sales and pursuit roles at Deloitte, KBR, and Ricoh UK. She’s known for designing and leading high-impact strategies across engineering, construction, and professional services - always with a collaborative, coaching-first mindset. Lucy’s passion for mentoring, stress management, and building high-performance teams brings a fresh perspective to client engagement. As a mother of two and a newly minted gardening enthusiast, she understands the value of balance and brings that energy into every relationship she builds.

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Refresh & Recharge

Afternoon tea.

15:30 PM - 16:15 PM Session 3 - Pricing for Impact: Balancing client value and commercial success

How can firms price their services so that they attract and retain clients, while also ensuring they cover costs and generate a reasonable return? This is a perennial challenge for professional services firms, but especially so in a market that is constantly changing due to factors such as technological innovation, client preferences and competitive pressures. In this session, we will explore some of the key concepts and tools that can help firms achieve a balance between competitive pricing and sustainable profitability, such as:

• Understanding the value proposition and key differentiators of your services, and how they align with your target segments and their willingness to pay
• Conducting a thorough and regular analysis of your costs, margins and leverage, and identifying opportunities for efficiency and innovation
• Developing a dynamic and flexible pricing strategy that allows you to adjust your prices according to changing market conditions, client demand and strategic objectives
• Communicating and demonstrating the value and benefits of your services to clients, and building long-term relationships based on trust and satisfaction

The session will provide participants with some useful frameworks and tips to apply to their own pricing decisions.

Dan Hadley - Director & Principal Management Consultant, Excelsior Management Consultancy

Dan Hadley is a highly experienced management consultant with a strong background in corporate consultation, business growth, management systems, and sales leadership. Dan is the President of the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC) SA/NT Chapter and the Director of Excelsior Management Consultancy. He has worked across diverse industries and international markets, helping organisations streamline operations and achieve strategic goals. Dan’s approach blends analytical rigour with practical insight, making him a trusted advisor to firms seeking sustainable development and performance excellence. His work is grounded in real-world experience and a commitment to continuous improvement.

4:15 PM – 5:00 PM | Session 4: Evidence of Influence: Making BDMC results impossible to ignore 

How do you prove the value of your marketing and business development activities to your stakeholders? How do you align your goals and metrics with your organisation's strategy and vision? How do you communicate your results and insights effectively and persuasively?

In this session, you will learn how to:

• Define and measure the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter for your marketing and business development objectives, such as awareness, engagement, conversion, retention, and advocacy.
• Use data ad analytics tools to track, analyse and report on your marketing and business development impact and ROI.
• Showcase your success stories and best practices using compelling and clear visualisations, dashboards and narratives that highlight your value proposition and differentiation.

This session is designed for marketing and business development professionals who want to enhance their skills and confidence in measuring and demonstrating their impact and ROI to their internal stakeholders.

Facilitator

Emma Humphries, Director, Business Development, BDO

Emma Humphries is the Director of Business Development at BDO, Adelaide. With over 15 years of experience in B2B business development, Emma has built a career spanning Professional Services, Advertising, Media, and the Not-for-Profit (NFP) sectors. She leads strategic initiatives that drive partnerships, expand market presence, and deliver tailored solutions across key industries. Emma brings a collaborative and insights-driven approach to business development, working closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to identify opportunities, deliver value and strengthen BDO’s position in market. She is known for her ability to connect strategy with execution, fostering long-term relationships that support BDO’s mission and client success.

Paul Kitching, Business Development Manager, Fuller

Paul (PK) Kitching is the Business Development Manager at Fuller: one of the leading brand marketing agencies here in South Australia. It’s been around for 32 years & PK’s been there for more than 10 of them. Most of all PK is known for being an über-networker. In March 2020, PK created ‘Coffee With PK’ one of COVID’s silver linings. This popular online networking event was an opportunity for people to stop, share gratitude, network, connect and learn. PK hosted over 370 of these networking events and to this day he continues to network, promote Fuller and enjoy meeting new people daily.

Shakira Silvestri, Communications, Public Relations and Stakeholder Manager, New WCH Project, LendLease

Shakira Silvestri is a Communications, Public Relations, and Stakeholder professional with over 15 years experience across government, corporate and community sectors both in Australia and overseas. Shakira has worked as an in-house communications specialist across a variety of industries including construction, health, the environment, and the arts. Throughout these roles, Shakira has brought a people first approach to building brand reputation and relationships to drive engagement, while navigating complex stakeholder environments. Shakira is currently the Communications, Public Relations and Stakeholder Manager with Lendlease Construction in Adelaide.

Matthew Wake, Commercial Sales Lead, SACA

Matthew Wake is a versatile Sales Leader with a diverse background spanning property development, data analytics, and elite sport.

With a proven ability to adapt across industries, he brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, commercial insight, and client-first execution to every role.

Matthew’s strength lies in building trusted long-term relationships by turning ideas into action—consistently driving growth and delivering results that matter.

Joe Cook, Media and Data Consultant

Joe Cook is a media and data consultant with a career spanning advertising, entrepreneurship, and global brand building. He currently advises Nova on how broadcast media can sharpen its focus on high-value target audiences, helping advertisers and agencies create campaigns with measurable impact. Joe has also consulted in the out-of-home industry, building solutions for leading companies including oOh! Media and Publicis.

Earlier in his career, Joe established a commercial keg rental platform, Kegstar, that expanded across four countries, before launching Riot Wine Co., an innovative wine-on-tap and canned wine business later acquired by Carlton & United Breweries. With a foundation in entrepreneurship, out-of-home, radio, and digital media, Joe brings a unique perspective on how data-driven insights and creative execution combine to make marketing results impossible to ignore.