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

Facilitator: 

Deborah Macrae

Client Relationship Program Lead, HWLE

Deborah has built a career in professional services business development, holding senior roles with leading law firms across Oceania (Herbert Smith Freehills, MinterEllison, Russell McVeagh), London, and New York (Clifford Chance). She has been part of the ICON family since returning to Australia in 2003, volunteering as a committee member in Brisbane, before joining the Board for a period of 5 years with the final year serving as Vice President.

Recognised as a sought-after mentor and subject matter expert, she has also lectured for the New Zealand Law Society, sharing her expertise with the next generation of partners and those leaving private practise to become sole practitioners. Deborah is passionate about creating genuine value for firms and clients through strong relationships – underpinned by client listening, thoughtful engagement, and meaningful follow-through.

Beyond her in-house roles, she has consulted to law, finance, and engineering firms and co-led a commercial property advisory business with her husband.

She has now returned to the legal sector with HWLE, where she leads the establishment and growth of the firm’s key client relationship management program.

Panelists:

Natasha Elliot - Associate Pursuit Leader, Major Projects and Disputes

KPMG

I’m a Business Development and Pursuits Leader with 20 years' experience across professional consultancy services both in Australia and the UK. My professional history includes Client Relationship & Growth roles for companies such as KPMG, Norton Rose Fulbright and AECOM. I’m passionate about building client relationships, utilising human-design thinking and Miller-Heiman sales methodologies and tools to drive winning client strategies for the top ASX listed companies through to start-up companies. I have extensive experience driving people-leadership programs. Most recently I have led winning strategies for complex transformation and technology opportunities across the Public Sector and Energy & Mining Sectors nationally.

Kirsty Rewell
Lawyer

With over 20 years’ experience in marketing and business development across top-tier law firms, and as a practicing Lawyer admitted to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Kristy Rewell brings a unique blend of commercial insight and legal expertise. Her career spans strategic client management and legal advisory, offering a practical, holistic approach to building and growing high-value relationships.

Kristy also serves on three Boards, including ICON, working with executive teams and partners across diverse sectors. This governance experience sharpens her ability to navigate complexity and deliver solutions that are both strategic and commercially grounded.

In this session, Kristy will draw on her multifaceted background to share practical, proven strategies for evolving key account management in today’s busy business environment.

Clare Morgan, Manager - Legal Operations
Rio Tinto

Clare began her career with Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer in Perth before moving to Corrs and later to publisher Reed Elsevier in Sydney, where she served as Managing Editor. She went on to hold senior roles at Finsia prior to leading their Online Learning division, before returning to the legal sector to head the Legal Technology team for APAC West at King & Wood Mallesons.

Twelve years ago, Clare transitioned client-side, joining Rio Tinto, where she now leads the Legal Operations team in Perth and Mongolia, supporting the global function. Throughout her career, Clare has been passionate about engaging with clients and stakeholders. She blends deep legal expertise with operational excellence – enabling outcomes, simplifying complexity and finding better ways to deliver value both from the perspective of private practice and as a client.

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

Afternoon tea.

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM | Session 3: Pricing for Impact: Balancing value and commercial success 

Libby Maynard - Partner and Pricing Lead

Beaton Research & Consulting

Libby Maynard is a Partner at Beaton Research & Consulting, where she helps professional service firms achieve sustainable growth through evidence-based pricing strategies. Drawing on over 30 years of experience in professional services, Libby has worked as a lawyer and led business development, marketing, pricing, and legal project management functions at two major Australian law firms. She has also consulted to dozens of firms across Australia and New Zealand.

Libby is known for helping firms win competitive bids, design and implement major marketing and pricing initiatives, and improve client service outcomes. One client described pricing as “a dark, difficult, and frustrating art, but at the core of the business of law”—a challenge Libby embraces. She supports firms in tackling pricing governance, enhancing analytics, exploring pricing models, quantifying and managing scope creep, and building confidence in pricing conversations.

Her approach is grounded in research, analysis, and practical application. Libby is an Accredited Legal Pricing Professional (ALPP) and Accredited Legal Project Manager (ALPM) through the True Value Partnering Institute.

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

5:00 PM – 5:15 PM

Joanna Butcher, Head of Growth, Source

Jo leads the growth team at Source, part of HPX Group – a multi-disciplinary professional services business that delivers integrated, in-house style services across legal, HR, risk, governance and compliance. With more than a decade of experience across the full marketing, business development and client relationship management lifecycle, she has held roles with leading firms including Pollination, King & Wood Mallesons, KPMG, Clayton Utz and Maples Group.

At Source, Jo focuses on driving lead generation and revenue growth by building and managing pipelines, identifying right-fit prospects and engagement triggers, and nurturing early-stage opportunities. She takes a client-first approach, working closely with the business to shape and tailor service offerings that respond directly to client needs, drawing on the right expertise at the right time to deliver seamless, solutions-focused outcomes.

Originally from Ireland, Jo lived in Sydney for seven years and now calls Perth home.

Alison Kunze

Helping professionals build stand-out personal brands.

Alison works with professional services firms, partners and their teams to strengthen their visibility and brand. With a background in legal marketing and business development, she helps professionals share their expertise in a way that’s clear and relatable. Alison is known for making complex ideas simple, turning technical knowledge into content people actually want to read. She also supports small business owners and founders who want their marketing to feel clear and manageable. Her approach is practical, thoughtful, and always about keeping things real.

Natalie Duncan, Senior Manager, Markets & Growth - Energy

Ashurst

Natalie is an experienced global leader in energy, mining, and infrastructure with over 20 years of expertise spanning strategy, business development, marketing, culture, and communications. She is recognised for driving sector leadership and market-focused strategies, aligning stakeholders around key priorities, building high-performing teams, and delivering lasting impact at scale. She has a proven track record of shaping exceptional client outcomes for top-tier legal and engineering 

Shelley Phillipson, Marketing and Communications Manager, Australia (Buildings and Water)

Stantec

Shelley is dedicated to delivering measurable marketing results that align with organisational goals and drive real impact. She combines creativity, data-driven insights, and strategic thinking to showcase the value of marketing initiatives. With over 20 years’ experience in the engineering and professional services sectors, Shelley excels at translating complex metrics into clear, actionable insights that resonate with stakeholders. As Marketing and Communications Manager for Buildings and Water across Australia, she leads with purpose, demonstrating how thoughtful, results-focused marketing can elevate brands and make outcomes impossible to ignore.

Closing Remarks and wrap-up takeaways from the ICON President.

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Unwind. Connect. No Slides Required.