8:30 AM – 9:00 AM | Connection Time

Doors open. Coffee flows. Conversations start.

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM | Opening Remarks

Welcome from the ICON President.

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM | Keynote: Finding Focus in a Shifting Market

How can you navigate the uncertainty and complexity of the current VUCA world and find potential for growth, innovation, and value creation? Join us for this inspiring and insightful keynote session, where our speaker will share their perspective on the emerging global trends and their impact on the professional services sector. They will offer practical advice and examples on how to adapt your strategy, culture and skills to a more uncertain environment and leverage your strengths and capabilities to meet the changing needs and expectations of your clients.

• Identifying and anticipating the changing market landscape.
• Adapting to global market trends and understanding their impact on clients and professional services.
• Navigating uncertainty and adjusting strategies in response to economic and other changes.

Amanda Newbery, Managing Director, Articulous

Amanda Newbery is the Managing Director and founder of Articulous, an award-winning engagement and communications agency. With over 20 years’ experience, Amanda is a recognised leader in community engagement, strategic communication, and facilitation, specialising in complex and high-profile projects. She has advised on major initiatives such as the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Strategy and has delivered Australia’s largest engagement program, Plan your Brisbane. A dynamic speaker and former journalist, Amanda is known for her ability to inspire innovation and build consensus among diverse groups.

10:15 AM – 10:45 AM | Tea. Talk. Tactics.

Morning tea and networking.

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM | Session 1:  The Great Debate: That tomorrow’s marketing dream team will be a robot, a chatbot, and a toaster - leaving humans free to focus on more important things, like lunch proudly sponsored by Squiz

Ready for a lively break from the usual panel? Join us for The Great Debate, where top marketing minds - and maybe a few machines - go head-to-head on the future of marketing teams. Will AI take over, or do humans still have the edge? Expect fresh research, quick-fire arguments, and plenty of laughs as two teams battle it out for your vote. You’ll get to weigh in live and help decide who wins! This will be a fast-paced, interactive session that promises insight, entertainment, and a chance to see if robots really are coming for your lunch break.

Fraser McNaughton, Chief Marketing Officer, Grant Thornton Australia

Fraser McNaughton is ICON’s Vice President. He has been heavily involved with ICON (APSMA) for 8 years, having initially joined the NSW Committee before his Board appointment in 2013. As VP, Fraser is dedicated to working with our member firm CMOs to jointly grow the capabilities and the standing of ICON’s members within their respective firms.

For a day job Fraser is Chief Marketing Officer of leading mid-tier firm, Grant Thornton Australia. Based in Sydney he leads a national team of highly experienced and enthusiastic marketing, sales and communications professionals, together responsible for defining and delivering Grant Thornton’s go to market vison, strategy and objectives. Fraser is an experienced and intuitive marketing and sales professional who, as a member of Grant Thornton’s senior leadership team, has a particular passion for improving client interactions as a driver of better experiences and the foundation to brand loyalty and sustainable revenue growth. Outside of work Fraser enjoys quality time with his family and prolonging his football career as long as he can.

Rory Grant, Chief Growth Officer, Squiz

Debate Moderator

Rory Grant has spent his career 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 a period of significant digital transformation, building deep expertise in how knowledge-driven organisations navigate shifting client expectations and market dynamics.

Now Chief Growth Officer at Squiz, Rory partners with professional services firms, higher education institutions, and government agencies to implement digital experience platforms that drive engagement, unlock insight, and empower marketing and BD teams to move faster with less friction. He understands the pressures these teams face: doing more with less, proving ROI in real time, and adapting to AI-enabled workflows while maintaining the rigour clients expect.​

Rory's approach is grounded in practical outcomes, bringing a rare combination of frontline marketing leadership experience and technology platform knowledge, making him equally comfortable talking strategy with CMOs or implementation with digital teams.

Tracey Whyte, Director Business Development and Marketing, Piper Alderman

Tracey Whyte is a forward-thinking leader in professional services marketing and business development, currently serving as Director of Business Development & Marketing at Piper Alderman. With over two decades of experience in strategic marketing, Tracey has become a prominent voice in legal marketing’s adoption of artificial intelligence.

Her innovative approach to integrating AI into lean marketing and BD teams was spotlighted in the Passle CMO Series Podcast, where she shared practical insights into how Piper Alderman is leveraging AI to enhance efficiency, content creation, and client engagement. Tracey discussed the early steps of AI adoption, the importance of constructing effective prompts, and the real-world challenges of implementing emerging technologies in a traditional industry. Her work exemplifies how AI can be used not just as a tool, but as a strategic asset to drive growth and differentiation in competitive markets.  Tracey continues to work with her team at Piper Alderman to continually innovate with the use of AI.

Ben Scott, Head of Marketing Operations, Grant Thornton Australia

Ben Scott is a ‘Marketo Fearless 50’ alumni – which recognises the top 50 marketers in the world driving digital transformation. He’s known for building award-winning sales and marketing technology stacks and is a recognised authority on marketing automation and attribution.

Kirsty Bond, Brand and Marketing Strategist

11:45 AM – 12:30 PM | Session 2: CX Programs that Deliver: Driving Revenue, Retention and Growth through Client Experience

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.

Antonia Calvo – Director & Principal Consultant, ACT XM B.A. (Hons), M.A., 

Antonia brings over 20 years of experience supporting organisations across the public and private sectors with the design and delivery of customer, employee, and brand experience programs. She is a recognised expert in experience management strategy, research design, and advanced data analysis, with expertise in the implementation and optimisation of the Qualtrics XM Platform.

Antonia adopts a holistic, outcome-focused approach to Experience Management, integrating best-practice methodologies in quantitative and qualitative research, human-centred design, and strategic advisory. She is skilled in aligning experience programs with organisational goals, driving measurable improvements in customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and service delivery outcomes.

Antonia has led over 400 successful engagements across a range of industries including government, education, financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, and professional services. She is also responsible for Act XM’s quality assurance and client delivery frameworks, ensuring consistency, rigour, and alignment with both ISO and government compliance standards.

Gavin Christie, Ex-Deloitte

Gavin Christie is a senior leader in client strategy and growth, with deep expertise in building and leading client experience programs that deliver measurable impact. Until recently, he was Director of Client Strategy and Transformation at Deloitte, where he oversaw national client experience initiatives including Market & Client Insights, client strategy and planning for the firm’s top 250 clients, and client-centred cultural programs. These initiatives were critical in driving Deloitte’s growth over the past decade and translating client expectations into actionable insights that improved retention, unlocked growth opportunities, and fostered a client-centric culture.

Gavin has spent most of his career in professional services, spanning legal, engineering, and consulting. He was also the Principal Economic Policy Advisor to the Treasurer of Queensland, bringing a unique perspective on how economic and social policy drivers influence markets. With over 25 years’ experience, Gavin offers a pragmatic perspective on how client experience can shape strategy, influence outcomes, and prove its value at the highest levels of leadership.

Midday Program

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Bites & Banter Break

Lunch and casual networking.

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM | Session 3: Pass the Mic: Real Stories. Real Wins. Real Misses.

When the post-lunch slump hits, we’re doing the opposite of slowing down. This interactive session puts the spotlight on the room - not the stage.

Break out into four groups and dive into the real stuff: lessons, misses, lightbulb moments and practical wins shared by your peers. Whether it's swapping AI tips, dissecting client moments, or increasing your influence, this is where BDMC stories meet reality.

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM | Session 4: Building a Sales Culture: Empowering Teams for Growth

In today’s fast-paced and competitive market, cultivating a robust sales culture is essential for driving growth. But how do you embed a sales-focused mindset and behaviours across your firm, ensuring that every team member is empowered, accountable and committed to continuous improvement?

In this session, you’ll hear from leaders who have successfully transformed their organisations by instilling a culture where sales is everyone’s business. They will explore:

• The key elements that define a high-performing sales culture and why it matters for professional services firms
• Practical frameworks and tools to assess your current sales culture and pinpoint opportunities for improvement
• Proven strategies to design, implement and reinforce initiatives that drive sales action, accountability and collaboration at every level
• Approaches to measuring progress, tracking outcomes and sustaining momentum for long-term success

Whether you’re looking to kickstart a cultural shift or take your existing sales culture to the next level, this session will provide you with actionable insights and practical guidance to help your teams thrive and deliver real results.

Chris Blakely, Client Director / Business Development Director, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Chris has over 20 years’ experience, in the UK and Australia, advising law firms on their BD and marketing. Chris currently has responsibility for driving HSF’s Clients & Markets Strategy in Australia, with a focus on stronger multi-faceted client relationships and distinct client experience.

Chris has diverse experience in the sector having worked across Practices, Sectors and as a Client Relationship Manager. He is a member of HSF’s Australian Executive and also a member of the Global BD Leadership team.

Sue Dean, Direcotor Business Development and Business Services, BDO Australia

Afternoon Program

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

Afternoon tea and final networking boost.

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM | Session 5: 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 pricing strategy that allows you to adjust your prices according to changing market conditions 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.

4:15 PM – 5:00 PM | Session 6: 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 and 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.

Chris Barron, CEO, Optimise

Facilitator

Chris Barron is CEO of Optimise Media Australia & New Zealand, where he has led the business for more than a decade. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and around the world, Optimise is part of a global team of over 200, delivering performance-based advertising and customer acquisition solutions for leading brands.

Under Chris’s leadership, Optimise has partnered with organisations such as Microsoft, HSBC, Expedia, National Australia Bank and Grant Thornton, helping them achieve stronger ROI through smarter media strategy, planning and buying. Prior to his current role, Chris has worked in varied media businesses across strategy, sales and leadership roles and next month will be 20 years in media and advertising.

Chris has been published in the Journal of Advertising and industry publications such as Mumbrella and Marketing Magazine for his work in advertising measurement. He completed his thesis in marketing on the television series Seinfeld, because he found the faculties’ options boring and not close enough to his passion for advertising.

Outside of Optimise, Chris has served as a Director of the world famous Randwick Rugby Club and now enjoys pretending to be a farmer in his spare time, at home in the Yarra Valley.

Jason Milton, Brisbane 2032 Olympics & Paralympics Lead | Asia Pacific Sports Lead, Deloitte

Jason has over 25 years’ experience working across all the different professional services firms, advisory, management construction consultants and law, in the UK and Europe, Australia and Asia Pacific. He has worked with firms including, Linklaters, Herbert Smith Freehills, Turner & Townsend, Mayer Brown and Grant Thornton.

Jason has extensive experience across the full marketing mix as well as business development, having had responsibility for business lines, sectors, and account management for numerous clients across a variety of different sectors, including energy, financial services, real estate and the public sector.

In his previous role Jason led the Queensland Market for Deloitte, identifying and pursuing opportunities to help reach and exceed revenue targets. He is currently the Olympics and Paralympics Lead, looking for opportunities with Brisbane 2032 as well as leveraging Deloitte TOP Partnership in Australia. In addition, he is the Asia Pacific Sports Lead, building their sports business.

Jason is a Chartered Marketeer and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He is the Company Secretary on the ICON Board and well as on the Gold Coast Committee of Queensland Gives.

Andy Bevan, Senior Director, Head of Pursuits Asia Pacific, JLL

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.

Maria Rampa, Group External Marketing and Communications Leader APAC, Aurecon

Maria Rampa is a marketing and communications senior executive with 25+ years’ experience in the public and private sectors and professional services globally. She has delivered strategy and campaigns across multiple markets including property, mining, tourism, energy, arts, not-for-profit, education, health and data & telco in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, EMEA and South America.

Maria is currently the Brand, Marketing and Communications Business Partner for engineering, design and advisory firm, Aurecon, responsible for developing and delivering marketing and communications across their international built environment business. She is also responsible for Aurecon’s 2032 Olympics and Paralympics positioning and is the host of the firm’s award-winning Engineering Reimagined podcast.

Samantha Cuminskey, Senior Strategic Account Manager, Ashurst

Samantha is an accomplished business development professional with more than 10 years' experience. A leader in marketing and BD within the Australian legal industry, Sam combines her considerable experience with a leading MBA and insights gathered as a long-term ICON committee and board member.

5:00 PM – 5:15 PM | Closing Remarks

Key takeaways and thank you from the ICON President.

Evening Program

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

Canapés and networking drinks to close out the day at M-Deck at the Marriot.