Atlas Partners Podcast

What's are the key things that Kate Murnig (nee May) , Payroll Manager of Pan Pacific Hotels Group looks for in a team-mate? Atlas Parters Manager, Shawny Smith asked her this very question on her new series 'Payroll Perspectives' – meaningful conversations with leaders in the industry, discussing their journey and the ever-evolving world of payroll. In episode one, Kate Murnig share her insight i...

It’s  Rebecca Fletcher ‘s near two-decades of experience across Payroll and Human Resources that has seen her work her way from Payroll Officer, to now managing a new division at Alfred Health. As Manager of Employee Connect, The Alfreds innovative approach to managing the sheer amount of administration that comes with having ~14,000 employees, Rebecca is putting years of insight and experience in...

Tania Fenech  didn’t choose a career in payroll — it chose her — straight out of school, while she was working part time for Coles. Twenty-five years later, she has built a phenomenal career honing her craft across various industries, leading to become the Payroll Manager at Hall and Wilcox. Tania met with Shawny Smith of Atlas Partners for our Payroll Perspectives podcast. ___ Atlas Partners Mana...

Combine English teaching, Japan, MYOB, and the business opportunity of a lifetime — and you can get a very unexpected career pivot into Payroll.  Karl McKenna , Consulting Manager for NLC Payroll chats to us about the other side of payroll, outsourced teams, and how he’s seen the industry change in the last decade, in his chat with Shawny Smith, for Payroll Perspectives. ___ Atlas Partners Manager...

'Falling' into Payroll has been a lucky happenstance for Paris Urquhart — and it's turned into almost two decades of luck, backed by hard work. Now the Payroll Manager for Wilson Security, Paris has built an appreciation and genuine passion for the career-choice that used to fly under the radar. She sat down with Shawny Smith, for Payroll Perspectives. ___ Atlas Partners Manager of Accounting Supp...

From Edinburgh to Melbourne’s sporting heart. For Julie Struthers , GM of Finance at the State Sports Centres Trust, it’s been a career defined by curiosity, transformation and purpose. In this episode of Game Changers, Julie reflects on her journey from chartered accounting in Scotland to executive leadership across banking, finance transformation and now high-performance sport. She shares how a...

In this episode of Game Changers, host Liam Killen sits down with  Clemency Mdaya , Division Finance Manager at the Australian Grand Prix. From his roots in Zimbabwe to leading the finance team behind one of the biggest sporting events on Australia’s calendar, Clem shares a career journey that’s anything but predictable. He talks about breaking into the industry during the global financial crisis,...

In this episode of the Pathways Podcast , Liam sits down with Sandra Chui , Chief Operating Officer at Merricks Capital, to explore the experiences that have shaped her as a leader. From the intensity of CFO roles and the challenges of steering organisations through periods of transformation, to the importance of balance, authenticity, and confidence in executive spaces, Sandra shares the lessons...

For Natalie Morwood , CFO of Luxury Escapes, curiosity and courage have been the constant drivers of her career. From the early days of accounting to leading in the fast-moving world of global travel, she’s built her success by leaning into change, backing herself, and saying yes to opportunities — even when they felt daunting. In this conversation with Liam Killen, Natalie reflects on the lessons...

For Ancila Desai , music was her first calling — mastering the violin and guitar long before she ever stepped into a boardroom. But the discipline, precision, and creativity she honed as a musician proved to be the perfect foundation for a career in finance. From retail and logistics to pharmaceuticals and now digital health, she has built an impressive track record of leading complex transformati...

From chemical engineering to the C-suite, Johanna Platt has built a career defined by curiosity, adaptability and purposeful leadership. Now CFO of Equity Trustees, she draws on experience across FMCG, logistics, superannuation and investments to lead through growth, transformation and challenge. Johanna sat down with Atlas Director, Liam Killen, to discuss the value of unconventional career moves...

From Balance Sheets to Buddy’s 1000th. For Leigh Taylor , CFO of the Sydney Swans, it’s been a journey defined by curiosity, courage and culture. In this episode of Game Changers , Leigh reflects on his shift from professional services into elite sport — charting a path from Deloitte in the early days, to key executive roles at the AFL, GWS Giants, and now the Swans. He shares lessons in leadershi...

Brandee Wade ’s career pathway seems to have been ‘written in the stars’ (or, rather the bright lights of Las Vegas). Growing up in USA, she studied an accounting major at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas — fast forward to now, travel 13,000 miles and you’ll find Brandee as the CFO of Crown Resorts. In this candid conversation with Liam Killen, Brandee reflects on what it means to lead with int...

From rugby to the rings — Todd Day on leading through sport’s biggest shifts. In this episode of Game Changers, Liam Killen, Director of Atlas Partners sits down with Todd Day, Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Olympic Committee, to unpack a career that’s spanned finance, media, and some of the most high-stakes decisions in Australian sport. From rebuilding NSW Rugby and navigating economi...

For Anastasia Crisafi — once an aspiring filmmaker — a career in finance was simply her 'plan B'. Well, what a backup plan it's turned out to be — with formative roles at Ernst & Young, Coles Group, and over a decade with Link Group, Anastasia is now the CFO of UniSuper. She has built a reputation for transforming teams, navigating complex transactions, and leading with authenticity. Now overs...

Starting his career in risk in the 90s for Australia Post, and now Chief Risk Officer for Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC),  Zack Gurdon 's career has spanned the full evolution of modern risk management. Zack joined Atlas Director  Craig Gorton  for our  Pathways Podcast  to share how a foundation in security and intelligence shaped his leadership, and why it takes strategy...

With a career spanning audit, manufacturing and tech, Sigal Pilli has built and led finance teams through growth, change and complexity. Now CFO at SPEE3D, she’s applying her broad experience to a business at the intersection of hardware, software and advanced manufacturing. Sigal sat down with Atlas Director, Liam Killen, to share her take on the evolving role of the CFO, scaling with purpose, an...

From medical laboratories to the executive suite, Libby Secomb’s career journey is anything but conventional. Now CFO at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Libby brings a rare blend of clinical insight and financial acumen to one of Australia’s leading cancer research and treatment institutions. She joined Atlas Director, Craig Gorton, for our Pathways Podcast to talk about navigating career pivots, o...

With over two decades of experience spanning finance, technology and risk — Paul O’Rourke brings a uniquely pragmatic lens to the evolving enterprise risk landscape. Now Chief Risk Officer at Tabcorp, Paul is redefining what that title means, finding ways to encourage business innovation (safely, of course) and building strong, agile and complementary teams, to tackle what lies ahead. He joined At...

After an impressive career at the top for Australian Energy Operations, United Energy, CitiPower and Powercor — it’s no surprise that  Kate Webster  has been entrusted with the role of Group Chief Financial Officer for utilities powerhouse, Jemena. Kate sat down with Craig Gorton, Atlas Director to talk about moving her career abroad, what professional development looks like for her as an executiv...

Andy Mellor has had a career that many could only dream of — he’s experienced it all, all around the world. A secondment as a fresh faced graduate would kick-off a 20 year stint abroad in the banking world, with Credit Suisse; returning to Australia to play a crucial role in the IPO, capital raising and sale of PointsBet. His wealth of knowledge and experience has led him to Consulting, currently...

Sarah Seddon ’s time with German owned chemical producer, BASF has been nothing short of impressive, joining the company in the height of COVID as Business Operations Manager, and kicking goal after goal — four years and five promotions later landing her current role of Head of Supply Chain Management. With over 15 years of experience in mining, metals and FMCG and qualified as a Chartered Account...

You won’t find many CV’s like Clint May ’s. With a track record of delivering business outcomes for major retail brands including Carpet Court and the Spotlight Group — it comes as no surprise that omni-channel power-house David Jones came knocking. The ‘turnaround specialist’ joined Liam Killen, Director of Atlas Partners for Pathways to chat about his rise to Chief Financial Officer, for one of...

Once you find out CFO of Zero Latency, Glenn Johnson ’s career began at GM Holden — you know you’re going to be in for a wild ride. Glenn’s resume boasts a timeline of mega companies including Tabcorp, Service Steam, Sensis — and now, Zero Latency , one of the worlds finest  virtual reality  experiences, renowned for its multiplayer, free-roam  VR  experience in a warehouse-scale arena. See, wild...

Carl Walsh hasn’t just built a fascinating career, he has lived a fascinating life. As a young man growing up on rugged West Clare coastline in Ireland, he saw the world as his oyster and his career as his ticket. The journey has taken Carl to some of the biggest financial and technology companies in the world, leading him to Melbourne and the role of CFO for ANZ Worldline, a joint venture between...