In this episode of The Path to Partnership Podcast we welcome Arlene Kristianto, Business Advisory Partner and National Lead for Diversity Equality and Inclusion at global mid-tier, RSM. Arlene has had a super interesting journey to Partnership, from beginning her career in a boutique firm, to moving to a global mid-tier with RSM, to her valuable experience as an internation secondee to her Path to Partnership.

We cover lots of subjects in this chat:

• The value of an international secondment for her career then, and now.
• Having those initial chats about Partnership and looking up thinking “there isn’t anyone that I can relate to.” Arlene is really passionate about the importance of representation which lead her to one of her current roles as National lead of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at RSM.
• We talk about the challenges of balance. How to manage the pressures of team and client expectations and being present at home, a challenge that is constant of course.
• The importance of mentors in her career to-date.
• We talk about AI, how it’s impacting the market now but how if could impact the professional services landscape over the coming 2-5 years.

 This was a great episode where Arlene gave candid insights into career journey, as well as real advice on the journey for others. A must listen for anyone on that Path to Partnership.

In this episode of The Path to Partnership Podcast, we welcome Tim Loh, Assistant Commissioner at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and a name (and face) many Australians came to recognise during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thrust into the spotlight as the public face of the ATO during a time of national uncertainty, Tim stepped far outside his comfort zone to lead public communications across TV, radio, and press. His calm, clear messaging and a style people resonated with, Tim helped guide millions of Australians individuals, small businesses, and tax professionals alike through complex support programs and changing tax measures.

Tim shares how that experience reshaped his understanding of leadership, the importance of authentic communication, and what it takes to build trust at scale. He also opens up about his journey from private practice to public service, and how the ATO is working more closely than ever with practitioners to support a stronger, fairer tax system.

This is a must-listen for aspiring leaders, partners-in-waiting, and anyone curious about what how the power of a personal brand can be leveraged.

Delighted to have spent an hour in the presence of James d’Apice, he is a man with many talents, he’s host of two popular podcasts, he’s a rapper (!), author, social media celebrity and yet he still finds the time to be a leading commercial litigator, business owner, husband and father of 3!

James shares his unconventional journey through law — from spending his informative lawyer years with the highly respected Makinson D’apice (MakDap) which has of course, strong family ties to James, to then forging his own career path, driven by his litigation specialism and desire to challenge the status quo, resulting in James launching his own firm Gravamen in 2023.

We discuss his career pivots, the early seeds of Coffee and a Case Note, as well as the importance external mentors have played in James’s career across law and marketing.

Inside This Episode:

• Why James resisted being part of the family firm for the long term— and what changed his mind
• The origin of Coffee and a Case Note and its surprising slow burn success
• How radio, rap, and rigorous case law came together to build his personal brand and shaped his marketing strategy
• The reality of starting your own firm, balancing professional ambition and family ambition, and the values that drive his new business Gravamen
• Why brand doesn’t equal revenue (at least not at first) — and how that shifted over time

James gets candid about, privilege, branding, his definition of “bricks and mortar” and finding your lane in a changing legal landscape. If you're in professional services, this is a must-listen….

And yes, he’s as good a bloke in person as he comes across on camera!

In this episode, we sit down with the newly anointed business advisory Partner Samantha Lo, to explore her unconventional and inspiring journey to the top. From her early days in the motor industry group at Deloitte to a slightly unplanned two-year detour working remotely from Hong Kong, Samantha's Path to Partnership is an inspiring one.

We dive deep into:

• The Power of a "Non-Linear" Career: How her time in Cairns and Hong Kong, working with diverse clients like banana farmers and international corporations, shaped her into the leader she is today.
• The Foundations of Partnership: Samantha shares the crucial role that mentorship, personal branding, and building authentic relationships played in her progression from Assistant Manager to Partner.
• Redefining Success and Work-Life Balance: We talk about the myth of the "always-on" Partner. Samantha discusses how she managed to build a successful career and a young family, highlighting the importance of clear communication, trusted support, and making time for the things that matter.

This episode gave us the prospective of a newly appointed Partner, the importance of mentors, family and how it feels when you get to Partnership. It is a must-listen for anyone on the Partnership track who wants to learn how to navigate their career with intention, self-doubt, flexibility, and a whole lot of determination.

Thank you Sam!

In this in-depth episode, Steve sits down with Sean Keegan, the Head of Tax for Australia at Alvarez & Marsal (A&M). Sean takes us on a fascinating journey, from how he "fell into" a tax career at PwC to his time in the investment banking world in London and his return to M&A tax. He offers a transparent account of the challenges he faced, including rebuilding his professional brand after a stint overseas and the demanding transition to becoming a brand-new partner at a new firm.

We also explore his move to A&M, where he and his Senior Partners have built a national tax team from the ground up. He shares why the unique opportunity to start with a blank sheet of paper, backed by a global consulting brand, was an offer he couldn't turn down.

Listeners will get an inside look at:

• The "Three-Legged Stool" of a Successful Partner: Sean's unique take on the three essential attributes needed to thrive in a leadership role.
• Business Development Secrets: Why building trust and relationships is more crucial than selling, and how to start doing it from day one.
• Navigating Career Progression: Candid advice on dealing with frustration and why a bit of extra patience can make you a more successful partner in the long run.
• The Power of Personal Brand: How to leverage a global firm's name to build your own reputation and the critical role your personal brand plays in a new business.
• The Future of the Industry: A forward-looking discussion on how technology, particularly AI, is reshaping professional services and the importance of in-person relationships that can't be replaced.

This is an essential listen for anyone in accounting, law, or consulting, offering practical wisdom and inspiration directly from a leader who has built his career by challenging the status quo.

In this episode of the Path to Partnership podcast we are joined by Vincent Scali, Business Advisory Partner at Nexia in Sydney.

This was a really great chat, perfect for this podcast as Vincent became a Partner just under a year ago so his path to partnership is fresh and new!

Vincent talks very candidly about the transition from employee to Partner and the various challenges he faced, including the fact his father was a Senior Partner at the same firm, and as Vincent discusses, there were no favours for him in his partnership journey, in fact quite the opposite. So Vincents journey to Partner was far from conventional, we talk through the time, he moved firms and service lines and took it upon himself to go back to being a grad even with 2 years experience at PWC. In my view, an early sign of Vincents self-awareness and high EQ, no doubt.

Beyond the Partner promotion itself, Vincent delves into the plan ahead as a new Partner, building his own client portfolio in a rapidly evolving market. He shares practical strategies for generating new business, leveraging his existing network, and the importance of embracing personal branding in the digital age.

Finally, Vincent imparts invaluable advice for aspiring partners, emphasizing the importance of patience, mentorship and continuous growth. It was such an enjoyable and insightful chat, a must listen to anyone on that Path to Partnership.

In this episode of The Path to Partnership, we're joined by Alistair Marshall — Amazon bestselling author of Grow Your Professional Practice, keynote speaker, and one of the foremost voices in business development for professional services firms in Australia.

Alistair shares his journey from fast-moving consumer goods into the world of professional services where he quickly noticed a gap: highly qualified professionals who struggled to articulate why clients should choose them. From that observation came a mission — to help firms and individuals not just grow, but grow with purpose.

We unpack:

• Why no one hires a generalist in 2025 — and how to position yourself as an expert
• The real definition of business development (hint: it's not “selling”)
• Strategies new partners can use to attract better clients and talent
• The importance of personal brand and building a visible, credible digital footprint
• Why "you can’t build a great relationship from behind a desk"
• And how firms can stop relying on price as their only differentiator

This episode is packed with practical advice, frameworks, and if you know Alister plenty of good humour, and is a must-listen for anyone looking to grow their practice or stand out in a crowded market.

In this episode, I chat with Shane Bell, Co-Founder and CEO of NSB Cyber — a leading Australian cybersecurity advisory firm. NSB stands for “No Steps Backward,” and once you hear Shane’s story, it’s clear that mantra has guided not just his business, but his entire career.

Shane began his journey in the Australian Navy straight out of school — an experience he loved. From there, he made a bold move into the commercial world, starting out in HR admin at an IT company. That role opened the door to a position in their digital forensics and IT team, where he began building his technical skills.

In 2007, Shane joined McGrathNicol as a Manager in their Digital Forensics team, helping to grow their Melbourne practice. After six and a half years, he moved to PwC to be part of their new and growing cyber practice — attracted by the opportunity to do what he described as “cool stuff” in the cyber space.

Two years later, the chance to return to McGrathNicol and help build a dedicated cyber division was too good to pass up. Shane spent another eight years there, making Partner in 2017. Then in 2023, he took another leap — co-founding NSB Cyber, a business he’s truly passionate about.

I’ve always admired people who take big career pivots, and Shane’s made several — from the military to tech, from tech to consulting, and from Director to Partner to CEO.

This was such an enjoyable conversation — not just because of Shane’s story, but because he’s genuinely a great guy to talk to.

In this episode, we’re joined by Phil Evans, founder of Ambition Performance Coaching. Phil is an executive coach with extensive experience advising leaders and Partners of accounting and professional services firms across Australia.

Phil began his career in elite sport, working with professional athletes in sport science, so as an executive coach he links that high performance mind set and behaviours to the modern corporate and professional services world Phil shares plenty of insights into the journey of partnership, from those readiness conversations to the key attributes needed to become a Partner. We cover a lot in this chat, including, the importance of life balance, the need for consistency of character, what keeps Partners up at night, as well as the need for having good, supportive people around you throughout your career.

I really enjoyed this chat, and not just because Phil is a scouser and Liverpool fan, but because it was great to hear that connection from elite sport to the corporate world and how Phil’s insights and advice relate to the path to partnership. So, whether you’re an emerging leader or a partner looking to elevate your practice, this conversation is packed with valuable advice. Up the reds!

In this episode, we sit down with Marc Walsh, Director at Altus Financial, one of Australia’s top 40 accounting firms based in Sydney. Marc’s path to becoming a partner is anything but traditional. When he graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, his dream was to tour America as a musician with his band. However, a series of pivotal moments led him to Sydney in 2007, where he began his accounting career at Altus—then a small firm with just 35 employees. Fast forward to today, and Altus has grown to over 110 people in NSW.

Although Marc entered the accounting world later in his career, his previous experience in sales played a key role in his success. His ability to sell, identify opportunities, and help build Altus' Tax Advisory service offering helped shape the firm’s growth.

Marc shares his insights on leadership, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness as a director and how the role evolves once you reach partnership. For Marc, it’s no longer just about personal success—it’s about empowering those around you, fostering their growth, and delivering exceptional service to clients. His approach speaks volumes about his leadership and commitment to both his team and clients.

Marc’s journey will especially resonate with those who’ve made a career pivot later in life, showing that with the right mindset and support from a commercially savvy firm, achieving success and partnership is possible.