Panel Members - Adara Partners

Our Panel

Adara Partners crosses competitive boundaries and brings together some of the most senior leaders in the corporate advisory industry who jointly lead engagements as Adara Panel Members. Undiluted access to these individuals working collaboratively on a mandate is not otherwise available in the market.

Collectively our Panel Members have advised over 90% of the ASX 100 and have worked on many of the largest and most transformative transactions in Australia’s corporate history. They work for Adara without recompense to support our work with communities living in poverty in some of the world’s remotest places.

The Panel Members are supported by an experienced team of corporate advisory professionals.

David Gonski AC

Founding Panel Member

David is one of Australia’s most respected business leaders and company directors. He is Chancellor of the University of New South Wales and President of the Art Gallery of NSW Trust. He is also Non-Executive Chairman of Barrenjoey Capital Partners, Chairman of Sydney Airport, Chairman of Levande Living, and Chairman of the UNSW Foundation.

Ilana Atlas AO

Founding Panel Member

Ilana has extensive financial services and legal experience and has held executive and non-executive roles across many sectors. She is the Chair of Scentre Group, a non-executive director of Origin Energy, and a Member of the Council of the National Gallery of Australia. Ilana is also Chair of Jawun, on the Board of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, and a former director of ANZ Group Holdings Limited.

Guy Fowler OAM

Founding Panel Member

Guy has been involved in financial markets for over 30 years. He is currently Co-Executive Chairman of Barrenjoey Capital Partners. Prior to that, he spent 27 years at UBS Australia in various roles including Head of Corporate Finance and Head of Equity Capital Markets. He was instrumental in building and running the most successful investment banking franchise in Australia for over three decades.

Catherine Brenner

Founding Panel Member

Catherine has extensive financial services and business experience and has held executive and non-executive roles across many sectors. In addition to being Chair of Australian Payments Plus, she is a non-executive director of the Scentre Group, Emmi, The George Institute for Global Health and Schools Plus.

Matthew Grounds AM

Founding Panel Member

Matthew has been involved in investment banking for over 30 years. He is one of Australia’s most experienced corporate advisers and has been responsible for a number of landmark transactions. Matthew is the Co-Executive Chairman of Barrenjoey Capital Partners. Prior to this, Matthew held several local and global senior leadership roles at UBS over a 25-year period, including Chief Executive Officer and Country Head of UBS Australasia.

Panel Members
Adara Panel Member: Ilana Atlas AO
Ilana Atlas AO

Senior NED, Former Executive and Law Firm Partner

Adara Panel Member: Andrew Best
Andrew Best

Senior NED, Former Head of Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan

Adara Panel Member: Catherine Brenner
Catherine Brenner

Senior NED, Former Managing Director at ABN AMRO

Tim Burroughs
Tim Burroughs

Senior NED, Former Chair of Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs

Adara Panel Member: Guy Folwer
Guy Fowler OAM

Co-Executive Chair of Barrenjoey

David Friedlander
David Friedlander

Chair of King & Wood Mallesons, Australia

Adara Panel Member: Graham Goldsmith AO
Graham Goldsmith AO

Senior NED, Former Vice Chair of Goldman Sachs

ADara Panel Member: David Gonski AC
David Gonski AC

Non-Executive Chair of Barrenjoey, Senior NED

Adara Panel Member: Matthew Grounds AM
Matthew Grounds AM

Co-Executive Chair of Barrenjoey

Adara Panel Member: Christian Johnston
Christian Johnston

Former Chair of
Goldman Sachs

Jim McKnight

Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey

Adara Panel Member: Tony Osmond
Tony Osmond

Chair of Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory at Citigroup

Dr Nora Scheinkestel

Senior NED, Former
Head of Project Finance at Deutsche

Cynthia Scott
Cynthia Scott

Group CEO of Zip Co, Former CEO of Barclays

Philippa Stone
Philippa Stone

Joint Global Head of Capital Markets at Herbert Smith Freehills

corporate advisory leadership Team
Audette Exel AO

CEO, Adara Advisors & Adara Partners

Andrea McCormick

Director & Senior Advisor

Kristi Cashman

Director, Corporate Advisory

Peter Graf

Debt Specialist

Get in touch

If you’re looking for top-tier advice from some of Australia’s best-known advisors.