Board & Management
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Anna Booth - Non-Executive Chair
Andrew Grech - Managing Director
Ken Fowlie - Executive Director
Ian Court - Non-Executive Director
Erica Lane - Non-Executive Director
John Skippen - Non-Executive Director
Wayne Brown - Chief Financial Officer / Joint Company Secretary
Kirsten Morrison - General Counsel / Joint Company Secretary
Andrew Grech - Managing Director
Ken Fowlie - Executive Director and General Manager, Commercial & Project Litigation
Wayne Brown - Chief Financial Officer and Joint Company Secretary
Cath Evans - General Manager - Personal Injuries South
Hayden Stephens - General Manager - Personal Injuries North
Chris Prast - General Manager - Western Australia
Christine Heyting - General Manager - Human Resources
Rod Cunich - General Manager - Business and Private Client Services
Kalle Amanatides - General Manager - Marketing & Business Development
Jonathan Pangrazio - General Manager - Information Technology & Operations
In 1987 Anna became the first woman National Secretary of the Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia and, upon amalgamation, the Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia. She has been a vice president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and a member of the boards of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the NRMA.
She was also a member of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG). Anna is a Non-Executive Director of Industry Super Holdings Pty Ltd, along with subsidiaries including Members Equity Bank and Industry Funds Management. She is also an Executive Director of CoSolve Pty Ltd where she consults in workplace relations. She is a member of the Mothers Day Classic Sydney Organising Committee which stages an annual event to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and a qualified Leader with Girl Guides NSW.
Anna is the Chair of the Board and Nominations and Remunerations Committee and a member of the Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee. Anna brings to the Board a broad knowledge of government and corporate environments, in particular banking and financial services. She is a specialist in workplace relations and is highly skilled in facilitation, collective decision-making and mediation. Anna has developed a strong capability in corporate governance including financial performance, and has a strong commitment to coprorate responsibility.
Andrew Grech - Managing DirectorSince becoming Managing Director of Slater & Gordon in 2000, Andrew Grech has overseen significant business and legal milestones which have come to define the company’s modern era.
Andrew started with the firm in 1994, initially working as a litigation lawyer, working across the then fledging specialised personal injuries groups and the project litigation area where he worked on several high profile class actions. Through his experience as a litigator in the class actions area Andrew had the opportunity to work in many jurisdictions across Australia and on a mix of commercial, environmental and personal injuries cases. That work took him to Sydney between 1996 and 2000, before taking up the Managing Director’s role and moving back to Melbourne in 2000.
Andrew oversaw Slater & Gordon’s historic public listing on the Australian Stock Exchange, paving the way for future growth and expansion.
Andrew has overseen strategic acquisitions, mergers and organic growth that has seen the company double the number of its offices and staff since listing.
He is now responsible for more than 36 offices across Australia; more than 700 staff; investor relations and reporting directly to S&G Limited's Board. Despite his heavy responsibilities, Andrew is known by staff for his approachability and his encouraging work-style.
Andrew was a long serving member on the Litigation Lawyers Executive of the Law Institute of Victoria and was recently appointed by the Federal Attorney-General to the Consultative Group working with the COAG Taskforce for the National Legal Profession reform process. He was also the founding Chair (and remains a board member) of the Youth Junction Incorporated; a not-for-loss charity serving the needs of youth in the Western suburbs of Melbourne.
Andrew has more than twenty years of experience as a legal practitioner and continues to be driven by his goal of delivering affordable legal services and access to the legal system to everyday Australians.
Ken Fowlie - Executive Director and General Manager, Commercial & Project LitigationKen has taken a lead role in establishing Slater & Gordon’s presence in New South Wales. One of two original Slater & Gordon employees in that State, Ken now leads a team of around 130, the majority of whom have joined the company through the acquisition of smaller firms.
Ken has been a litigator for more than a decade. He has extensive litigation experience in claims for sufferers of asbestos related illness, including acting for the ACTU and asbestos support groups in negotiations with James Hardie, and large multi-party group and representative actions.
As State Manager in NSW and Divisional Practice Group Leader for commercial and project litigation, Ken brings to the Board a unique operational perspective in two of the company's key strategic areas. As a legal practitioner with 15 years' experience and a strong interest in economics, Ken contributes skills in legal practice, legal practice management, risk management, financial analysis and financial reporting.
Ian Court - Non-Executive DirectorIan has extensive experience as a senior executive and Non-Executive Director in a diverse range of companies and industry sectors. He is currently a Non-Executive Director with Victorian Funds Management Coporation (Chair of the Nominations and Remunerations Committee), SSSR Holdings Pty Ltd, Epic Energy Holdings Pty Ltd and its wholly owned subsidiaries (Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee). He is an Executive Director and Chair of the ACTU Member Connect Pty Ltd and also Chair of the Industry Funds Management Investor Advisory Board.
Prior non-executive positions held include companies in the financial services; unlisted infrastructure; private equity, and property sectors including Pacific Hydro Pty Ltd, Federal Airports Corporation, Utilities of Australia Pty Ltd, Bennelong Funds Management Pty Ltd, Ecogen Holdings Pty Ltd, Australian Venture Capital Association Ltd, Australian Prime Property Funds Custodian Pty Ltd, and Deputy Chair of ISPT Pty Ltd. Ian was also the inaugural President of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST). Prior executive positions include CEO of Developement Australia Funds Management Ltd (1998-2004) and Executive Chair of Cbus (1992-1998). Earlier in his career, Ian was a senior industrial officer with the ACTU (1982-1992).
Ian is the Chair of the Audit, Compliance and Risk Management committee and is a member of the Nominations and Remunerations Committee. Ian brings to the Board expertise and skills in finance, financial markets, business strategy, human resources, risk management and corporate governance.
Erica Lane - Non-Executive DirectorErica has over 20 years of experience at Board and senior executive levels in a range of international business and government related environments. She has expertise across a broad range of industry sectors, in particular financial services, professional services and healthcare.
Erica was a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration and Human Resources Committee for Victorian Funds Management Corporation from 2002 to 2009, and was on the Board of Eastern Health from 200 to 2004.
Erica currently runs her own advisory firm focused on strategy and business performance. She is also a Director of the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation and Founder of AnaphylaxiSTOP, philanthropic organisations which support medical research into life threatening food allergies.
Earlier in her career, Erica held senior executive positions with ANZ Bank, CS First Boston (NY, USA), KordaMentha and RACV, and consulting roles with Booz Allen & Hamilton, Arthur Anderson and Korn Ferry International. Prior to her business career, Erica practised as a medical microbiologist in the public health system. Erica was awarded the Rupert Murdoch Fellowship in 1992 and was a finalist in the Telstra Business Women's Awards in 1997.
Erica was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the company in December 2008. Erica is also a member of the Nominations and Remunerations Committee and the Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee.
Erica contributes specialised skills in strategy, finance, general management and business turnaround and performance improvement.
John Skippen has extensive public company experience and is currently a Non-Executive Director for Flexigroup Limited, Super Cheap Auto Group Ltd and Briscoe Group Limited (NZ).
John is the former Finance Director of Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd and has over 30 years’ experience as a chartered accountant. John has also served as a Director of Rebel Sport Ltd and Orion Telecoms Limited, Courts (Singapore) Limited, Pertama Holdings Limited (Singapore) and Mint Wireless Limited.
Wayne Brown - Chief Financial Officer and Joint Company SecretaryWayne joined Slater & Gordon in 2004 as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary.
Prior to joining the company, Wayne was the financial controller of the ASX listed Grand Hotel Group and prior to that, Wayne spent ten years with Arthur Andersen where he specialised in corporate recovery and restructuring.
Wayne contributes skills in financial management, analysis and reporting.
Kirsten completed her articles at Allen Arther Robinson in 2003 and obtained experience in property, planning and commercial litigation before completing an Associateship to the Hon. Justice Hargrave in the Commercial List of the Victorian Supreme Court in 2005.
Kirsten commenced as a commercial litigator with Slater & Gordon in 2006 and then as General Counsel and Joint Company Secretary in 2008. She is currently completing subjects toward a post-graduate qualification in corporate governance. Kirsten contributes skills in legal compliance, corporate governance and commercial litigation.
Cath Evans - General Manager - Personal Injuries SouthCath is the National Practice Group Leader for the Motor Vehicle Accident practice. Cath oversaw rapid growth in the Melbourne Motor Vehicle Accident practice, and now leads that practice nationally.
Cath also has responsibility for the development and implementation of the Company’s National Practice Standards, which play a pivotal role in quality assurance, risk management and the training of staff.
Group Leader for the Workers Compensation practice. In his previous role Hayden was instrumental in the rapid growth of the Perth practice.
Hayden has now returned to Melbourne to take national responsibility for the growth of the Workers Compensation practice.
Chris Prast - General Manager - Western Australia Chris Prast joined Slater & Gordon in 2001 and his extensive experience in all aspects of litigation gives him great insight into the challenges workers and their families face when they need assistance most.
Direct, down to earth and a regular advocate on behalf of clients, he has established a reputation as a passionate advocate for the rights of workers.
For 30 years, Chris has been dedicated to helping lawyers to maximise their potential, as the General Manager of Western Australia, Chris oversees and manages the State’s three offices in Perth, Joondalup and Bunbury. He is also responsible for identifying business opportunities for practice growth and development.
Christine Heyting - General Manager - Human ResourcesChristine joined Slater & Gordon in 2009 to lead the Human Resources group. She has been an HR professional and consultant for over two decades, specialising in professional services firms. This experience includes seven years in Europe and two years in Asia so she brings to Slater & Gordon a wealth of knowledge of global best practice and innovation. Her particular strengths are learning and development, leaderhsip, organisational culture, coaching and performance development.
Since joining the firm she has focused on creating long-term capability, essential to a firm enjoying substantial growth. She and her HR team have done this by implementing a number of initiatives including an extensive Management Development Program and National Training Program, improving the level of HR service and changing the Performance Development Review process to improve accountability through setting KPIs and monitoring achievement.
Rod Cunich - General Manager - Business and Private Client Services
Rod Cunich joined Slater & Gordon in 2008 and has over 30 years experience in corporate/commercial law. He is an Accredited Specialist in Insolvency Commercial Litigation. Rod is an active member of the insolvency and turnaround management industries and he is currently a director of the Turnaround Management Association of Australia and the immediate past chair of the NSW Insolvency and Reconstruction Law Committee (Law Council of Australia).
A director of numerous organisations, Rod’s clients benefit from both his extensive legal expertise and first hand commercial experience.
As General Manager - Business and Private Client Services, Rod has the responsibility to oversee and expand the organisation's private clients services nationally and implement process to ensure the efficient and effective handling of these matters for all clients.
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