DATE: Wednesday, 11 August 2010

So often as marketing and business development professionals we find ourselves focussing on winning work for our respective firms, but what happens once you've won?

 

What skills, tools and practices do you need to employ to grow and maintain client relationships?

 

Join our expert panel for a discussion about what comes after the congratulatory phone call.  Hear from a Partner, a client and a BD professional as they share their tips and thoughts on the essential ingredients for healthy and valuable client relationships and what they each expect from each other in developing them.

 
Panel members

Derek La Ferla, Partner Norton Rose.  

Derek La Ferla is a Corporate Partner at Norton Rose who specialises in Business Development for the WA Corporate practice. With an expertise that includes mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, private equity, ASX listing, asset sales and purchases, transaction negotiation, due diligence, business and project structuring, directors duties and corporate governance, Derek combines his knowledge with a highly strategic approach to ensure clients achieve their goals.  He has acted for a large range of clients and companies including ANZ Capital, Aspen Group, Australian Fast Foods, Automotive Holdings Group, Bell Potter Securities, HBOS Australia/ BankWest, Kailis & France Holdings Group to name only a few.

 
After 20 years in Corporate Law Derek exited the firm for 2 years to work in the private equity and mining services areas.  As a client, Derek understood the difference between what Partners thought clients required from their professional service providers, to knowing what is actually needed. With this knowledge, having now again returned to Norton Rose, Derek advises Corporate Partners on dealing with clients and can offer us, as BD professionals, advice on how we can best service our Partners and Managers to ensure continued work and good working relationships from our clients.
 
Gary Louis, Macquarie Capital Advisers.

 

Gary Louis is a Senior Manager within the Macquarie Capital Funds Group.  The team purchases, develops and sells property for Macquarie, Macquarie Related Entities and Third Party Joint Venture Partners (mainly commercial and residential). Within his current role, Gary supports all aspects of the property transactions, which include the completing of due diligence, prior to purchase, the structuring of the property purchase, obtaining finance (both for purchase and development), development and eventually the sale of each project. Prior to joining Macquarie, Gary spent 5½ years with Deloitte in its Corporate Reorganisation Division and prior to that 3 ½ years with a boutique Insolvency and Reconstruction firm. All of these roles provided him with a risk analysis skills and a great level of corporate experience.

 
In addition to the financial side of the transactions, Gary is the conduit to all internal and external professional services providers.  As a client, Gary will be able to offer us insight into what clients expect from their service providers and what those relationships mean to continued work flow between clients and professional service firms.

 
Geoff Harben, Director of Business Development, Ernst & Young.

Geoff Harben is an Executive Director leading Ernst & Young’s Business Development team. Specifically focusing on Government accounts for the western region, he assists client-facing teams with service strategy, contract negotiations and solution delivery.  Driving the firm’s focus on Government sector services, particularly within the health, infrastructure, transport and utilities sectors, Geoff’s 30 years experience in policy, process and procurement has resulted in the development of long-term relationships with major Government departments across Western Australia.  Geoff has made a significant contribution to the public sector, including advising the Minister for Technology on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) issues, and consulting on the Government’s general conditions of contract with the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA).
 
Geoff is highly successful in building strong client relationships, understanding what the clients' business needs, and how to deliver solutions. We look forward to leveraging off his success and experience as a BD professional.
 
Date: Wednesday 11 August 2010
 
Time:  7.30am - 9.00am
 
Venue:  Norton Rose, Level 39, Bankwest Tower, 108 St George's Terrace, Perth WA 6000
 
Cost:  APSMA members $38.50 | Non-members $60.50

 

To register:  Click on the 'Enroll now' button below and follow the prompts.  YOU MUST FIRST LOGIN TO THIS WEBSITE TO ACCESS THE 'ENROLL NOW' BUTTON ON THIS PAGE.  Contact APSMA on +61 2 9411 2599 or info@apsma.com.au if you require assistance with your registration.  Please note that your event registration is tax deductible.