TEAM PROFILES

• Sue Cato AM

  PARTNER

  Sue has worked on business-critical issues and corporate M&A activity for Australian and international corporations and entities for over three decades. With an early career as a political staffer and having co-founded and then sold a corporate affairs company to multi-national interests, Sue established Cato Counsel in 2003 as a corporate communications company providing high-level strategic transaction support and public and corporate affairs advice. Cato Counsel has since evolved into Cato & Clive. Sue is recognised as one of Australia’s leading special situations management experts, having managed some of the largest issues confronting corporate Australia and beyond. Sue is on the board the National Gallery of Australia Foundation and the board of the Garvan Foundation. She is an advisory board member of Sydney Contemporary, is a member of Chief Executive Women and is Deputy Chairman of the creative think tank, A New Approach. Sue is a regular commentator on business issues for the national media.
  
  

• Clive Mathieson

  PARTNER

  Clive has worked at the most senior levels of the media industry, state politics and federal politics, giving him unique experience as a strategy and communications adviser to chief executives and boards. During a two-decade career in business journalism in Australia and Britain, Clive reported extensively on Australian and international companies. He spent five years as Business Editor of The Australian and then another five years as Editor. After leaving journalism, he served as Senior Adviser and Cabinet Director to NSW Premiers Mike Baird and Gladys Berejiklian, providing policy, strategic and communications advice on issues such as infrastructure, the Budget and the privatisation of state assets. Moving to federal politics, Clive was Deputy Chief of Staff, and then Chief of Staff, to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. In this role, he provided high-level advice to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues on policy and political issues.

• Liz Deegan

  SENIOR ADVISER

  Liz has worked at an executive level across the private and public sector, providing strategic and trusted counsel in relation to corporate communications; reputational, crisis and media management; and policy matters. She is a former Executive Director, Public Affairs for NSW Police with responsibility for the development and implementation of the organisation’s internal and external communications. Prior to that she was Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for the National Rugby League and General Manager Corporate Affairs & Relationships for News Corp Australia. During an extensive career in media, Liz held several senior roles including group editorial commercial director, editor of the Sunday Mail (Queensland), and deputy editor (The Sunday Telegraph, NSW and The Advertiser, SA). She has a BA Communications from Charles Sturt University, NSW and is a former Director of Crime Stoppers NSW.

• Amy Solomon

  SENIOR ADVISER

  Amy combines extensive experience in strategic communications and issues management with a background in law and media. She has advised ASX-listed and international clients on communications strategy, stakeholder management, corporate transactions and litigation support for commercial and regulatory disputes. Amy previously practised as a lawyer at multinational law firm MinterEllison and later at a boutique firm specialising in entertainment and media law. Amy is also a skilled broadcaster and presenter. She has worked as a producer at ABC News and has been actively involved with leading community radio station FBi Radio for more than a decade, currently serving as president on its management committee. Amy holds a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and a Bachelor of Business (with Distinction). She is admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales.

• Peter Abakumoff

  SENIOR ADVISER

  Peter has more than a decade of investment banking experience spanning M&A advisory, equity capital and debt capital markets. He has advised on numerous M&A transactions, public and private, and including several high-profile, cross-border situations. He has worked with a broad range of clients, including ASX-listed entities, multinational corporations, private equity firms and infrastructure funds. Peter commenced his career at Goldman Sachs with a focus on Real Estate, Retirement Living and Aged Care. He subsequently worked at Morgan Stanley with a focus on Natural Resources and Energy. Most recently he was a Vice President at JP Morgan focusing on Energy, Renewables and Infrastructure. Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance Major) and a Bachelor of Law from the University of New South Wales.

• Jenny Wills

  SENIOR ADVISER

  Jenny’s experience in equity markets spans more than 20 years. She started her career in institutional equity sales on the pan-European desk at Goldman Sachs in London. After returning to Australia, Jenny spent 15 years working as a small-and mid-cap Australian specialist on various institutional sales desks. Her most recent roles included Deutsche Bank, where she was hired to establish the emerging companies team, and CIMB (formerly Royal Bank of Scotland and ABN Amro), where she was head of sales for emerging companies. During this time, she formed strong relationships within the Australian small and mid-cap investment community. This coupled with her extensive transaction experience brings a unique “front line” perspective to investor communications work. Jenny has a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) from The University of Sydney.