A Conversation with WA Leaders; presented by Westpac Group & FINSIA

Rohan Mishra is a partner in the Banking & Financial Services group in our Perth office. In the finance field, Rohan has acted for both financiers and borrowers on a range of structured finance matters with a focus on project financing in the energy and resources area. He has also acted on several debt capital market transactions and debt restructures. 

Prior to joining Clayton Utz, Rohan worked for over 5 years in the project finance department of a magic circle law firm in both London and Tokyo. 

Rohan is also on the WA Regional Council for FINSIA.  

Cate Cassarchis was appointed CEO of the Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation on 1 November 2021.

With more than 30 years’ experience in the Government and not-for-profit sectors, both domestic and abroad, Cate has a strong background in governance and accountability, strategic planning and policy setting, program development, fundraising, community engagement, advocacy, negotiation, and public affairs.  

Previously, Cate served as the CEO of the Perth Blood Institute (May 2019 to October 2021), which conducts medical research into blood disorders and facilitates access to clinical trials and treatment options for people affected by blood disorders. Prior to this, Cate was the State Archivist and Executive Director State Records where she was responsible for whole of State and local government recordkeeping (10 years), during which time she also served as a council member of the Institute of Public Administration WA (2014-2018), whose purpose is to advance excellence in the public sector. Prior to this, Cate served as Director of the WA Museum Foundation (6 years) supporting the scientific, cultural, and educational endeavors of the Museum.

Cate is currently Chair of Oracy Australia Association Inc. which promotes and offers assessments in spoken English and oral communication through schools. 

Ben Fong specialises in commercial banking, finance and lending transactions, as well as institutional transactions including syndicated and club facilities. Ben acts for a range of financiers and borrowers, in a range of industries, including financial services, technology and resources.  

Ben’s clients include not only Australian financiers, corporations and government authorities, but also foreign lenders, investors and borrowers, including from Asia and Europe. 

Ben assists his clients to achieve completion of property development and finance transactions, acquisition finance, convertible note and debenture issues, personal property securities and regulatory compliance. 

He is also a qualified chartered accountant, commencing his career in the corporate tax group with a ‘Big 4’ accounting firm in Melbourne and Perth. 

Fiona commenced her career in Tax Consulting at Arthur Andersen in 1994, before moving into investment banking in 1997.   

The majority of Fiona’s career was spent with Macquarie Bank in Perth and Sydney, working in the Investment Banking Group on several significant infrastructure and energy transactions, including the privatisation of Sydney Airport, the green fields development of several toll roads in NSW and Victoria, and a series of corporate acquisitions by WA energy company Alinta. 

Following an extended break from the corporate world to raise her three boys, Fiona returned to work in a boutique corporate advisory firm Torridon Partners, which was ultimately acquired by Deloitte. 

In 2021, Fiona made the switch from corporate advisory to not-for-profit, taking on the role of Business Manager at Breast Cancer Research Centre – WA.  At BCRC-WA Fiona is responsible for assisting the CEO and Board in determining and implementing financial and commercial strategy for the various parts of the organisation, which include a world leading clinical trials unit, a holistic breast cancer screening and treatment center and an active fundraising arm. 
Outside of work, Fiona enjoys travel, spending time with her family and relaxing when she can. 

Hon. Cheryl Edwardes, former attorney general for Western Australia and Chair of a number of ASX listed companies including Vimy Resources and is on the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB)

Mrs Edwardes is a member of the Foreign Investment Review Board.  She is a Company Director on a number of ASX Boards, private companies and not-for-profit associations. A solicitor by profession, Mrs Edwardes is a former Minister in the Court Government with extensive experience and knowledge of WA’s legal and regulatory framework relating to mining projects, environmental, native title, heritage and land access.  

During her political career, Mrs Edwardes held positions as the first female Attorney General for Western Australia, Minister for Environment and Labour Relations, and was the Member for Kingsley for nearly 17 years.  

Mrs Edwardes was awarded an Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016 for “significant service to the people and Parliament of Western Australia, to the law and to the environment, and through executive roles with business, education and community organisations.” Cheryl was also named in the 100 Women of Influence 2016, inducted into Western Australian Women’s Hall of Fame 2016 and was a finalist in the Women in Resources Award 2015.

Megan Huitema is the Interim Chief Executive Officer at Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA. She has significant managerial experience within the not-for-profit sector, with twenty years’ experience working with children. Megan has a vast knowledge of government and corporate organisations in the field of community-based work. Megan was previously on the board of Youth Legal Services.

Ms Zhan has 14 years’ experience in the mining & resources industry in Australia and China. Skilled in Management, Corporate Finance, Business Development and International Trade.  

Ms Zhan is the Founder & Managing Director of Accelerate Resources Ltd, an Australian Manganese project development company.  

She previously worked within the Sino Group and as well as Australian public listed and private exploration companies, covering a range of commodities including Nickel, Copper, Gold, Uranium and Iron Ore. She is an active member in various Chinese Australian business groups, promoting Australian and Chinese bilateral business relationships.  

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Accounting. She is a member of AusIMM, CPA Australia and Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Adrian is the Head of Media and Government Relations at HBF. He has extensive experience in advising organisations on how to communicate with their stakeholders, particularly capital markets, staff, government and business media. He brings extensive expertise in finance and communications to provide bespoke, impartial communications advice.

Adrian was formerly at US business advisory firm, FTI Consulting, where he advised a number of high-profile, publicly listed and privately-owned companies during periods of significant change, including mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, CEO transitions, earnings revisions, capital raisings, backdoor listings, and shareholder activism.

Starting with Westpac in 2007, Huyen has worked in various roles within Business & Commercial Banking teams for the Westpac Group. For the past three years she has held the WA Regional General Manager role for Transactional Banking.

Huyen is also the State Chair for the Employee Action Group, Women of Westpac, where she leads state initiatives, networking events and opportunities for its members.