FEATURING:
l Jarrod Faunt (Equifax) with the 2025 Credit Team of the Year Aurora Energy (cover photo)
l 2025 Conference highlights and Awards winners announced
l Why credit risk remains high despite economic green shoots
National partners
Divisional partners
Divisional supporting sponsors
ISSN 2207-6549
EDITOR/ADVERTISING
Claire Kasses, General Manager
Tel Direct: 02 9174 5727 or Mob: 0499 975 303
Email: claire@aicm.com.au
DIRECTORS
Julie McNamara LICM CCE – Australian President
Mary Petreski FICM CCE – Victoria/Tasmania
Troy Mulder FICM CCE – Western Australia/Northern Territory
Rob Jackson MICM CCE – South Australia
Theresa Brown FICM CCE – New South Wales
Steven Staatz MICM CCE – Queensland
Daniel Taylor MICM – Co-opted Director
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Nick Pilavidis FICM CCE
Level 3, Suite 303, 1-9 Chandos Street, St Leonards NSW 2065
PO Box 64, St Leonards NSW 1590
Tel: (02) 8317 5085, Fax: (02) 9906 5686
Email: nick@aicm.com.au
PUBLISHER
Nick Pilavidis FICM CCE | Email: nick@aicm.com.au
CONTRIBUTING
EDITORS
NSW – Gary Poslinsky MICM
Qld – Emma Purcival MICM CCE
SA – Maria Scacchitti MICM
WA/NT – Jeremy Coote MICM CCE
Vic/Tas – Alex Hawtin MICM
EDITING and PRODUCTION
Anthea Vandertouw | Ferncliff Productions Tel: 0408 290 440 | Email: ferncliff1@bigpond.com
THE EDITOR reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires idemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. CREDIT MANAGEMENT IN AUSTRALIA is published by the Australian Institute of Credit Management, Level 3, Suite 303, 1-9 Chandos Street, St Leonards NSW 2065. The views expressed in CREDIT MANAGEMENT IN AUSTRALIA are not necessarily those of Australian Institute of Credit Management, which does not expect or invite any person to act or rely on any statement, opinion or advice contained herein (whether in the form of an advertisement or editorial) and neither the Institute or any of its employees, agents or contributors shall be liable for any opinion contained herein. © The Australian Institute of Credit Management, 2025.
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO:
The Editor, Level 3, Suite 303, 1-9 Chandos Street, St Leonards NSW 2065 or email: aicm@aicm.com.au
Julie McNamara LICM CCE National President
Welcome to the November 2025 edition of the AICM Magazine!
As we close out another incredible year, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our National and Divisional partners and sponsors. Your unwavering support continues to make everything we do possible.
This Edition’s Theme: “Credit Reimagined” This issue of Credit Management in Australia is inspired by the theme of our 2025 AICM National Conference “Credit Reimagined: Navigating Challenges with Innovation and Knowledge” held at the stunning JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa from 15–17 October.
In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, credit professionals are being called to lead with agility, insight, and creativity. This November edition is dedicated to equipping you with
“A special milestone this year was the 10th anniversary of the WINC initiative, a decade of empowering women in credit. What a journey it’s been! We look forward to celebrating this legacy well into 2026.”
the tools, ideas, and inspiration to meet that challenge, through reflections on the conference, key takeaways, and the collective wisdom shared by our incredible speakers and delegates.
As we wrap up 2025, we reflect on a year filled with impactful seminars, WINC luncheons, and webinars. A special milestone this year was the 10th anniversary of the WINC initiative, a decade of empowering women in credit. What a journey it’s been! We look forward to celebrating this legacy well into 2026.
Recordings of all webinars are available on the Member Portal, an invaluable resource for your ongoing professional development.
To all members who renewed their AICM membership for FY26. Congratulations and thank you for investing in your future. I encourage everyone to take full advantage of the many benefits available, including:
l Special Interest Groups (SIGs): Covering topics like “Personal Insolvency”, “Corporate Insolvency”, “Complaints and Disputes” and many more. These forums are a great way to connect and grow.
l Webinars: Current and previously recorded sessions are available for your convenience on the AICM Member portal.
l The Credit Knowledge Hub (CKH): Gaining momentum, CKH is your go-to for credit education and provides 24/7 access to the best
“In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, credit professionals are being called to lead with agility, insight, and creativity. This November edition is dedicated to equipping you with the tools, ideas, and inspiration to meet that challenge...”
online credit knowledge and training content anytime anywhere (fees apply).
l Creddo, our AI Assistant: Designed to help you tackle tricky credit questions with ease, Creddo draws from our extensive library of expert content. We encourage you and your teams to make it part of your daily toolkit.
l Education: From Toolboxes and Workshops to nationally recognised qualifications, Certificate III in Mercantile Agents, Certificate IV in Credit Management, and the Diploma of Credit Management, there’s something for every stage of your career.
Stay tuned, our division councils have been working hard together with National office and we’ll be unveiling our 2026 events and education calendar in the coming weeks!
What a phenomenal conference we’ve just experienced! A huge thank you to the QLD Council for hosting us on the Gold Coast. From thought-provoking panels to hands-on workshops, the energy and engagement were unmatched.
Special thanks to our generous sponsors:
l Premium Sponsor: Equifax
l Our National Partners: Equifax, CreditorWatch, Experian, Turks and Credisense
l President’s Dinner Sponsor: Blackline
l Welcome Reception Sponsor: Opypro
l CCE Lunch Sponsor: National Collection Services
l Young Credit Professional of the Year –
Elizabeth Dobbie MICM (SA)
l Credit Professional of the Year – Ruthven Underhill MICM CCE (QLD)
l Credit Team of the Year – Aurora Energy (Vic/ Tas)
l CCE Dux – Leann McDonald MICM CCE (QLD)
l Student of the Year – Ethan Fleming MICM (QLD)
l President’s Trophy – Congratulations to Queensland!
To all our newly accredited and recertified CCEs, well done on your achievement and commitment to excellence. We all look forward to meeting you or catching up again at the next exclusive CCE lunch at next year’s National Conference! Speaking of which I’m thrilled to announce… our 2026 National Conference will be held in Brisbane, details to come soon!
Can’t wait to do it all again. Here’s to another year of growth, connection, and innovation in credit.
Warm regards,
Julie McNamara LICM CCE National President
“To all our newly accredited and recertified CCEs, well done on your achievement and commitment to excellence.”
AICM would like to congratulate its recent graduates:
FNS51522 Diploma of Credit Management
Vicky Reeves QLD Cement Australia
FNS40122 Certificate IV in Credit Management
Simone Lloyd-Ogden QLD Network Steel Fabrications
FNS30420 Certificate III in Mercantile Agents
David Lewis SA MCPA Group
By Ivan Colhoun*
While Australia’s economy has shown tentative signs of stabilisation in recent months, CreditorWatch’s latest Business Risk Monitor reveals that business credit risks remain stubbornly high across much of the country. Insolvencies, payment defaults and tax debts all point to continued financial strain, particularly for small and mid-sized enterprises.
Insolvencies hold at near-record highs
The rate of company insolvencies remains elevated, rising 1.6% in September to 1,101 (seasonally adjusted), after falling sharply in August. Although insolvencies are now about 20% below last year’s peak, this moderation is misleading. Much of the apparent improvement reflects a significant decline in small business restructures (SBRs),
down from 343 in March to just 130 in September, due to tighter Australian Taxation Office (ATO) eligibility criteria rather than improving trading conditions.
Mining currently records the highest rate of insolvency, while the Construction sector still leads in total numbers. Hospitality, retail and administrative services also remain under pressure as consumer spending softens.
One emerging concern is the surge in insolvencies among road transport operators. Rising fuel costs, high interest rates, and increased competition from foreign-backed firms are combining to squeeze margins and drive up failures.
Payment defaults signal continuing stress
CreditorWatch’s Payment Defaults Index jumped 4.8% in September – the highest
Companies entering insolvency for the first time – Seasonally adjusted January 1999 to September 2025
Data sources: CreditorWatch, ASIC
Insolvencies – Seasonally adjusted – Selected sectors July 2013 to September 2025
Data sources: CreditorWatch, ASIC
level since December 2024 –highlighting worsening cash flow stress among businesses. Historically, elevated payment defaults are a leading indicator of future insolvencies, meaning further business failures are likely in the months ahead.
While defaults have stabilised in Construction and Hospitality, they are now climbing in the Transport, Administrative and Support Services sectors. Defaults have also increased across Mining, Manufacturing and Healthcare, suggesting that financial stress is spreading beyond the industries that are traditionally most vulnerable.
Economic conditions improving, but not for all Our Economic Conditions Tracker shows a modest improvement in business conditions, now close to long-run averages. Reported profitability has picked up in Retail, Manufacturing, Finance and Construction, aided by three interest rate cuts this year. However, persistent costof-living pressures continue to constrain consumer demand, offsetting some of these gains.
Notably, Victoria has shown encouraging signs of recovery after a prolonged slump, while Queensland businesses
continue to report the strongest conditions nationwide.
Regional divergence widens CreditorWatch’s Geo-Risk Index highlights the stark divide in regional business performance. Northern Sydney –including Ku-ring-gai, Pittwater, Chatswood-Lane Cove and Warringah – is emerging as a national bright spot, buoyed by strong incomes, resilient long-established firms, and low insolvency rates. In contrast, Western Sydney remains Australia’s highest-risk region, with areas such as BringellyGreen Valley and Merrylands-
Data sources: CreditorWatch, ASIC
Guildford suffering from weak household incomes and heavy exposure to struggling construction businesses.
Credit ratings and tax debt defaults underline risk CreditorWatch’s Credit Rating Barometer confirms that business failure rates are now moderately above their 10-year averages, especially within sub-prime credit categories. Companies moving into lower rating bands face sharply higher failure probabilities and warrant close monitoring by credit managers.
Meanwhile, ATO tax debt
defaults over $100,000 rose again in September – another key red flag. Historically, 26% of companies with tax debts of this size become insolvent within a year.
The outlook: elevated risks persist
Despite three rate cuts in 2025, the impacts are yet to filter through meaningfully to business balance sheets. Ongoing cost pressures, from wages, energy and financing, continue to challenge margins and cash flow.
Businesses and consumers alike are being buffeted by many
forces at once – from global trade uncertainty to rising costs and geopolitical tensions. While conditions have stabilised, it’s too early to expect a sharp turnaround. Credit managers should remain vigilant and closely monitor early warning signs like payment defaults and ATO debt disclosures.
Subscribe to the Business Risk Monitor for free for my monthly updates.
*Ivan Colhoun Chief Economist CreditorWatch
E: ivan.colhoun@creditorwatch.com.au www.creditorwatch.com.au
By Monika Lacey MICM*
Monika Lacey MICM
As we enter the final quarter of 2025, New Zealand’s credit landscape is showing some signs of a turnaround after a prolonged period of economic headwinds.
While challenges remain, Centrix data shows stabilising arrears, rising lending activity pointing to some hopeful signs of recovery emerging.
In July, the Official Cash Rate (OCR) was eased to 3.25% following a sharper-thanexpected GDP contraction of 0.9% in the June quarter. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) responded with further cuts – lowering the OCR to 3.0% in August and again to 2.5% in October.
In the New Zealand context, an OCR of 3% is considered neutral, meaning the October adjustment marked the first time this cycle that monetary policy shifted into stimulatory territory, aimed at boosting economic activity and encouraging borrowing.
Early indicators suggest the lower OCR is beginning to influence the economy, though the full extent of its impact is yet to be seen.
Relief to borrowers has not been immediate. However, we saw mortgage arrears improve slightly to 1.38%, and mortgage enquiries rise 16% year-on-year in July.
Meanwhile, consumer arrears increased marginally in July, bucking a trend of six-months improvement, before starting to improve again and sitting at 11.99% (465,000 people) in September.
After recording an 8% year-onyear increase in business credit defaults in July, green shoots started to emerge with credit defaults down 13% year-on-year and business credit demand up 4% year-on-year by October.
Elevated liquidations are also easing, with a 16% year-on-year increase recorded in September, versus 26% year-on-year increase seen in August.
Sustained consumer credit demand
Consumer credit demand sustained through the quarter,
up 7.1% year-on-year in July, 5.6% year-on-year in August and 5.4% year-on-year in September. This was driven by strong growth in personal loans and BNPL applications – recording 7.9% and 9.2% year-on-year increases in September respectively.
New household lending rose significantly across the quarter
This quarter reflected increased market activity in new residential mortgage lending, with a growing number of borrowers refinancing for lower rates following the recent OCR cuts.
New residential mortgage lending was up 24.4% for the July quarter compared to the same period last year, 29.6% in the August quarter year-on-year and 21.1% in the September quarter compared to last year. However, this activity remains 5% below compared to New Zealand’s last property market boom in 2021.
New non-mortgage lending – including credit cards, vehicle and personal loans, Buy Now Pay Later, and overdrafts – closed the quarter at a 10.3% year-on-year increase, driven largely by stronger growth in unsecured personal loans and BNPL in recent months.
Despite July’s data bucking a six-month downward trend with a minor increase in
consumer arrears (12.41% of the credit-active population), the drop continued with August and September recording rates of 12.09% and 11.99% respectively.
The number of people behind on payments
improved to 465,000 in September, down from 480,000 in July. Those 90+ days past due decreased slightly to 80,000, from 81,000 in July.
The rate of increasing financial hardship cases has stabilised over the quarter – recording growth of 3% year-on-year in July, +4.2% year-on-year in August and +7.9% in September. In September, 42% of these hardship cases related to mortgage payment difficulties, followed by 29% related to credit card debt. The number of personal loan hardships are up 46% year-on-year, accounting for 21% of all hardship cases. The highest rate of financial hardships was people aged between 35 and 49 years old.
Business credit demand up, defaults easing
Business credit demand continued to increase throughout the quarter – up 6% year-onyear in July, 5% year-on-year in August and 3.5% year-on-year in September. Throughout the period, the hospitality sector led this demand – up 31% during the past 12 months in September. However, The transport and construction industries lag credit demand at -3% and -8% year-onyear respectively in September.
Business credit defaults are down 13% year-on-year, easing from the peaks observed last year.
The quarter closed with signs
of improvement in liquidation trends now being observed across 7 of the 19 industry sectors, notably in wholesale trade, financial and insurance services, and professional services.
September’s data is a turnaround from July and August, where a 26% yearon-year increase in company liquidations was recorded in both months – partly due to increased enforcement by IRD.
cautious optimism
As we see out the final quarter of 2025, the data points to some cautiously optimistic signs In New Zealand.
Household lending is lifting, consumer arrears are dropping and liquidations are easing.
Also of note is a clear North and South Island divide, with the latter showing stronger credit improvement thanks to high confidence in dairy farming and an improving construction and hospitality outlook.
Despite the lag in the North Island and in some sectors, the overall improvement in credit demand, arrears, and business defaults is a good step towards confidence gradually returning to New
Zealand’s households and businesses.
*Monika Lacey MICM Chief Operating Officer Centrix Credit Bureau of New Zealand www.centrix.co.nz
Business Credit Demand: 2020 – 2025
Annual Company Liquidation Volumes
By Mitch Taylor*
Conventional thinking in Australia says that there are no genuine options for a creditor once an administrator or liquidator is appointed to a company. An alternative however has become available in recent years that allows creditors a more proactive path.
No one wants to be there, but sometimes we just are It is more than likely that credit professionals will have to deal with formal insolvency
Mitch Taylor
processes at some point over their career. Although credit teams are built and trained to minimise financial exposure to companies that become insolvent, some insolvencies are simply impossible to see coming (particularly if fraud was present) and some companies can deteriorate more rapidly than a supplier can wind down their exposure.
Some activity at the beginning, then … waiting
Once an administrator or liquidator is appointed to an insolvent company, all the action takes place at the beginning: the creditor submits a proof of debt form and attends the two creditor meetings (in the case of an administration).
Prompt communication with the administrator/liquidator regarding any security that the creditor holds is vital in the first few days.
But once the insolvency gets underway, the creditor largely becomes a passenger until the conclusion of the administration,
liquidation or creditors’ trust. The timeline for that conclusion is unpredictable and often has a long tail: a 2021 insolvency study found that the median duration of a corporate winding up in Australia was approximately two years.
In addition to the lack of control that creditors endure in a formal insolvency, there is often an associated unpleasant task expected of the credit team: internal reporting on the impaired receivable. This can involve ongoing reporting on the status of the insolvency to the board; providing materials to the finance team for calculation of the expected credit loss; and perhaps correspondence with external auditors. It is no one’s idea of a good time.
Providing effective internal reporting is made difficult when creditors receive infrequent updates from the administrator/ liquidator beyond the
administrators’ report to creditors (before the 2nd meeting of creditors) or liquidators’ statutory report (within three months of being appointed).
A creditor has a right to request information from an administrator or liquidator, but there are multiple clauses within the relevant legislation that may prevent an administrator/ liquidator from providing it.
If the insolvency has transitioned from an administration into a creditors’ trust, there are even fewer creditor rights, resulting in less ability for a creditor to obtain information about the insolvency beyond what the creditors’ trustee wishes to provide.
Being asked to provide certainty to internal stakeholders in an inherently uncertain situation, and with limited information, can place unwelcome pressure on a credit team.
A creditor’s claim against an insolvent company is still an asset. And it is an asset that can be sold. High performing credit teams should be aware of the value they can obtain by selling their claim.
Specifically, a credit team can negotiate a purchase price for their creditor claim with a
“A creditor’s claim against an insolvent company is still an asset. And it is an asset that can be sold.”
distressed credit investor such as ClaimCloud. Selling a creditor claim carries numerous possible benefits:
l An end to internal reporting
l Certainty of recovery amount
l Certainty of timeline
l No further dealings with the administrator/liquidator/ creditors’ trustee
ClaimCloud first looks to agree an indicative purchase price with the creditor. The negotiated purchase price will be influenced by each party’s opinion on the expected recovery (and timeline) under the current insolvency process. Some other ‘X-factors’ relevant to credit teams include:
l Proximity to the creditor’s end of financial year;
l Need for liquidity;
l Management cycle; or
l General level of fatigue with regard to the insolvent company
All of which is to say that each creditor claim will have its own price (ClaimCloud has bought assignments of creditor claims at prices between 2c and 88c on the dollar).
Once price is agreed, the amount of the creditor claim is confirmed. Depending on
the stage of the insolvency, this may require the administrator/ liquidator/creditors’ trustee to confirm the amount. If so, ClaimCloud will lead this process with the creditor’s permission. Review and execution of an assignment agreement is followed by AML/CTF checks and then payment of the purchase price to the creditor’s nominated bank account. The final step is informing the administrator/ liquidator/creditors’ trustee that the creditor claim has been assigned.
Each creditor will have their own opinion as to whether they would rather receive a certain payment now, or instead wait for an uncertain distribution from the conclusion of the insolvency. It costs nothing however to evaluate the proactive path of selling the claim; simply make contact and obtain a price.
*Mitch Taylor E: mitch@clmcld.com
T: +61 484 637 711 www.clmcld.com
By Bradley Walters MICM*
The rapid acceleration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a transformative opportunity for credit management. A recent survey, conducted in partnership with AICM, confirms this forward-looking mindset across the credit management community. It revealed that 77% of credit professionals surveyed now feel more positive about AI’s impact on their teams and industry compared to two years ago, with only 5% expressing negative sentiment.
Regardless of your current level of engagement – whether
a curious starter or an advocate – an essential challenge is to integrate AI in a sustainable, safe, and scalable way to achieve your business goals. Survey participants identified the top anticipated benefits of AI as:
l Forward looking insights – 76%
l Improve credit application processing and underwriting – 71%
l Enhance fraud detection and prevention – 64%
Portfolio optimisation, compliance activities reporting, customer collections, contract preparation and management, cash flow, and budgeting were
also cited as areas of expected benefit.
When asked about challenges to implementing AI:
l 54% cited having the right technology
l 47% the right amount of quality data to support reliable responses
A lack of understanding about AI, ethical concerns and resistance to change were also identified as additional challenges.
Preparing for an AI future is believed to necessitate at least moderate or significant reskilling, while a similar number of respondents highlighted the importance of strategic thinking and advisory skills.
With nearly half (44%) of respondents reporting moderate or significant funding already in place for AI investment:
l 3 out of 4 cited the greatest immediate opportunity was increased operational efficiency and cost reduction.
l Less than one in five believe
AI will largely replace human activity over the next decade.
4 ways AI delivers value in Credit Management
AI can be strategically applied across the credit lifecycle to move from a reactive to a proactive posture. Here are four practical ways AI can drive efficiency, mitigate risk, and enhance fraud protection in the credit management function.
1. Improve the efficiency of underwriting and processing
Having to wade through pages of documentation – financial statements, contracts and notes
to accounts – all to support a credit application, has been a slow, manual, and time-intensive process. AI is transforming this with capabilities like Intelligent Document Processing (IDP), which reliably extracts, digitises, and understands context buried deep within text, even from inconsistent or handwritten documents. Generative AI can then go to work automatically evaluating the financial fundamentals and drafting the initial analyst commentary for your credit memo in support of recommending credit limits and terms. This includes highlighting the key financial trends, risks, and proposed considerations within the context of your credit policy settings.
Such a powerful boost in efficiency frees teams to focus on strategic activities and high-value decisions, all while maintaining appropriate governance and oversight for more complicated, larger-value, or higher-risk transactions.
“AI-powered fraud protection layers multiple defenses, from high-accuracy facial biometrics and deep fake detection to behavioral analytics that spot anomalies in real time.”
2. Strengthening early warning systems for proactive risk mitigation
For decades, credit modeling has been like driving a car using primarily the rearview mirror. AI changes this by enabling the processing of real-time, forwardlooking data. AI can stress test an entire portfolio against thousands of dynamic scenarios –from floods to global commodity price shocks – to understand concentration or contagion risks across your portfolio before they materialise, and provide immediate recommendations for optimisation.
Crucially, it pinpoints exactly where to apply your team’s valuable human effort for the greatest strategic impact. This capability is about turning market chaos into a clear competitive advantage.
3. Fortifying the fraud front line to reduce risk exposure
Fraud is now an AI-powered problem, with malicious actors using agentic AI to automate attacks at a speed and scale that traditional rules-based systems simply cannot handle. They’re using deepfakes to bypass identity and document checks and automating social
engineering to exploit both processes and people. To fight this, you need a defense that learns and adapts at machine speed, and that’s where AI is essential.
AI-powered fraud protection layers multiple defenses, from high-accuracy facial biometrics and deep fake detection to behavioral analytics that spot anomalies in real time. Crucially, these models use agentic AI to learn from every transaction across a network, seeking to identify ‘patient zero’ on a new fraud pattern before it becomes an epidemic. For credit managers, this capability solves the complex problem of defeating sophisticated fraudsters at account opening without locking out genuine customers. In an era of automated credit decisioning, this isn’t just a safeguard, it’s a necessity.
4. Gaining immediate strategic insights for confident
Imagine benchmarking your trading or credit portfolio’s performance against a custom peer group or market segment instantly, without needing to learn new software.
Conversational AI enables you to ask complex questions in plain English – for example,
“Show me which regions and sectors have had the greatest demand and credit enquiries for our trading products versus our competition and the broader market over the last two months”.
The AI not only generates charts but also offers strategic recommendations for the best course of action. While such questions traditionally required days of analysis, this round-theclock access to quality data and virtual analysts enables credit professionals to adapt quickly to market changes with confident decisioning.
According to MIT ’s State of AI in Business 2025 report, companies that partner with specialist providers are twice as likely to succeed in their AI initiatives than those trying to build everything in-house. Strategic partners can provide access to: l World-class, secure technology platforms with the right governance and tools. This governance should demand interpretability, ensuring models can ‘show their work’ so every decision
is defensible, fair, and sound. These platforms should provide a comprehensive, allin-one view that connects every stage of the credit lifecycle, streamline trade relationships from onboarding to collections, and offer selfservice configuration.
l Vast, unique multi-sourced, multi-faceted data sets that span numerous economic cycles, ensuring future-fit and reliable AI capabilities. While many of us know that a credit model is only as good as the data it’s trained on, the same is true for AI capabilities. However, with AI, the stakes are higher: “garbage in, catastrophe out”. For credit management, the quality, lineage, and balance
of training data are not merely technical details; they are the foundation of fairness and accuracy.
l Access to dedicated account managers and experts who deeply understand your business is invaluable. The ability to connect with the right team who knows your operations inside and out can significantly reduce time and costs, while also ensuring you achieve your desired outcomes.
Choose partners with an unwavering commitment to responsible and explainable AI with guardrails. These guardrails include clear policies on data usage, rigorous model validation and backtesting, and ‘circuit
breakers’ that halt automated decisions when a model behaves erratically. As a recent McKinsey report highlights, the goal is not just to build AI agents that perform tasks, but to build a system of controls around them that ensures they perform those tasks safely and reliably.
The market turn is happening now. By engaging with AI responsibly and strategically, we can become the strategists, captains, and stewards of growth we were always meant to be.
Contact Equifax to discover how our AI-led solutions can help prepare your business to lead this change.
*Bradley Walters MICM General Manager, Commercial Product Equifax www.equifax.com.au
By Neill Borg MICM*
When AI walked onto the credit desk, it did not arrive as a neat package. It arrived as messy data, new risks, yet clear opportunities. 2025 National AICM Conference, I had the chance to sit on a panel with credit leaders who are living that change. The conversation was about what works, what does not, and what’s coming next.
Hudson Pitt, GM of Polygon Group, opened with a pragmatic example. His previous systems and processes were manual and outdated, so he built an assessment layer that pulls in third-party AI for ID checks, risk scoring and fraud detection. The system automates data collection and scoring, applies internal weights and review metrics,
and uses AI/ML to turn insights into decisions. “Assessments are now completed in a fraction of the previous time, speeding up the customer experience,” he told the room. That point matters. Faster reviews mean fewer bottlenecks, fewer manual mistakes, and the ability to handle more volume and scale without growing headcount.
Gareth Hinchcliffe, Head of Order to Cash at Sanofi took us through the small, everyday wins. His credit team uses AI to draft and personalise collection e-mails, summarise long email threads, build dashboards from raw data, collection strategies, dispute resolution and payment allocation. These are not glamour projects. They are the background work that steals
“When machines take on repetitive processes, people get to use judgment where it counts and focus on higher value tasks.”
“AI and ML is used to also compare submitted documents to trusted templates and return a clear document risk score in real time. AI scans at scale and flags unusual patterns in seconds.”
people’s time. “AI is not replacing our people. It is amplifying their impact, As Head of Order to Cash, I see it not just as a tool, but as a strategic enabler that helps our credit teams work smarter, faster, and with greater precision.” he said. That line keeps coming back to me. When machines take on repetitive processes, people get to use judgment where it counts and focus on higher value tasks.
Fraud detection is where the business case becomes hard
to ignore. Richard Brooks, CCO of Credisense, described how machine learning and computer vision now assess documents and spot font oddities, pixel artifacts, layout mismatches and metadata changes that humans miss. AI and ML is used to also compare submitted documents to trusted templates and return a clear document risk score in real time. AI scans at scale and flags unusual patterns in seconds.
Hudson gave a realworld result about leveraging
Biometrics for Identity verification. “This service has foiled countless attempts to fraudulently obtain equipment, reducing bad debts for the business and protecting the identity of general consumers.” Biometrics is not new, but AI driven algorithms have improved its accuracy by processing vast amounts of data at unprecedented speeds, refining facial recognition, fingerprint scanning and other authentication methods.
“Trust sits at the top. Many credit officers fear replacement or doubt the accuracy of AI tools. The remedy is simple and deliberate. Start with education and invest in training to demystify AI.”
Biometric checks add another layer, revealing when an applicant and the person applying are not the same. Where human review could miss these cases, AI catches them at scale.
We also heard measurable outcomes. Gareth shared a clear number from a single process change he implemented. He put in an AI-powered document ingestion and classification tool to read PDFs, Excel files and emails, then converts them into structured data. Those files feed straight into an autovalidation engine that check each claim against ERP data and business rules. “We saved over five working days per month in manual effort,” he said. “That’s time our credit analysts could now spend on higher-value activities like resolving disputes faster, improving customer communication, and proactively managing risk.”
The panel was also frank about some barriers. Trust sits at the top. Many credit officers fear replacement or doubt the accuracy of AI tools. The remedy is simple and deliberate. Start with education and
invest in training to demystify AI. Reframe it as an enabler, not a replacer. Emphasise upskilling and career evolution. AI creates opportunities for credit professionals to become more analytical, strategic, and customer focused. As Gareth put it: “AI in credit is like having a co-pilot in a cockpit. The pilot is still in control, but the co-pilot helps navigate, monitor systems, and reduce workload – making the journey safer and more efficient.
Data quality is another challenge. AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on. Many credit teams struggle with fragmented, inconsistent, or incomplete data. Where data lives in silos or is noisy, AI will underperform. The advice was to prioritise data governance and data hygiene initiatives and begin with small pilots and welldefined use cases with clean
data to demonstrate value, then scale.
If you are leading a credit team, here are three practical steps we discussed that you can start with:
l Start Small – Run a short pilot on a single, well-defined use case with clean data.
l Measure simple metrics and KPI’s to track improvements.
l Involve your credit team from day one. Co-create solutions with them.
Richard summed up the longer view neatly. “The real promise of AI in credit risk over the next 3 to 5 years comes down to three themes: inclusion, precision, and transparency,” he said.
Inclusion means responsibly using alternative data-like transaction histories or open banking feeds-to bring the millions of people who have been left out by traditional credit models into the financial system.
“Data quality is another challenge. AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on. Many credit teams struggle with fragmented, inconsistent, or incomplete data.”
That’s not just good for growth, it’s good for society.
Precision is about moving from static risk scores to dynamic, real-time insights. AI will let lenders spot early warning signals, personalise credit terms, and intervene before problems escalate. That creates a winwin: healthier loan books and ledgers for institutions and more supportive experiences for customers.
And transparency is the piece that makes it all sustainable. Explainable AI will give regulators, boards, and customers clarity on why decisions are made. Instead of
“It was clear after the panel that the gains are evident, not imagined. AI is not a replacement for experienced credit officers.”
black boxes, we’ll have tools that can demonstrate fairness and accountability in plain language. It was clear after the panel that the gains are evident, not imagined. AI is not a replacement for experienced credit officers. It is a tool that makes them more productive and more effective at the judgment work machines cannot do. If you start small, keep people close, and insist
on transparency, you will have processes that are faster, fairer and better for yourselves and your customers.
*Neill Borg MICM Country Manager – AU Credisense
T: +61 401 066 624
E: neill.borg@credisense.io www.credisense.co.nz
By Allan Kawalsky MICM RITF*
Trusts are a widely used legal structure in Australia, yet there is no formal register for them, making them less visible than companies or individuals in the insolvency landscape. Australian insolvency laws do not directly address trusts, despite their prevalence in Australia’s commercial environment. An increasing number of trusts now have a corporate trustee or operate as trading trusts.
In this article we unpack the nature of trusts and outline a checklist of best practices for credit managers to protect their interests when lending credit to a company trading on behalf of a trust.
Allan Kawalsky MICM RITF
A trust is a legal arrangement where one party (the trustee) holds and manages assets on behalf of another (the beneficiary). Trustees are bound by strict fiduciary duties and must act solely in the interests of beneficiaries.
The trust is established by a third party (the settlor), while control of the trust may be placed in the hands of that same party or another party (the appointer) who may set the
terms of the trust and replace the trustee.
Trading trusts are a popular legal structure in commercial business. They are commonly used to hold valuable assets and goodwill, while trading activity is often conducted through a separate company with minimal assets. This structure can protect asset ownership and limit liability (when things go wrong)
“Trading trusts are a popular legal structure in commercial business. They are commonly used to hold valuable assets and goodwill, while trading activity is often conducted through a separate company with minimal assets.”
while offering significant tax advantages through the ability to distribute income to beneficiaries on a lower tax threshold (when things go right).
Checklist for dealing with a trading trust
When engaging with a trading trust as a credit manager, it is essential to:
l Ensure contracts are made
with the trustee, not the trust itself, as the trust is not a legal entity.
l Conduct credit checks on both the directors and the trustee company.
l Verify the ABN to confirm the name of the trust and the trust structure.
l Request and review the trust deed to confirm the trustee’s authority to trade and incur debts, and to identify any
indemnity provisions or limitations.
l Register your security interest on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) when extending credit to a trading trust.
l Consider obtaining additional security from other parties, such as personal guarantees from directors, charging clauses that grant a security interest over the debtor’s
assets, or caveats supported by a title search.
When pursuing debts against a trading trust, legal action must be taken against the trustee personally (as the trust itself is not a legal entity and cannot be sued). Directors of the trustee company may also be personally liable if the trustee incurs debts beyond its indemnity rights or acts improperly under section 197 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
A trustee’s right to indemnity Trustees generally have a right to indemnity from trust assets, meaning they may be reimbursed or exonerated from the trust’s funds before beneficiaries receive any distributions. In some cases, trustees have a right to indemnity from the beneficiaries (if permitted by the trust deed), though this is limited only to unit trusts with fixed entitlements; not discretionary trusts with only a mere expectation that the trustee may exercise its discretion in one’s favour.
Creditors can access a trustee’s right to indemnity through the right to subrogation: to stand in the trustee’s shoes and recover from the trust assets or beneficiaries.
“Avoid registration errors such as registering against the wrong identifier (the ABN and ACN are two completely different identifiers)...”
l As against the trust assets, a creditor can enforce a trustee’s right to indemnity and secure equitable rights over trust assets, even after asset transfers, a change in trustee, and the liquidation of the original trustee (Collie v Merlaw Nominees Pty Ltd (in liq) [2001] VSC 39).
l As against beneficiaries (and in limited situations), a creditor can enforce a trustee’s right to indemnity to recover trust liabilities where the beneficiary has received the benefit of the trust assets (Hardoon v Belilios [1901] AC 119). In practice, this right is often excluded by the trust instrument and in some jurisdictions, such as NSW, by legislation.
The best protection is registration
Registering your security interest correctly under the Personal Property Securities Act 2009 (Cth) (PPSA) is essential.
l Register against the trustee’s ABN if available; otherwise use the trustee’s Australian Company Number (ACN).
l Where an ABN is later assigned, update the
registration within five business days of becoming aware of such a change (section 166(2)(c) PPSA). Avoid registration errors such as registering against the wrong identifier (the ABN and ACN are two completely different identifiers); errors can result in loss of priority in insolvency (Re OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd (admin apptd) [2017] NSWSC 21).
The courts may accept an error as inadvertent and allow a correction outside of the five business days limitation only if neither secured nor unsecured creditors are prejudiced (Psyche Holdings Pty Ltd [2018] NSWSC 1254).
Should you register against both the ABN and ACN for added protection? Registration should only occur where the creditor believes a valid interest exists (section 151 PPSA). Unnecessary registrations may breach this provision. Nevertheless, it remains an effective way to reduce the risk of having an unperfected security interest.
*Allan Kawalsky MICM RITF Partner at Turks E: Allan.Kawalsky@turkslegal.com.au www.turkslegal.com.au
By Brian Morgan FCICM*
In today’s complex financial environment, many companies still view credit management as a transactional, backoffice function. But leading organisations are rethinking this approach, transforming credit operations into a strategic lever for performance.
Building a credit management Centre of Excellence isn’t just about collecting cash faster; it’s about creating a scalable framework that drives efficiency, enhances customer relationships, fosters innovation and supports global growth.
With more than 25 years in the field, I’ve learned that the biggest barrier is often the
phrase, “we’ve always done it that way.” Challenging this norm is the first step toward building a truly strategic credit function. It requires a shift in mindset – from seeing credit as a cost centre to recognising it as a commercial partner that adds tangible value. Now at BlackLine, my focus is on empowering other credit leaders to make this same pivotal shift.
Fostering a culture of continuous improvement
The journey to creating a Centre of Excellence, like the one my team at Veolia built and that was recognised by the UK’s Chartered Institute of Credit Management, is founded on continuous improvement. It
“Building a credit management Centre of Excellence isn’t just about collecting cash faster; it’s about creating a scalable framework that drives efficiency, enhances customer relationships, fosters innovation and supports global growth.”
starts with leadership inspiring a shared vision: to be better tomorrow than we are today. This applies to people, processes and performance.
I challenged my team to constantly question existing processes. If we were doing something the same way in 12 months, I considered it a failure. This empowered everyone, from team leaders to process owners, to become innovators. Their frontline insights were crucial. By creating an environment where it was safe to fail and try new things, we unlocked new levels of efficiency and effectiveness.
This innovation mindset moved the credit function from reactive to proactive. We began
“Instead of being the “sales prevention department,” we became collaborators, finding more ways to say “yes” while still managing risk.”
attending sales and operational meetings, asking, “How can we help you be more successful?” The dynamic shifted entirely. Instead of being the “sales prevention department,” we became collaborators, finding more ways to say “yes” while still managing risk.
The role of automation, analytics, and AI Technology is a critical enabler in this transformation. Automation
and AI are not about replacing people; they are about augmenting their skills. These tools handle repetitive, lowvalue tasks, freeing teams to focus on customer relationships, collaboration and data-driven insights. This is the core principle behind BlackLine’s Invoice-toCash solutions, which provide a unified platform to automate workflows and centralise data.
At Veolia, we improved our performance by reducing
already leading industry Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) performance by more than 20 Days, releasing over £120m of working capital from Debtors. Today, I see companies achieve similar, and even faster results by leveraging modern solutions. For example, intelligent tools for cash application can eliminate manual data entry, while AI-powered analytics can predict payment behaviours and identify at-risk accounts. Instead of chasing every late invoice, teams can use these insights to tailor collection strategies, delivering smarter, more effective results.
5 Essential tips for leading a credit team
Looking back, there are several lessons I wish I had known earlier:
1. Be a Commercial Partner, Not a Back-Office Function: Position your team as part of the commercial engine. Align goals with sales and operations to create win-win outcomes.
2. Inspire, Don’t Just Manage: Paint a clear vision of the future and show your team the path. Invest in their development and empower innovation.
3. Understand the “Why” Behind Change: When introducing new technology like solutions from BlackLine, explain the purpose.
Emphasise that the goal is not to eliminate jobs but to increase effectiveness and strategic value.
4. Measure What Matters:
While DSO is key, go beyond it. Aged debt past 90 days reveals process health. Focus on metrics that reflect true strategic value, such as profit released from bad debt provisions and improvements in working capital.
5. Never Stop Learning:
Seek inspiration outside your industry. I learned invaluable lessons on process improvement visiting a car manufacturing plant. Encourage curiosity and adaptability in your team.
A strategic journey
Building a credit management Centre of Excellence is a journey of cultural and operational transformation. By challenging the status quo, embracing technology and leading with vision, you can elevate your credit function to an indispensable strategic asset. The tools and strategies exist to make this happen. With a platform like BlackLine, leaders can become the strategic partners that drive sustainable growth and delight the CFO.
*Brian Morgan FCICM Vice-President, Strategy – Invoice to Cash BlackLine www.blackline.com
“Automation and AI are not about replacing people; they are about augmenting their skills.”
By Roza Lozusic*
Artificial intelligence has moved well beyond hype in the finance sector. Once the subject of speculative fascination, it’s now a practical tool reshaping how finance organisations manage risk, efficiency and customer engagement. Yet as the technology matures, the policy and regulatory environment around it is struggling to keep pace.
A new report from the Australian Finance Industry Association (AFIA – AI in Financial Services – provides one of the most comprehensive snapshots yet of how the industry is adopting AI, where the benefits are emerging, and how policymakers can balance innovation with appropriate safeguards.
AFIA’s Executive Director of
Policy and Public Affairs, Roza Lozusic, explained that the report was driven by an urgent need for clarity. “Regulators and other stakeholders were asking: what’s happening with AI in the finance sector? What’s being deployed?” she said. Until now, much of the discussion relied on anecdote. The AFIA study –developed in partnership with King and Wood Mallesons and Sapere and released in May 2025 – provides an evidence base to inform both regulation and industry strategy. Its timing couldn’t be better. With the Federal Government signalling a move toward a productivity-first rather than regulation-first approach to AI, the report positions the finance industry to contribute credible, data-driven insight to the national debate.
“Regulators and other stakeholders were asking: what’s happening with AI in the finance sector? What’s being deployed?”
“Generative AI... is being used to produce high-quality call summaries or review thousands of contracts for compliance with the new unfair-contract-terms regime, reducing human workload while improving consistency.”
The report found that AI could contribute up to $60 billion in economic growth to Australia in the next 10 years (2035) without structural reform and with the right regulatory settings.
While the public conversation centres around extreme ends of the debate around AI, Roza emphasised that in financial services, “many of the leading use cases actually reduce risk, not increase it.” These include fraud prevention, detection and disruption, credit risk assessment, and
early identification of customer hardship.
Other benefits are more operational: automated document processing, quality assurance, and data summarisation – often unglamorous tasks that collectively drive major efficiency gains. Generative AI, for example, is being used to produce high-quality call summaries or review thousands of contracts for compliance with the new unfair-contractterms regime, reducing human
workload while improving consistency.
The report distinguishes between AI leaders –organisations already embedding AI at scale – and AI followers, who remain in pilot or exploration phases. The leaders are realising significant reductions in fraud losses and improved accuracy in suspicious-transaction detection. Followers cite resource constraints, skills shortages, and regulatory uncertainty as reasons for delay.
“For multinational financial institutions, navigating this patchwork is complex. Australia’s approach – if balanced correctly – could position the country as a trusted, innovation-friendly hub within the Asia-Pacific region.”
Nevertheless, the trajectory is clear. AFIA’s findings align with ASIC’s observation that AI adoption is cautious but increasing rapidly.Within three years, the proportion of “advanced” adopters is expected to double as organisations move from exploration to integration.
Australia’s regulatory stance on AI remains cautious but measured. While the EU has enacted a comprehensive AI Act and the US has taken a largely hands-off approach, Australia’s approach remains to be seen –and we are very much“at a fork in the road,” as Roza described it.
AFIA argues against an economy-wide AI law, recommending instead that regulators target specific risk gaps within existing frameworks. “Financial services already operate within layers of technology-neutral laws,” Roza noted, comparing the system to “a regulatory lasagne.”
Both APRA and ASIC have publicly confirmed that existing obligations remain sufficient to manage AI-related risks, provided firms maintain robust governance and oversight.
Globally, jurisdictions are taking divergent paths. The EU’s high-water-mark regime emphasises precaution and classification of “high-risk” AI systems. The US prioritises innovation and market speed. Singapore has opted for a lighttouch approach.
For multinational financial institutions, navigating this patchwork is complex. Australia’s approach – if balanced correctly – could position the country as a trusted, innovation-friendly hub within the Asia-Pacific region.
The report underscores the need for strong internal governance. Some organisations, Roza noted, were unaware of AI tools already being used within their organisations. Governance lapses like this highlight the importance of internal audits, clear accountability, and AI literacy across executive and risk functions.
“AFIA argues against an economy-wide AI law, recommending instead that regulators target specific risk gaps within existing frameworks.”
Crucially, AFIA’s analysis shows that the finance industry is applying AI not as a blunt instrument of automation, but as a precision tool to enhance customer outcomes. From detecting hardship earlier to preventing fraud and scams, AI is increasingly integral to the ethical and operational goals of modern finance.
The message from AFIA is clear: AI offers transformative potential – but only if embraced responsibly and regulated proportionately. As financial institutions experiment, scale and refine their use of intelligent systems, the opportunity lies not in resisting change, but in ensuring that innovation delivers safer, fairer and more efficient outcomes for businesses and consumers alike.
*
Roza Lozusic
Executive Director Policy and Public Affairs
Australian Finance Industry Association www.afia.asn.au
From October 15–17, the JW Marriott hosted the AICM National Conference 2025, uniting credit professionals under the theme “Credit Reimagined: Navigating Challenges with Innovation and Knowledge.” Day One set a dynamic tone, blending leadership, strategy, and innovation.
The day opened with two optional leadership forums:
l From Compliance to Compassion (Uniting Vic Tas): Focused on trauma-informed, socially responsive credit practices.
l Beyond the Numbers (Kerryn O’Brien, TMS Consulting): A Whole Brain Thinking® workshop on empathetic, adaptable leadership.
Attendees then gathered for the CCE Exclusive Luncheon, sponsored by NCS, celebrating those who achieved the prestigious CCE designation, with the CCE Dux announcement a key moment.
The official program launched with Welcome to Credit Reimagined, featuring AICM President Julie McNamara LICM CCE, Moses Samaha MICM from Equifax, and MC Warwick Merry.
Key sessions included:
l Breathe Like an Olympian on elite sports psychology and resilience
l Innovation, Disruption & Reimagining Credit by Brad Walters MICM (Equifax)
l Economic Outlook 2025 by Justin Green (NAB)
l Member in Spotlight featuring Sonia Nixon MICM (Opypro)
The day concluded with a Welcome Reception, sponsored by Opypro, offering delegates a chance to reconnect and reflect.
Strategy, Technology and Sector Insight Day Two focused on strategic thinking, tech innovation, and sector-specific challenges.
l Brian Bond (Experian): Data-Driven Decisions on using analytics to elevate credit risk strategy
l Roza Lozusic (AFIA): AI in Finance explored AI’s potential and regulatory shifts
l Ivan Colhoun (CreditorWatch): The Business Risk Monitor aligned credit strategy with macroeconomic trends
Concurrent sessions followed:
l Managing Tricky Conversations with Jodie Bedoya
l Building Pressure panel on construction sector risks
Midday sessions spotlighted operational excellence:
l Credit Management Centre of Excellence
l Achieving Excellence in Collections
Afternoon sessions explored innovation:
l Masterclass in Automation, AI and Machine Learning
l The Urgency of eInvoicing with Australia Post, Cleanaway, and government reps
l PPSA in Practice on personal property securities
l AI-Powered Credit on smarter lending decisions
The day wrapped with:
l The New Face of Credit Fraud
l What Smart Credit Teams Will Get Right This Year Delegates left with tools and insights to lead credit transformation.
Collaboration, Reform and Looking Ahead
The final day tackled legal complexity and futurefocused collaboration.
l Trans-Tasman Trade Credit panel explored crossborder practices
l Trusts Unpacked by Allan Kawalsky MICM clarified enforcement in trust structures
Legal sessions included:
l Strategic Recovery & Insolvency Insights on the ATO’s evolving approach
l Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t on preference claim risks
Post-tea sessions emphasised collaboration and responsibility:
l Sales & Credit Collaboration on bridging departmental gaps
l Reimagining Socially Responsive Credit Management with Janine Rayner (Uniting)
After lunch, Rewiring the System featured AFSA and ATO representatives discussing smarter, fairer credit systems.
The conference closed with Credit Confessions & Crystal Balls, a candid panel led by Julie McNamara LICM CCE, offering reflections and predictions.
Delegates departed with renewed energy, deeper connections, and a shared commitment to reimagining credit for a smarter, more compassionate future.
The AICM President’s and National Awards Dinner
2025 was nothing short of spectacular, a night brimming with celebration, recognition, and inspiration. Proudly sponsored by Blackline and themed “Unstoppable,” the event united industry leaders, emerging talent, and dedicated professionals to honour the very best in credit management.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
The evening launched with a high-energy welcome from Warwick, set to the iconic “Superman” track. He outlined the evening’s program and acknowledged Blackline’s continued support. Brian Morgan FCICM from Blackline echoed that enthusiasm, expressing pride in sponsoring the dinner once again.
Julie McNamara LICM CCE, AICM President, took the stage to deliver a warm welcome and introduce one of the night’s most anticipated moments, the announcement of the Student of the Year.
Congratulations to Ethan Fleming MICM, our 2025 Student of the Year!
Ethan completed all 12 self-paced units in just nine months, showcasing remarkable dedication and applying advanced knowledge directly to his role. His standout qualities included a strong focus on compliance within risk management, mentoring his team, and connecting course content to real-world challenges. Ethan’s commitment to professional growth marks him as a rising leader in the credit industry.
Warwick welcomed Jarrod Faunt MICM from Equifax to present the National Credit Team of the Year Award. Jarrod shared his experience as a judge and acknowledged fellow judges Teena Ryan MICM and Nick Pilavidis FICM CCE.
Congratulations to Aurora Energy, our 2025 Credit Team of the Year!
Aurora’s presentation impressed judges with its transformative approach to technology, training, and staff development. Their engagement score soared from 67% to 97%, all while expanding their team from 9 to 37 members. A new call treatment cycle slashed bad debt by 60%, boosting net profit. Most notably, their unwavering commitment to customer care led to over 216,000 customer calls in just 18 months, many supporting vulnerable individuals. A truly inspiring achievement.
Thank you to all finalists and to Equifax for their generous support.
Sponsored by
Next, Warwick introduced Justin Watson MICM (ARMA) and Matt Jackson MICM (CreditorWatch) to present the Young Credit Professional of the Year Award. Both shared their pride in championing future leaders.
Judges Temaui Cohen MICM, Matt Jackson MICM, Julie McNamara LICM CCE and Hudson Pitt MICM were acknowledged for their mentorship and expert contributions to the development of our up and coming credit professionals.
We’re delighted to announce Elizabeth Dobbie MICM as our 2025 Young Credit Professional of the Year!
Elizabeth was praised for her passion, charisma, and leadership potential. Her energy and dedication to the profession stood out, along with her natural ability to inspire those around her. With a $1,000 cash prize and a $2,000 AICM Professional Development grant, Elizabeth is well on her way to shaping the future of credit management.
2025 State Finalists: VIC/TAS - Julie Truong MICM, WA - Carole Aird MICM QLD and National Winner - Ruthven Underhill MICM CCE, SA - Lisa Anderson FICM CCE and NSW - Ben Strajn MICM.
Brian Bond from Experian took the stage to present the Credit Professional of the Year Award, reflecting on the judging process and thanking fellow judges Steven Staatz MICM CCE and Flourence Matimati MICM CCE.
A huge congratulations to Ruthven Underhill MICM CCE, our 2025 Credit Professional of the Year!
Ruthven’s deep expertise, passion for the craft, and commitment to mentoring others left a lasting impression. His leadership style fosters empowerment and development, setting a high standard for credit operations and team culture.
Finalists were celebrated with certificates and photos, and Ruthven received the same generous prize package as the YCP winner. Thank you to Experian for sponsoring this prestigious award.
To close the evening, Julie McNamara returned to present the coveted President’s Trophy. As “Unstoppable” by Sia filled the room, Divisional Presidents joined her on stage to honour the legacy of leadership within AICM.
Congratulations to Queensland, our 2025 President’s Trophy Winner!
This recognition reflects their outstanding dedication, tireless effort, and exceptional member engagement throughout the year. The President’s Trophy honours the invaluable contributions of our volunteer division councils, whose work is essential to fulfilling our commitment to members and strengthening our national network.
AICM extends its heartfelt thanks to the incredible sponsors and exhibitors whose unwavering support and presence are integral to the success of our National Conference and the broader credit community. Their involvement represents a significant investment – not just in the event, but in the ongoing development and advancement of the credit profession.
By sharing their expertise, showcasing cuttingedge technologies, and providing insights into
OUR SPONSORS
l Premium Sponsors Equifax: who have supported this event for 17 years.
l President’s Dinner and Awards Night: Blackline
AND ALL OUR EXHIBITORS
l CreditorWatch
l Equifax
l Experian
l Credisence
l CreditProtect
l AccessIntell
evolving regulations, they offer our members a unique platform to stay informed, inspired, and empowered to excel in their roles. Their creativity in booth activations also plays a vital role in creating a fun, warm, and engaging environment, one where attendees can exchange ideas, learn from one another, and share a few well-earned laughs along the way. Our sponsors and exhibitors are not just participants; they are true collaborators in shaping the future of credit.
l Welcome Reception Sponsor: Opypro
l CCE Lunch Sponsor: NCS
l VIP Lounge Sponsor: Results Legal
l Wi-Fi Sponsor: Rothwell lawyers
l Ampac Debt Recovery
l ARMA
l ATO
l Coface
l eMatrix
l ezyCollect
l FIS
l Lockton
l Onguard
l Polczynski Robinson
l TCN
As 2025 draws to a close, it’s hard to believe how quickly the year has flown by. It has been a year of growth, recognition, and connection for the credit management community in South Australia. Our Annual General Meeting in September welcoming a new Councillor, Vellie Moyo MICM, one of our SA finalists for the prestigious AICM Credit Professional Award. Vellie’s appointment reflects the depth of talent and leadership within our industry.
On 28 August, we gathered at the iconic Arkaba for the SA Awards Night, honouring excellence in credit management.
Lisa Anderson FICM CCE, Coopers Brewery. Lisa’s customer-centric approach and strategic mindset have set a benchmark for the industry. Her ability to balance Coopers’ high-risk appetite with minimal debt levels demonstrates exceptional foresight and leadership. Runner-Up: Vellie Moyo MICM, Piper Alderman.
This went to Elizabeth Dobbie MICM, with runners-up Nadia Mercorella (NCI) and Samuel Cafasso (QBE). Elizabeth impressed judges with her confidence, industry knowledge, and commitment to mentoring others – a true ambassador for the next generation of credit professionals.
The 2025 AICM National Conference, held at the JW Marriott Gold Coast from 15–17 October, was one of the best yet. The energy was electric, with credit professionals from across the country sharing insights, exploring trends, and discovering new opportunities. Personally, I left feeling inspired and ready to implement fresh ideas and strategies learned during the event.
A highlight was seeing Elizabeth Dobbie MICM crowned National Young Credit Professional of the Year – another proud moment for South Australia. Elizabeth’s innovative outlook and passion for the industry make her a rising star and future leader.
We’re excited for our SA Year-End Celebration on 20 November at Coopers Brewery, featuring guest speaker Kate Thiele, performance strategist and board advisor. The evening will also include a Q&A with our YCP winner, Elizabeth Dobbie. It promises to be a fantastic night to close out an exceptional year. As we look toward 2026, we anticipate another year of learning, networking, and celebrating the incredible talent within our credit community. Here’s to continued success and growth in the year ahead!
We’re kicking off the year with our SA Division Barefoot Bowls on February 12th, a fun-filled evening of networking, friendly competition, and a BBQ to keep everyone fuelled.
But that’s just the beginning!
Here’s what’s coming up in 2026:
l March – SA Half-Day Conference
l June – WINC Luncheon
l Mid-July – SA Trivia Night
l September – YCP & CP Awards Night
These events are more than just dates on a calendar, they’re opportunities to connect, learn, and celebrate success in our credit community. We encourage all emerging Young Credit Professionals and seasoned leaders to apply for the awards.
It’s a fantastic way to gain recognition and showcase your achievements. We’re looking forward to another year of growth, collaboration, and celebration. Here’s to making 2026 our best year yet!
– Janice Riley MICM CCE SA Division President
Australia’s Credit Community comes together:
The 2025 AICM National Conference held from 15-17 October at the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, brought together Australia’s leading credit professionals for three days of insight, innovation and industry connections.
This year it had a dynamic mix of keynote presenters, breakout sessions and an exhibition of showcases. Attendees ranged from Credit Managers & Financial Controllers to legal experts and tech innovators, all eager to explore credit.
The MC Warwick Merry helped foster a collaborative and upbeat atmosphere encouraging attendees to engage with the content and each other.
Congratulations to Lisa Anderson, FICM CCE from Coopers Brewery Limited, on being named the SA State Finalist for the National Credit Professional of the Year Award and while Lisa didn’t win the National title, we are very proud of her achievements.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Dobbie MICM from NCI who was named the 2025 Young Credit Professional of the Year.
These awards reflect the AICM’s commitment to recognising excellence, fostering professional growth and celebrating the achievements of individuals who elevate the credit profession across Australia.
The AICM National Conference proved once again why it’s a premier event for Australia credit professionals. As the industry continues to change, events like this help everyone stay sharp, support each other and lead with confidence.
The Australian Institute of Credit Management welcomes our Partners for 2025
National Partners
Divisional Partners
Official Division Supporting Sponsors
Our National, Divisional and Professional Partners support and work with the AICM to promote the Institute’s activities, represent the Credit Industry and develop the careers of all Credit Professionals. As these organisations support your Institute and your Industry please consider them when you require assistance.
What a year it’s been for our Queensland credit community. From milestone celebrations to national recognition, it’s been wonderful to see our members continuing to show up, support each other, and bring genuine passion to everything we do.
Our 10-year WINC anniversary event at Howard Smith Wharves was a real highlight. It’s incredible to see how much this event has grown over the years, and this year’s turnout was the biggest yet. The energy in the room showed just how strong
and connected our community has become. Queensland rallied and raised the most we have ever raised nationally, a fantastic effort that supports the incredible work of Good360 Australia and our very own Education Foundation. We were privileged to hear from Shannon Fentiman, who delivered an inspiring keynote, and it was an honour to present National President Julie McNamara with her Life Membership during the event, it was a special moment to celebrate her contribution to the credit community.
Of course, conference season brought plenty
to celebrate too. Huge congratulations to Ruthven Underhill on being named Credit Professional of the Year, and to Makayla Golding who proudly represented Queensland as our Young Credit Professional (YCP). Congratulations as well to all national award winners, including the CCE Dux, Credit Team of the Year, and Student of the Year. And finally – the icing on the cake – Queensland took home the President’s Trophy! I’m so proud of this team, whose passion, enthusiasm, and commitment to our credit community continues to shine year after year.
We’re now looking forward to rounding out
the year with our End-ofYear Celebration on Thursday 20 November. It’s always a fantastic way to reconnect, reflect, and celebrate another successful year. Keep an eye on your inboxes for details of our 2026 events calendar, including our much-loved Trivia Night, which continues to sell out every year.
Thank you as always to our amazing partners, sponsors, members, and council for your ongoing support – you make everything we do possible. I can’t wait to see what next year brings, especially with Conference 2026 heading to Brisbane!
Under the warm Queensland sun and the sparkling backdrop of the Brisbane River, more than 300 industry professionals gathered at the stunning Rivershed and Deck, Howard Smith Wharves on 22 August 2025 to celebrate a remarkable milestone –10 incredible years of Women in Credit.
The annual WINC event has long been a highlight on the professional calendar, and this year’s event shimmered brighter than ever. Guests embraced the theme of “glitter, sparkle, and shine,” marking not only a decade of Women in Credit, but also the 10-year anniversary of the event’s charity partner, Good360 Australia.
Since its inception, Women in Credit has celebrated the contributions, leadership, and resilience of women in the credit and finance industry –creating a supportive platform for connection, mentorship, and change. The 10-year milestone was as much about looking back at achievements as it was about looking forward to the next decade of influence and innovation.
dynamic panel of industry leaders, including:
l The Hon. Shannon Fentiman MP
l Alison Covington, Good360 Australia
We were honoured to welcome The Hon. Shannon Fentiman MP, Member for Waterford, Queensland’s Shadow Treasurer, and Shadow Minister for Women, as our keynote speaker.
With an impressive academic background – a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) from QUT and a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne – Shannon was admitted as a Legal Practitioner in 2007. Throughout her career, she has been a tireless advocate for social justice, equality, and fairness.
In her address, Shannon spoke passionately about creating safer, more inclusive workplaces and communities. She challenged attendees to think deeply about how the credit and finance industry can continue to support women –especially those facing vulnerability – while driving meaningful, systemic change. Her insights inspired reflection, conversation, and renewed purpose across the room.
Adding to the day’s rich discussions was a
l Debbie Leo MICM, General Manager Corporate Accounts, Equifax
The panel shared stories of leadership, resilience, and the evolving landscape for women in finance and credit. Their dialogue resonated deeply with attendees, offering both practical insights and heartfelt encouragement.
The day was expertly guided by Stacey Woodward, our Queensland President, whose warmth and energy set the perfect tone for celebration and connection.
With the Brisbane River glistening in the background and the “weather gods” truly turning it on, the lunch was a radiant success – filled with laughter, connection, and inspiration. As glasses clinked and stories flowed, one thing was clear: the Women in Credit network has built more than an event; it has built a community.
As we celebrate 10 extraordinary years, we look forward to the next decade – one that promises to shine even brighter as women in credit continue to lead, uplift, and inspire.
Julie McNamara honoured with AICM Life Membership
For nearly three decades, Julie McNamara has been a guiding force within Australia’s credit profession – a leader whose dedication, integrity, and passion have helped shape the industry and inspire countless professionals along the way.
This year, Julie’s extraordinary contribution has been recognised with the Australian Institute of Credit Management (AICM) Life Membership –the Institute’s highest honour. It’s a fitting tribute to someone who has spent much of her career advancing not only the work of the AICM, but also the people who make up its vibrant community.
Julie’s journey with the AICM began back in 1997, when she first joined the organisation seeking connection and professional growth. What
followed has been a remarkable 27-year journey defined by leadership, service, and a deep belief in the value of the credit profession.
Over the years, she has worn many hats – serving more than a decade on the Queensland Council (2013–2024), four years as QLD Director (2018–2022), and currently leading as National President, a position she has held since 2022. In every role, Julie has brought energy, insight, and a collaborative spirit, helping steer the Institute’s strategic direction and strengthen engagement among members across the country.
Julie has been an inspiring mentor and advocate, encouraging many of us to step beyond our comfort zones and continue growing both personally and professionally.
In 2017, Julie’s outstanding achievements were recognised when she was named the QLD Credit Manager of the Year at the Pinnacle Awards – a testament to her expertise and leadership within the field.
Those who have worked with Julie describe her as a steady and inspiring presence – someone who leads with purpose, supports others generously, and always keeps the profession’s future at heart. Her Life Membership is not just an acknowledgment of years of service, but a celebration of a career spent lifting others and advancing the industry she loves.
As Julie continues in her role as National President, her legacy within the AICM is already firmly established – one built on dedication, professionalism, and a lifelong commitment to excellence in credit management.
Congratulations Julie on your amazing achievement and sharing your journey with us.
This year’s AICM National Conference, held at the luxurious JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, was once again an inspiring and unforgettable event. With the theme “Unstoppable,” the conference brought together credit professionals from across Australia to share ideas, celebrate success, and strengthen the future of the industry.
The Queensland contingent truly made its mark this year, showcasing the talent, dedication, and professionalism that make Qld such a standout state within the Institute.
Congratulations to our award recipients:
Makayla Golding – QLD YCP Finalist
Ruthven Underhill MICM CCE – QLD CP
Finalist & CP National Winner
Queensland Council – Proud winners of the President’s Trophy
It was an amazing evening for all Queensland members and their guests, filled with welldeserved recognition and celebration.
A huge thank you goes out to all our members who attended events throughout the year – your enthusiasm and involvement make Queensland the best state to be a part of within the AICM community.
Behind the scenes, the Queensland Council dedicates countless hours to ensuring we deliver events, education, and initiatives that reflect what our members truly value. Stacey Woodward,
Queensland President, leads with passion and purpose, working tirelessly alongside her dedicated team to bring fresh ideas and energy to our state’s program.
There’s plenty more to come! Keep an eye out for big news – especially for members who may be some distance from Brisbane. The Queensland team is committed to ensuring that every member, no matter where they’re based, has opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with AICM.
Queensland truly is Unstoppable – and 2025 has proven once again that when it comes to credit excellence, our state leads the way.
What’s really happening in Credit recruitment?
The Credit industry is buzzing with change – and it’s not just about numbers anymore. Finding, keeping, and preparing great people has become one of the biggest challenges for businesses right now.
That was the focus of the recent People Strategy in Credit: Recruitment, Retention and Readiness breakfast event in September, held in the Access Intell Boardroom. With hot coffee, lively discussion, and a packed room, it was clear this was a topic that everyone in the Credit community wanted to talk about.
The panel brought together a mix of industry experience and fresh perspective: Carly Rae-Orth MICM CCE, Credit Manager at Fisher & Paykel Appliances; Ruthven Underhill MICM CCE, Credit Manager at Metal Manufactures Limited; and Rav Prasad MICM and Steve Rayner MICM from Humanistiqs, a people and culture consultancy helping organisations “unlock the human capability within their business and surpass their ambitions.”
And unlock it they did – the conversation flowed easily, with questions and insights coming thick and fast from both panelists and attendees.
So, what’s really happening in Credit recruitment?
Recruitment is changing, and quickly. Employers are looking for ways to make the hiring process faster and smarter. As one panelist put it, “A great recruitment process eliminates unsuitable candidates before you even see a résumé.”
Technology and data are playing a bigger role, but so is the human side of hiring – cultural fit, attitude, and potential are now just as important as experience. It’s no longer just about filling a role; it’s about finding someone who fits the team and wants to grow with the business. Retention: It’s not all about the money
It’s no secret that pay packets still matter – but they’re not everything. “Money isn’t always the deciding factor,” one speaker noted. “Lifestyle plays a big part these days.”
Flexibility, hybrid working, wellbeing, and supportive cultures are increasingly the dealmakers (or breakers) when it comes to keeping good people.
Interestingly, roles that are 100% office-based tend to offer higher salaries, but many candidates are happy to trade a bit of pay for better work-life balance.
It’s clear that for today’s workforce, feeling valued and having flexibility often outweighs an extra few dollars on the payslip.
No surprise here – hybrid working versus returning to the office was a hot topic. The room lit up as attendees shared their experiences. Some businesses are embracing hybrid models as a way to attract and retain talent, while others are calling teams back to the office to rebuild connection and collaboration.
The consensus? There’s no “one right way.” What works for one organisation might not work for another. The key is trust, communication, and understanding what drives your people –because that’s what really keeps them engaged.
The Australian Institute of Credit Management welcomes our Partners for 2025
When the discussion turned to culture, the conversation deepened. What does a truly supportive workplace feel like?
According to the panel, it’s one where people feel heard, respected, and supported – not just professionally, but personally.
Recognition, empathy, and genuine care are critical ingredients. And when you get it right, the payoff is huge: loyal employees, stronger teams, and a workplace people want to be part of.
The event wrapped up with a lively Q&A, with plenty of shared stories from those working at the frontline of credit management. There was a real sense of community in the room – everyone facing similar challenges but also open to sharing what’s working for them.
As one attendee summed up over a final cup of coffee, “It’s about people first. The rest follows.”
In a world where change is constant, Credit teams are realising that recruitment, retention, and readiness all start with one thing – understanding what makes people tick. When businesses tap into that human potential, the results speak for themselves.
Divisional Partners Official Division Supporting Sponsors National Partners
Our National, Divisional and Professional Partners support and work with the AICM to promote the Institute’s activities, represent the Credit Industry and develop the careers of all Credit Professionals. As these organisations support your Institute and your Industry please consider them when you require assistance.
Carole Aird MICM
WA Credit Professional of the Year 2025
Carole Aird is the Credit Manager for Kee Group in Perth, Western Australia. Carole is an ambitious career minded businessperson who is results driven and innovative with a proven background in Credit Control Management. She enjoys a challenge of providing effective, practical solutions to achieve beneficial outcomes. Being creative and analytically minded with the ability to lead and motivate others, while maintaining a professional and diplomatic approach.
Carole always seeks to establish and maintain rapport with all customers with a focus on major accounts which removes roadblocks to payments and ensured cash flow was improved. The results are enhanced relationships which facilitate
customers being more than satisfied with the customer service provided.
Another interesting fact about Carole is that she regularly states, “I love what I do” and that shows in her positive outlook. We are so proud of Carole Aird being our WA Division Credit Professional of the Year 2025!
Luke Wilson MICM
WA Young Credit Professional of the Year 2025
Luke Wilson is the WA Collections Manager for Bunnings Group in Western Australia. Luke has worked for Bunnings for 11 years and has worked his way up through the organisation by starting in the Joondalup WA store as a team member back in 2014.
In 2025 his talent and skills were recognised by Bunnings, and he was promoted to WA Collection Manager (Major Customers) and Recoveries Manager for the AUS/NZ Team!
Luke has always applied himself to improving his knowledge and his areas of study include Certificate II in Financial Services, Certificate IV in Finance & Mortgage Broking, Certificate IV in WHS, and currently studying for a Diploma of Project Management as well as a Diploma of Leadership.
Innovation of the Credit Department has been a strong focus for Luke and that will be his focus for the next few years.
His success of implementing the Excel Macros and Power Automate with Pre-Stop Merges within the Bunnings Group, he is in the process of rolling this out with the major collections teams across the company.
Luke is steering towards the career goal of becoming a National Credit Commercial Manager and building effective high performing teams within Bunnings group.
We are very proud of Luke Wilson as our WA Young Credit Professional of the Year 2025!
Celebrate the year with us!
The WA Council want to wrap up this year with you, at our Year-End Celebration & Networking event.
With the city skyline setting as the back drop
this will be a chance to reflect on the successes of the past year, enjoy great company and expand your network in a relaxed and festive atmosphere.
Don’t miss this opportunity to toast the year that was and set the stage for the year ahead!
Event details:
When: Thursday, 20 November 2025
5.00PM – 7.00PM
Where: The Aviary Rooftop, Level 1/140
William Street, Perth
Registration Members $85 (inc GST)
Price: Non-Members $105 (inc GST)
Registration includes 2 hours of drinks and canapes.
The Australian Institute of Credit Management welcomes our Partners for 2025
Partners
Official Division Supporting Sponsors
Our National, Divisional and Professional Partners support and work with the AICM to promote the Institute’s activities, represent the Credit Industry and develop the careers of all Credit Professionals. As these organisations support your Institute and your Industry please consider them when you require assistance.
As we approach the end of another busy year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what has been a truly exciting few months for our Vic/Tas Division.
The highlight of our calendar was, of course, the National Conference, where our division was proudly represented by some exceptional talent. Alex Hawtin was a finalist in the Young Credit Professional (YCP) category, and Julie Truong was recognised as a Credit Professional (CP) finalist – both incredible achievements that reflect the calibre and passion of our members.
Alex works tirelessly on our Vic/Tas Council, always taking on extra roles whenever asked,
so it was fantastic to see his dedication to the profession recognised at the highest level. You’re still a winner in our eyes mate! Julie, you did such an outstanding job, and we look forward to further engagement with you and the WEX team moving forward. We couldn’t have been prouder cheering you both on!
This year’s National Conference was once again a standout event on the AICM calendar, a week that reminded us why our industry is so special. It’s not just about professional development and education (though there was plenty of that!); it’s about connecting with like-minded individuals, sharing experiences, and reigniting our passion for what we do. From the sessions to the social events,
the energy was electric, full of laughter, learning, and those hallway conversations that spark new ideas and friendships.
The Vic/Tas Council certainly made its presence known, seen on stage addressing the crowd, catching up with fellow credit professionals, dining out, laughing by the pool, dancing the night away, and (most importantly) learning and growing together. It was a true reminder of the strength of our community and the friendships that make AICM so much more than just a professional body.
We were also thrilled to learn that Vic/Tas would be taking home the Credit Team of the Year (CTOY) award, a huge congratulations to Aurora Energy for their outstanding win, such a well-deserved
recognition for their commitment to excellence and teamwork. This achievement also highlights the strength of the credit community in Tasmania, with two of the last three CTOY winners coming from there!
That’s why, in 2026, I pledge as your President to ensure our Tasmanian members continue to get the recognition and engagement they deserve – starting with our End of Year event on 19 November, which was an absolute hoot last year and a wonderful opportunity to catch up with everyone.
Our division also celebrated having the largest growth in Certified Credit Executives (CCEs) nationally – a fantastic milestone that speaks to the
dedication and professionalism of our members. We’re excited to keep this momentum going into the new year, encouraging even more members to take the next step in their professional journey.
As we round out 2025, the council has been working hard behind the scenes to deliver a strong finish to the year. Our Vic End of Year event on 13 November was a memorable night, where we proudly celebrated Charles Tims and Carole McTavish being elevated to Life Members (LICM), and Amaran Navaratnam being elevated to Fellow (FICM). These elevations are no small feat – they reflect years of dedication and contribution that go above and beyond. To have not one, not two, but three elevations in 2025 – I could not be a prouder president.
Looking ahead to 2026, our focus will be on deepening engagement with our Tasmanian cohort, continuing to deliver exciting and valuable events, and ensuring we welcome and support new members while sharing the love with our existing ones. We’ll keep encouraging involvement and professional development across the division –and as always, if you’d like to get involved with our council, we’d love to have you. Please reach out!
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated Vic/Tas Council for your tireless effort, enthusiasm, and teamwork throughout the year. You’ve each contributed enormously to the success of our
division, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. Here’s to finishing 2025 strong –and to an even more inspiring year ahead! Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a safe holiday period.
Warm regards,
– Amanda Rothwell-Hiscock MICM President – AICM Vic/Tas Division
Sharpen the tees and polish the putters, the VIC TAS AICM Golf Day returns in 2026 for its 20 year anniversary. What began as a friendly hit out has grown into a signature date on the credit profession’s calendar, a day where relationships are built, deals are sparked, and a little healthy rivalry keeps the scorecards honest.
Expect a full day of connection and celebration. From the first tee to the final putt, the atmosphere is relaxed, social, and competitive in all the right ways. Teams mix members, partners, and clients, which makes it the perfect setting to strengthen networks and thank those who back your business. On course challenges, nearest the pin and longest drive bragging rights, and clubhouse hospitality keep the energy high. Post round, the trophy presentation and prize table bring everyone together for a well-earned celebration.
This anniversary year will tip the cap to two decades of memories while setting the tone for the next chapter. Think special touches that nod to our history, fresh on course experiences, and more opportunities to meet new faces from across VIC and TAS. Whether you are a single figure golfer or you only dust off the clubs once a year, you will feel welcome and part of the action.
Spots are limited, so line up your foursome and be ready to register early. Keep an eye on AICM channels for dates, venue, and registration!
“Never a dull moment”:
A conversation with Mary Petreski FICM CCE, AICM Director and Head of Customer Payments at CampaignAgent
From falling into accounts receivable to steering strategy from the board table, Mary Petreski has seen credit from every angle. Mary reflects on what has changed, the challenges keeping leaders on their toes, and the habits that build resilient teams.
How did you get into credit originally?
Long story. I actually fell into credit. I finished a marketing degree at VUT St Albans and started out in marketing at a small toner refurbishing company in Abbotsford. A year later the company moved marketing to Sydney and offered me an accounts receivable role. I took it, fell in love with the work, and that is where my journey in credit management began. Since then, I have worked across a wide range of environments in both consumer and commercial credit.
What do you enjoy most about working in credit?
I am a people person. Customers are number one and I love talking to them. I memorise customers by name, which really helps in collections and relationship building. I enjoy the diversity of collections work, the systems and processes, and finding gaps that can be fixed. Policy work motivates me too. Most of all, I enjoy my team, watching people grow and develop. There is never a dull moment, and the challenges bring amazing opportunities. Seeing the end result is what drives me.
What are some of the biggest changes you have seen over the years?
Technology and compliance. When I started, we faxed invoices and mailed statements. Ledgers
were printed on continuous paper, and we updated notes in batch. Early systems were keyboard command driven, no mouse in sight. Payments once meant writing down card details and keying them at the end of day on the merchant terminal. Thinking about that now shows how far the profession has moved. The lift in regulation, compliance and technology has completely changed how we work.
What are the biggest challenges facing credit professionals today?
Four challenges stand out:
First, customer expectations. Post Covid there has been a big shift toward empathy in collections. Customers expect more flexibility and compassionate engagement. In the commercial world that becomes challenging when a customer wants more stock but does not meet repayment obligations.
Second, application behaviour. In consumer credit, customers want very fast decisions, but some resist providing supporting documents or use nicknames rather than legal names. When alerts are raised and you request verification, there can be pushback, yet checks and balances must be satisfied.
Third, regulation and compliance. Consumer credit requires leaders to stay on top of the National Credit Code, the Privacy Act, hardship and complaints frameworks, and ongoing updates to regulatory guidance. You need to understand the changes and find the risks within your own company and ledger.
Fourth, fraud and risk. Sophisticated fraud is rising, including synthetic identities, phishing and digital fraud. Keeping on top of it is a constant effort.
How can teams navigate those challenges while maintaining strong customer relationships?
Be educated. Do more than the mandatory modules. Align your learning with your actual work.
I attend sales meetings and explain what fraud and risk look like from the credit side, so sales teams can spot issues early. The more you talk with stakeholders, the faster the turnaround and the better the outcomes.
Invest in team education. I run four one-hour training sessions a month. Topics range from debt collection practice to hardship and complaints. It is not just what the regulations are, it is how they apply in day-to-day operations.
Bring in voices from around the business. Ask someone from sales, legal or another function to join sessions. That shows the team has broader support and it lifts shared understanding.
You have worked in both commercial and consumer credit. How different are they?
Very different. Consumer is highly regulated, with obligations and penalties for non-compliance. You must be on top of your game. Commercial is different because you are working with companies and some elements, like lending regulation and complaints handling, work differently. The common ingredients for success are transparency in collections, clear communication of risk, good record-keeping, and staying up to date through ongoing education.
For someone thinking about moving into consumer credit, where should they look for knowledge and support, and what can AICM offer?
Join membership programs and learn from them.
I am a member of ARCA and AFCA, and I attend their webinars to stay across what is happening. I take those learnings and work with our legal team to align our processes and improve clarity, even in the wording of customer emails. Map processes, find gaps, and fix them.
Within AICM, even though the focus is often commercial, there are strong consumer partners and contacts. Think Experian, Equifax and others. Have conversations, ask questions, and use the network. Joining groups and bureaus gives you
access to different perspectives that accelerate learning.
What value has AICM membership given you? I joined in 2012 when I was ready to step up and take ownership of my development. My first AICM conference was the year PPSA changes were landing, and it was eye-opening. Organisations like AICM are crucial for learning what is happening in the wider world when you do not have time to research everything yourself.
I have never hesitated to ask questions at state events or by email. The only way to learn is to ask. I progressed to professional accreditation a few years later. The title is not the point though. You join to develop yourself, bring new skills back to your team, and teach others. Put AICM members in one room and you have a flourish of knowledge.
What advice would you give a young person who wants to excel in credit?
Enjoy the challenge, love what you do, and learn. You are often better at the job than you think, even when it is new. Be open to opportunities. Find a mentor. Join AICM and related groups. Connect with people. A lot of the most valuable learning comes from networks outside your own organisation.
You also serve as an AICM Director. How have you found the shift from hands-on leadership to the board role?
It is different. I am used to being very hands-on, so stepping back was a personal challenge. As a director you make decisions on sponsorships, membership growth and strategic matters beyond state councils. It is similar to leading a senior team through an agenda, but you are operating at a different altitude. I miss the hands-on work at times, yet the shift has been good growth for me. I trust the team and the work they are doing.
Outside of work, what keeps you busy?
My veggie garden. During Covid I built a greenhouse to pull myself away from work and ended up growing 12 watermelons, 14 cantaloupes and eight pumpkins in a season. I even grew a pineapple from a store-bought crown, which took five years to fruit. I enjoy reading, I love spending time with my family, and I like weekend drives in my Subaru through Kinglake and into the Yarra Valley, especially in spring and especially if I can finish at the chocolate factory.
The Australian Institute of Credit Management welcomes our Partners for 2025
Another National Conference has come and gone, and what a conference it was, well done QLD for hosting another successful event.
Congratulations to our NSW YCP finalist Arian Bahmiyari & our NSW CP finalist Ben Strajn who represented NSW at the conference and both should be very proud of their accomplishments
Thank you to ARMA, CreditorWatch & Experian on sponsoring these prestigious awards.
Since our last edition we held a very successful Golf Day which has made a comeback after many years. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback, ensuring its place on the NSW event calendar in the future. This year, the NSW Council has reimagined its end-of-year event as a formal celebration and networking opportunity. We invite
you to join us on December 4th to connect with like-minded colleagues and peers.
– Sev Indrele, NSW President
The NSW AICM community gathered on Thursday, 7 August 2025, at the QVB Tea Rooms in Sydney for one of the most anticipated events on the credit calendar – the NSW AICM Awards Night. The evening, emceed by Sev Indrele, celebrated the outstanding achievements and professionalism within the credit industry, recognising those who have gone above and beyond in their careers and contributions.
The night began with an Acknowledgement of Country, before acknowledging AICM Fellows, Life
Members, and CCEs in attendance. Special thanks to our National Partners – Equifax, Experian, Turks, CreditorWatch and Credisense – and Divisional Partner AMPAC, whose continued support ensures the success of events like this.
We recognised those who achieved important membership milestones and elevations to Fellow (FICM), highlighting their ongoing commitment to professional development and leadership within the credit industry.
The following members were presented with an elevation to FICM:
l Balveen Saini FICM CCE – BBW Lawyers
l David Hunt FICM CCE – Fujifilm
l Theresa Brown FICM CCE – Optus
The Credit Team of the Year Award, sponsored by Equifax, provides the opportunity for credit teams to be recognised for the outstanding work, results, culture and learning they undertake. Angle Finance from NSW was one of this year’s Top 2 Finalists and they were recognised for their achievements in reaching the Final 2.
The spotlight then turned to the Young Credit Professional of the Year announcement, proudly sponsored by ARMA and CreditorWatch. Eddie Smith (ARMA) and Charles Kinsella (CreditorWatch) spoke about their long-standing support of the program and its importance in recognising emerging leaders in credit. After honouring all finalists, the 2025 NSW Young Credit Professional of the Year was announced – a moment met with huge applause as the winner Arian Bahmiyari from Holman Webb Lawyers took the stage to accept his award.
Next, Experian’s Gaurav Gupta introduced the Credit Professional of the Year Award, emphasising the significance of celebrating established
professionals who exemplify excellence, integrity, and leadership in their field. Finalists were acknowledged for their achievements before the 2025 NSW Credit Professional of the Year was announced and presented to Ben Strajn of Jaybro.
With so many inspiring professionals recognised and such strong engagement across all sectors, the NSW Awards Night once again reinforced why our state’s credit community continues to exemplify the best in the industry.
The September sun was shining on Moore Park Golf Club as credit professionals from across NSW
gathered for the 2025 AICM Experian Golf Day – an event that proved to be a resounding success from the first swing to the final putt.
Organised by NSW Councils David Jovanov, the day ran seamlessly from breakfast through to the post-round presentations.
The Ambrose-style format kept play lively and inclusive, while the various competition holes added extra excitement throughout the course. Highlights included the Commercial Credit Services Straightest Drive, Turks Nearest to the Pin, Experian Longest Drive, Equifax Nearest to the Pin and ARMA Nearest to the Pin, all hotly contested.
With teams representing so many of our sponsors the atmosphere was buzzing with
friendly competition and plenty of good-natured banter. After an afternoon on the fairways, players gathered for the Golf Grill dinner and awards presentation at the Park View Bar, where many prizes were handed out and ARMA was crowned the overall winner.
Congratulations to all participants, sponsors, and supporters who helped make the day such a success – and a special thank you to Experian as the event’s naming sponsor.
Given the overwhelmingly positive feedback and the number of attendees already asking when the next one will be, it’s safe to say the NSW AICM Golf Day is shaping up to become an annual fixture on the AICM calendar.
AICM Member interviews
This quarter, we’re proud to showcase our two NSW award winners – the Credit Professional of the Year and the Young Credit Professional of the Year. Our interviews took place ahead of the National Conference in October, and since then, we couldn’t be prouder of how they represented our state on the national stage.
AICM Member in Focus
NSW Credit Professional of the Year –Ben Strajn MICM
What is your position and the company you work for?
I am the Group Credit Manager at Jaybro Group.
What has been your career journey so far?
My career journey is not the typical story. I didn’t finish high school. I wasn’t academic.
In year 11 I left school without any direction and started working warehousing as a full-time pickpacker. I worked hard and was promoted to an office role. I was on the phone taking orders and then moved into sales. At the time Telco was being deregulated so I took a new job doing door to door sales of Optus telco and pay TV plans. It was hard yakka but great training. Again, I was recognised for promotion and was offered a training role in the office. My job was to teach the new recruits how to sell door-to-door. I later moved into in the call centre work. We did both inbound and outbound sales across several industries and subscription services. I then briefly worked in a retail bookstore, but unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it and quickly realised it wasn’t for me. I left and went back to corporate work.
My turning point was joining Coca-Cola. I started in an inbound customer-service role and, after
about 18 months, moved internally into credit –almost by accident. I was bored, saw an internal ad, applied, and never looked back. Credit resonated with me, so I excelled. It felt meaningful, you could have the tough conversations, and you had the ownership that comes with calling a customer about money owed. There was a sense of authority as you were initiating the calls and the company you worked for was due something. I was no longer a punching bag as the other call centre roles were.
I worked as a Credit Officer for 2 years before being promoted to Collections Team Leader. I had led teams at all of my earlier jobs. I’m not sure why but I always gravitate to leadership. When I selfreflect, I don’t think of myself as a team leader, I think the leadership roles suit me because I’m quite decisive. I usually take control of situations and step in whether it’s at work or in my personal life. It seems to come quite naturally.
Over 9 years at Coca-Cola I had a few several roles, stepping up until I led with the final one being the Team Leader of the banking and allocations team. It was a big function with around a dozen people. My time at Coca-Cola gave me a fantastic grounding in credit fundamentals and people leadership.
In 2015 I took a redundancy (part voluntary, part not), had about five months off, then joined Fuji Xerox as a Team Leader for a year before moving to Sharp for three and a half years. That’s where I found my first true mentor, Amon. He fundamentally changed my career by teaching me to think like a manager, not just follow the playbook. His approach was never to berate; he’d simply ask, “Have we learnt something?” focus on taking learnings from mistakes, and guide me to the answer rather than give it to me. I was taught how to make the right decision with confidence.
In 2020 I joined Jaybro. I was Credit Manager for 3 years and, two years ago, became Group Credit Manager. We’re private equity owned, so my responsibilities have broadened across the group. I lead a team of seven, including two Team Leaders.
We’re also mid-way through an ERP consolidation going live in November, which will bring our acquired businesses onto a single platform. Jaybro is very fast-paced, and we’re constantly evolving. Never a dull moment! I report to our CFO, Renee (who reports to the CEO), and she’s been another excellent mentor – she doesn’t just hand me fish; she teaches me how to fish.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment to date?
Winning the NSW Credit Manager of the Year has been the standout. It was a genuine honour and a career highlight.
Why do you think the judges selected you for the Credit Professional Award?
I bring strong critical thinking with a healthy dose of scepticism, balanced by commercial pragmatism. I focus on outcomes that support sales while protecting the ledger, and I invest in my team, so decisions don’t always need to escalate. That blend of judgement, results and people leadership is, I think, what stood out.
What advice can you give to emerging credit professionals?
Don’t get trapped in process for process’s sake. By nature, many of us are process-driven, but real success comes from understanding the spirit as well as the letter of the policy. Sense-check yourself: am I being stubborn, or am I being commercial and fair? Stay humble; don’t assume you’re the smartest person in the room. Listen. Keep your metrics simple and meaningful, know what “healthy” looks like in your industry.
For example, I don’t focus on metrics like DSO. I keep it simpler. Some measures move with the business – If sales spike, DSO can look worse better, and vice versa, and I can’t control that. Instead, I focus on things like overdue percentages relative to the total book and keep write-offs within a healthy, industry-appropriate range. Zero write-offs
“Don’t get trapped in process for process’s sake. By nature, many of us are processdriven, but real success comes from understanding the spirit as well as the letter of the policy.”
usually mean you’re strangling sales: commercial awareness and balance matter. As our former CEO, Jeremy Joyce, one of my mentors often reinforced, Jaybro every business has a certain risk appetite –understanding that as a Credit Manager is key.
How long have you been a member of the AICM? Approximately 8 years.
What has being a member of the AICM done for you? It’s plugged me into an incredible community – resources, information, mentors, and peers.
Over the last two years, AICM trainer Toni Sawyer has delivered training to my team that added real value. I’ve attended networking events and was invited to present at a Special Interest Forum, which was both an honour and great for my development – teaching forces you to prepare properly and really know your stuff. The publications are excellent. I was also invited to other professional forums through the contacts at the AICM
What are your favourite things to do outside of your profession?
Family comes first. My wife is a cook, and our sixyear-old son keeps us busy with school, activities, drop-offs and pick-ups.
Personally, I’m a big reader – fantasy fiction is my go-to – plus video games, hiking and bushwalking, plus I’m a huge fan of UFC! Just as a spectator…
Arian Bahmiyari MICM
What is your position and the company you work for?
Solicitor, Commercial Recovery & Insolvency –Holman Webb Lawyers
What has been your career journey?
I completed my studies in late 2023 and was admitted in early 2024, but my journey started a little earlier.
In July 2022 I joined Matthews Folbigg Lawyers as a law clerk in the Debt Recovery, Restructuring & Insolvency team. I didn’t set out to be an “insolvency person – I honestly fell into it. I was getting a lot of foundational experience in law and happened to get a lot of work in the area because that’s what the team I started in specialised in.
Insolvency and debt related work made sense to me very quickly. It was hands-on, commercial, and collaborative; I could see the real-world impact of each step we took, whether that meant recovering debts, negotiating outcomes, or advising through difficult restructures.
I also helped adjacent practice areas – property, wills & estates, and government – which gave me a broad base and sharpened my instincts about where problems can emerge and how different stakeholders view risk. That breadth has turned out to be invaluable in recovery work – a good range of exposure to different areas of law.
In September 2023 I moved to Holman Webb Lawyers, where I now work across debt recovery and insolvency – roughly a 50/50 split. The exposure has been terrific. I’m trusted with responsibility but also supported with feedback and mentoring. That combination – autonomy plus accountability – has accelerated my growth.
I still call myself a junior lawyer with a lot to learn. That’s energising – the learning curve is the attraction. The exposure and experience I’m getting
here is incredible and the commitment from the firm to my development is amazing. In terms of specialising, I am interested in doing the Advanced Arita Diploma, formerly the ARITA Advanced Certification via TAFE. It should help me develop a better understanding of the commercial realities of those actions with respect to the debt recovery side as well. My priority is to continue to develop, to continue to grow and improve what I’m doing.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment to date?
Winning NSW Young Credit Professional (YCP) 2025. I competed in 2024 and received very constructive feedback but didn’t win. This year the judges told me my 2025 performance looked like I’d “grown five years” in one. That was incredibly affirming. It told me my effort to improve – content, structure, delivery –was visible to others, not just to me. I’m grateful for the recognition, but more than that, the process itself expanded my network and confidence. I went back to work with expanded confidence, and I think that makes me better at my job.
Why do you think the judges selected you for the YCP Award?
There’s a structured set of questions, so I think your answers matter as much as your presentation. I remember I was very happy with my answers. I aimed to combine the legal lens with the credit practitioner’s reality. In one scenario, instead of offering a purely theoretical response, I referenced a closely-aligned case – what we did, why it worked, and how those learnings applied. I think the judges appreciated that real-world application and the balance between principle and practicality. Blending legal reasoning with a credit lens helps you move from ‘technically correct’ to ‘commercially right.
What advice can you give to emerging credit professionals?
The biggest thing that I would say to other young,
young credit professionals is just have a go at everything. Don’t shy away. I think something like the YCP award, win or not like I did in 2024 is worthwhile experience. I felt like a winner nonetheless because the experiences, connections and recognition that followed anyway was incredible.
In my work I do the same. I’ve taken a large range of work that may be a bit outside of what I normally would do, with other teams I think it’s always good be open to trying new things. I think that has helped me grow. The best thing you can do is keep learning.
How long have you been a member of the AICM?
Two years
What has being a member of the AICM done for you?
As a junior lawyer, you’re suddenly in rooms with senior professionals who are generous with advice and introductions. That naturally builds mentorship and a sense of community. I think building your brand is important for a solicitor. The events, seminars and informal conversations compound into a much clearer understanding of where the industry is heading and how to contribute meaningfully.
How did you get involved in the NSW AICM Council?
After I had a go at the 2024 YCP award – which I didn’t win I was invited to join the NSW Council. I must have impressed someone, so my name was put forward to apply.
What has being on Council of AICM done for you? It’s part of why despite not winning in 2024 I felt like a winner. I have had the experience from the council that has been great – especially from the perspective of a young credit professional. I’m able to build my own brand and stand out from the crowd. If you don’t take part in this community, you won’t get as many opportunities to put yourself forward. The exposure is incredible.
What are your favourite things to do outside of your profession?
I enjoy working out so I’ve leaned into more cardio recently and love the Bay Run – either with friends or with my partner. I’m also unashamedly competitive with games – both computer and board games. And for downtime we’re re-watching The Office (US – the extended editions with extra scenes. It’s the perfect blend of cringe and comfort.
Thank you Gary Poslinsky. NSW Council.
The Australian Institute of Credit Management welcomes our Partners for 2025
We recognise those members who achieved membership anniversaries between July to October 2025. Congratulations to these members on achieving such important milestones.
The Institute welcomes the following credit professionals who were recently admitted to membership between July and October 2025..
Aaran McBeth
Elantis Premium Funding
Aaron Murphy Aurora Energy
Alex Khalil OnDeck
Andrew Maratos Angle Finance
Anna Kyriakou Kone Elevators
Annie Chau MM Plastics Pty Ltd
Brent Petrie Angle Finance
Bronwyn Culbert Coates
Christian Murphy Aon
Christine Mitchell Elantis Premium Funding
Connor Robison Angle Finance
Courtney Hunt-Madden DebtManagers
Daniel Lee 1Centre
Ekta Masrani Ventora Group Pty Ltd
Erin Poole Ecolab
Essam Ahmed TPG Telecom
Evanjeline Sasithar Equifax
Genevere Paice-Lubbe Remondis Australia Pty Ltd
Harsh Singh Angle Finance
Jason Polese 4 Wentworth Chambers
Jessica Barnes Domain
Joel Finkelde San Miguel Yamamura Australasia
Justin Choi Aon
Katrina Carreon Atradius
Kokee Treviranus Elantis Premium Funding
Laura Hislop 1Centre
Leanne Caulfield Ventora Group Pty Ltd
Leanne Kelly Commercial Credit Services Pty Ltd
Lucas Tarnawski Angle Finance
Marc Cambra Perez Remondis Australia Pty Ltd
Maria Cuevas Metal Manufactures Limited
Meaghan Mackie Legend Corporate Services Pty Ltd
Nadine Charrouf MM Electrical
Nakul Nirmal Allianz Trade
Naresh Shrestha Remondis Australia Pty Ltd
Nathan Fairlie SMEG Australia
Paola Giotas Sanofi
Paul Schofield Elantis Premium Funding
Peter Dimaris Remondis Australia Pty Ltd
Raquel Jara Angle Finance
Richel Gnanapragasam Omnicom Media Group
Robert McLeod
Robert Earnshaw Metcash
Sanjeev Adhikari Remondis Australia Pty Ltd
Scott Martin Grant Thornton Australia
Seona Hartseil
Seyedesomayeh Asgharisharifi Kone Elevators
Shamini Edirisinghe Epson Australia Pty Ltd
Soraya Juradowitch Experian
Sujatha Willathgamuwa Ecolab
Tom Kellaway Realty Assist Australia Ltd
Wendy Lim IPH Limited
Aditi Masdekar Treasury Wine Estate
Ajay Lokwani Treasury Wine Estate
Amit Walunj Treasury Wine Estate
Bharat Malviya Treasury Wine Estate
Deidre Willmoth New Balance NZ Ltd
Haley Wallace 1Centre
Kari Wang 1Centre
Maddie Doull 1Centre
Miriana Lowrie 1Centre
Shreyanshu Mishra Treasury Wine Estate
Usha Sawant Treasury Wine Estate
Vishaka Shinde Treasury Wine Estate
Aly Tran Signet Pty Ltd
Antoinette Ferguson Lactalis
Belinda Young Spicers
Ben Raison JBS Australia Pty Ltd
Brooke Todd PeopleIn
Caitlin Shillingford Tradelink
Catherine Mukungu
Financial Management & Operations
Support Services
Chrissy Mondey Bulk Fuel
Clint Davis BDE
Desirae Lobb IBA
Edlyn Moore-Pinilla Stoddart Group
Elizabeth Privitera Spicers
Grace Freeman Reliance Worldwide Corporation
Gregory Kotzadamis Brisbane City Council
James Rayner Humanistiqs
Kimberly Large G James Glass & Aluminium
Luke Hunter ICON Group
Megan McPhie QRIDA
Melissa Bartley Optimum Recoveries Pty Ltd
Michael Nugent G James Glass & Aluminium
Nathaniel Smith NCI
Nicole Amalfitano JBS Australia Pty Ltd
Rachel Bradshaw G James Glass & Aluminium
Sam Pratheep MM Electrical
Sam Battams Vincents
Simon Harch JBS Australia Pty Ltd
Stephen Rayner Humanistiqs
Susan Swanson Shell Energy
Taylor Johnson G James Glass & Aluminium
Vanessa Avlonitis Intelligent Monitoring Group
Willian John Arnull G James Glass & Aluminium
Ally Duncan Arteva Funding
Andrew Green Beyond Bank
Biresswar Parui Beyond Bank
Carla De Guzman Alberto Oracle Insolvency Services
David Radley Elders Limited
Debra Lester Eltrak International + Staff
Dhruvi Patel Oracle Insolvency Services
Farhan Hashwani Beyond Bank
Joshua Warren Hallett Group
Julia Hughes Arteva Funding
Kylie Singleton Arteva Funding
Laura Head Arteva Funding
Melissa Beech Beyond Bank
Nick Bilby Beyond Bank
Rebecca Cialini Beyond Bank
Robyn Anderson Northline
Sevasti Lambrinos Beyond Bank
Tony Majstrenko Beyond Bank
Vanessa George Hill Smith Family Estates
Adam Sam DebtManagers
Adele Nankivell Aurora Energy
Andrew Vu GWA Group Limited
Angela Ritchie Haymes Paint
Bret O’Keefe Asahi Group Beverages
Brian Bonnici Calendar Cheese
Bridget Hume Bapcor
Callum Cormack Reece
Cassandra Burton Viterra
Celine Cho BMW Financial Services
Chiara Nicolaci SLF Lawyers
Christie Addison Bapcor
David O’Bryan National Collection Services
Dean Frantzis Geofabrics Australasia
Delaney Reid Aurora Energy
Divya Sabharwal Macquarie Bank
Donna Clayton Aurora Energy
Graeme York Bapcor
Haedy Rand Aurora Energy
Helen Thalassinos Industry Fund Services
Indianna Keith Dulux Group
Irina Ustovytska Geofabrics Australasia
Jack Affinita Elantis Premium Funding
James Dunn FMH Group
Jamie Hughes Dulux Group
Janani Amaresan Geofabrics Australasia
Jannel Requejo Angle Finance
Jasmine Hiney Industry Fund Services
Jessica Lauren Bell Aurora Energy
Joanne Brooks CMV Truck + Bus
Julie Rainbird Aurora Energy
Kamal Akisetty New Era Cap Australia Pty Ltd
Karen Nicholas Asahi Group Beverages
Khai Du Bob + Pete’s Calendar Cheese
Kim Le Dulux Group
Kristy Cahill Asahi Group Beverages
Leanne Chesser Bapcor
Louie Tzakopoulos Asahi Group Beverages
Mark Mathews ABC Mercantile Pty Ltd & ABC Debt Services Pty Ltd
Mark Poldermans PFD Foods
Mathew Curtis Angle Finance
Max Cassou Pitcher Partners
Melani Dow Bapcor
Michael Sunjaya Jurenang Aurora Energy
Murray Sutton Geofabrics Australasia
Nikki Bucklar Mercy Health
Palghat Sivaramakrishnan Calendar Cheese
Rachael Lavars Elantis Premium Funding
Rachael Johns Aurora Energy
Rachel Zhang PeopleIn
Ravleen Makkar Pitcher Partners
Rhiannon Hansen Bapcor
Richa Upadhyay Geofabrics Australasia
Rohan Hughes Aurora Energy
Rosie Niu Calendar Cheese
Shane Thompson Asahi Group Beverages
Shane Priscina Urbis
Shannon Pepperell Haymes Paint
Shevelin Jose Geofabrics Australasia
Sonia Suchitra Gopinath Calendar Cheese
Steven Cornell Interactive Pty Ltd
Tiffany Tan Dulux Group
Tracey Vinci Programmed Electrical Technologies Ltd
Tracey Robilliard Asahi Group Beverages
Tristan Berezansky Aurora Energy
Waruni Unantenne Bapcor
Ana Mae Grace Barrera MRC Global
Blanche Venter MRC Global
Chloe Fletcher City of Stirling
Ciaron McInnes Cloud Payment Group
Claye Herdman Kleenheat
Emily Gill Kleenheat
Filiz Caner Capricorn Society
Jane West Capricorn Society
Kate Doherty Kleenheat
Katrina Whittred Wesfarmers Kleenheat
Kevin McIntyre Mediterranean Shipping Company Australia
Lauren Hodge Kleenheat
Marc Dawson Kleenheat
Martin Wood MRC Global
Michelle Teague Kleenheat
Pamela Hodges Kleenheat
Richard Tuffin Elders Limited
Shiqin Huang MRC Global
Sonia Tipoki Wesfarmers Kleenheat
Xi Lim Kleenheat
1. Industry news and insights
Members continue to be informed of the latest news in credit, regulatory changes and receive insights to best practice from leaders in the industry.
2. Complimentary registration to our webinar series
Members receive complimentary registration to our webinar series valued at over $300! The value from this member benefit alone covers the majority of your membership fee.
3. Discounts for all AICM activities
Receive a member discount for all AICM events and training courses. The more engaged you are with us, the more you’ll save and have your membership to thank for it.
4. Access to resources
Being a member will provide access to resources that will assist in navigating the ever-changing business economic and regulatory environment. This includes articles, reports, webinars and our quarterly magazine.
5. Be part of our professional community
Last but not least, join our growing professional credit community which has reached over 2800 members for the first time in the last 17 years! Interact with fellow credit professionals to build relationships and tap into credit management insights.
BONUS: More value for teams!
Do you manage or work within a team? AICM offer a group membership for organisations to enrol multiple employees as members at discounted rate.
To find out more about AICM Membership go to www.aicm.com.au
For information, options and pricing please contact Claire Kasses on +61 2
AMPAC Debt Recovery
Level 5, 35 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 1300 426 722
Email: info@4ampac.com.au
Web: www.4ampac.com.au
AMPAC Debt Recovery is a specialist debt collection practice supporting organisations around Australia and in over 180 countries worldwide. With decades of experience and global reach, AMPAC is a trusted partner to some of Australia’s highest profile private and public sector organisations. Call or email us to next time you are reviewing your debt recovery needs.
Divisional Supporting Sponsor
Boost Collections
Tel: 1800 446 901
Email: jamesvp@boostcollections.com.au
Web: https://www.boostcollections.com.au/
Boost Collections is a debt collection firm committed to delivering professional, costeffective recovery services across Australia and New Zealand. As part of the Commercial Credit Services Group, established in 2001, Boost Collections brings over two decades of experience to the industry. We combine the systems and scale of a large agency with the personal attention of a boutique firm. Our approach involves a balanced and fair collection strategy – ensuring high-performance results while maintaining positive customer relationships.
Divisional Supporting Sponsor
CCSG
Tel: (02) 8568 6539
Web: www.ccsgroup.com.au
Credit Collection Services Group (CCSG) is a leading full-service debt collection agency. We specialise in debt collection, litigation, commercial default listings, portfolio ledger management, and financial hardship management. At CCSG, we understand your challenges, have proven expertise, and protect your interests through robust compliance and best business practices. Our experienced team is dedicated to engaging with people effectively, delivering results that improve cash flow and financial stability for our clients. Partner with CCSG for professional, efficient, and ethical debt collection solutions tailored to your needs.
Email: inbox@humanistiqs.com.au
Web: https://humanistiqs.com.au/
At Humanistiqs, we specialise in unlocking human potential through tailored solutions in Advisory, Outsourced HR, Recruitment (Permanent & Temporary), Strategic Planning, Training, Facilitated Workshops and Compliance. Our proven approach – Strategy + Structure x People = Performance – empowers businesses to align their people and strategy for exceptional results. From practical HR support and compliance to leadership coaching and workforce development, we partner with clients to create sustainable, high-performing teams. Let us help you transform ambition into action, driving success with human-focused strategies that deliver measurable outcomes.
National Collection Services
Tel: 1300 888 758
Email: info@natcollection.com.au
Web: https://natcollection.com.au/
National Collection Services are a boutique Debt Collection Agency that sees ourselves as an ‘extension’ of your internal credit department. We will work with you to form a partnership, with our focus being placed on the associated levels of engagement, support, communication and goals of your organisation.
Divisional Supporting Sponsor
Tasmanian Collection Service
Tel: 03 6213 5555
Email: connect@tascol.com.au
Web: https://www.tascol.com.au/
With over 140 years’ experience, branches in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie and a database on the Tasmanian population that is second to none, there is no one better placed to handle your Tasmanian debts. Why not consider outsourcing to a local expert, you’ll be glad you did.
Credisense
Neill Borg, Enterprise Director
Tel: 0401 066 624
Email: neill.borg@credisense.io
Web: https://credisense.co.nz/
Credisense revolutionises the way businesses acquire new customers. One-size does not fit all. Our platform provides personalised, omnichannel, and unified customer experiences that embody your brand. Orchestrate and analyse thousands of data points and services that automate any process or decision. All from the cloud. All with no coding.
AICM Divisional Partner
Onguard
Tel: 1800 123 613
Web: www.onguard.com
OnGuard’s Credit management solution will help you hit your collection targets – each and every month.
By working smarter and providing better visibility, OnGuard will help you reduce your DSOs. Why not give your staff a friendly solution that will make their life so much easier.
Contact us to show you how OnGuard has made life a whole lot easier for our customers.
Divisional Partner
Opypro
Email: partner@opypro.com.au
Web: www.opypro.com.au
Opypro is a single cloud-based platform that fully automates the end-to-end B2B credit management process. Multiple systems can be replaced by Opypro streamlining onboarding, providing real time access to business buyer account information and increasing payment success with consolidated invoicing, automated Dunning cycles and payment reconciliation. Contact us to see how Opypro can drive efficiencies across your trade accounts receivable process.
For information, options and pricing please contact Claire Kasses on +61 2 9174 5727 or E: claire@aicm.com.au
Lane Communications
Tel: 08 8179 9900
Web: www.laneprint.com.au
Lane are widely regarded as one of the largest and most technologically advanced print production and distribution companies in Australia. We are an industry leader in digital and offset print, point of sale signs, complex embellishments and print finishing, storage, kitting and mailing. With innovation at our core, our services extend beyond transactional mail and promotional print production to include SMS, bulk email communications, and electronic billing solutions. Lane are your partner in print and multi-channel communications.
Building
Tel: 07 3852 1342, 1800 931 222
Email: bicb@bicb.com.au
Web: https://bicb.com.au
If your business supplies the building industry, we have industry-specific data that will raise your credit management decision-making effectiveness and perhaps prevent/minimise loss. We know you like to do your job well. Let us help you do it even better. For more info, call today.
GPO Box 276
Sydney NSW 2001
Tel: 1300 501 312
Web: www.creditorwatch.com.au
CreditorWatch is a leading commercial credit reporting bureau used by over 50,000 businesses across Australia. CreditorWatch offers a variety of products including customer monitoring/alerts, credit reporting, an indepth trade program and online credit applications to assist with customer onboarding and decisioning. Contact us today for more information or to organise a FREE DEMO of any of products.
Insolvency Intelligence for Credit Managers
Tel: 1300 265 753
Email: intelligence@jirschsutherland.com.au
Web: www.jirschsutherland.com.au/ insolvencyintelligence/
Insolvency Intelligence: a specialist provider of insolvency and turnaround advice and services for credit managers. Backed by national firm Jirsch Sutherland, our friendly team is just a phone call or email away, providing members with practical, strategic advice about corporate and personal insolvency. Free initial consultation; networking opportunities; training and presentations; knowledge database access. Contact us now to find out how we could assist you.
Tel: 13 83 32
Web: www.equifax.com.au
Equifax is a global information solutions company, providing data and insights that help organisations and individuals make more informed decisions. As a leading provider of credit information and analysis in Australia and New Zealand, Equifax serves key markets in risk management, marketing services and HR solutions.
Drawing from trusted sources to compile and process data, Equifax helps its customers see things and make connections that others can’t.
We’re proud of the AICM and we want to let all credit professionals know those businesses that support the AICM. Thank you to these companies for their continued support and please consider them first when you’re looking for assistance in your business. We’ll also include these sponsors on our website so you can be sure to find them easily.
For more information contact: Claire Kasses
Direct: +61 2 9174 5727
Email: claire@aicm.com.au
Tel: 1300 560 996
Tel: 13 23 33
Web: www.experian.com.au
Renowned for our expertise in credit risk management, we pride ourselves in providing market leading products and services which securely store and analyse the unique data of millions of individuals and commercial entities. While we specialise in credit risk assessment and decisioning software solutions, we also provide a full suite of products that span the entire credit lifecycle. This includes lead generation and sales prospecting tools and receivables optimisation solutions.
SV Partners
Level 8, 68 St George’s Terrace, Perth WA 6000
GPO Box 2527, Perth WA 6001
Tel: 08 6277 0026
Fax: 07 3229 7285
Email: perth@svp.com.au
Web: https://svpartners.com.au/
SV Partners is a specialist accounting and advisory firm with 17 offices across Australia. Our expert accountants have the skills and experience to provide tailored insolvency, turnaround and advisory services. We partner with professionals and their clients, providing expert advice with a human touch.
Vincents
Level 34 Santos Place, 32 Turbot Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Tel: 1300 VINCENTS, (07) 3228 4000
Web: www.vincents.com.au
Vincents is a solutions-focused professional services firm with over 35 years of experience. Its Restructuring & Recovery team consists of experts in all aspects of insolvency, restructuring, and recovery. They are dedicated to supporting you or your clients during critical decision-making moments, acting as financial counsellors, and offering advice and solutions for a wide range of financial distress situations. Regardless of the size or complexity of the matter, their team collaborates closely with you, your stakeholders, and advisors – including lawyers, accountants, financiers, and creditors – to achieve the best possible outcome.
For information, options and pricing please contact Claire Kasses on +61 2 9174 5727 or E: claire@aicm.com.au
Divisional Supporting Sponsor
Lockton
Tel: 0403 178 525
Email: oliver.barber@lockton.com
Web: https://global.lockton.com/au/en
Lockton is a family-owned global insurance broker and risk advisor. Founded in 1966 by Jack Lockton, our company was built on one simple idea: to provide the best service in the insurance industry. With a 97% client retention rate and over $890m in premiums placed locally, our clients trust us to help them outperform the market and build resilience. Our award-winning culture enables us to attract top industry and product specialists who consistently deliver extraordinary results.
Results Legal
Level 4, 183 North Quay
Brisbane QLD 4000
Tel: 1300 757 534
Web: www.resultslegal.com.au
Results Legal is a national firm with a focus on promoting and protecting the rights of trade creditors. Our clients are some of Australia’s largest trade credit companies who rely on our assistance for legal recovery, dispute resolution, preference claim defence and PPSA rights. Results Legal are the obvious first choice for companies seeking a national solution to resolve commercial disputes and pursue swift, successful and cost effective legal recovery action.
Agility Law
Contact: Levi Smouha, Managing Partner
Tel: 0423 982 333
Email: levi.smouha@agilitylaw.com.au
Contact: Janel Pearce, Senior Paralegal
Tel: 07 3521 8519
Email: janel.pearce@agilitylaw.com.au
Web: www.agilitylaw.com.au
Agility Law Group, based in Brisbane, specialises in debt recovery, litigation, insolvency, commercial, and property law. We handle both high-volume and complex, high-value disputes across all state and federal courts. Our expertise includes insurance and finance recovery actions. We provide strategic, practical solutions tailored to our clients’ objectives nationwide.
Divisional Supporting Sponsor
Holman Webb Lawyers
Tel: 02 9390 8000
Email: andrew.tanna@holmanwebb.com.au
Web: www.holmanwebb.com.au/
Holman Webb is a commercial and insurance law firm with over 60 years’ experience and the scale to provide a top-tier level of legal services. We deliver unique insights and bring relevant, real world experience to you from our offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Nova Legal
Level 2, 50 Kings Park Road
West Perth 6005
Tel: 08 9466 3177
Web: www.novalegal.com.au
Nova Legal can assist with the recovery of problem debtors (large and small). Founding director Raffaele Di Renzo acts for creditors, debtors, directors, credit managers and insolvency practitioners in relation to solvency issues and dispute resolution.
Rothwell Lawyers
Tel: (03) 9329 3500
Email: admin@rothlaw.com.au
Web: www.rothlaw.com.au
At Rothwell Lawyers, we are a commercial team of solicitors and other legal support staff that are experts within our field. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide sound legal advice to individuals and businesses of all sizes, from sole directors and shareholder companies and large national corporations. Whether it is basic debt recovery, commercial law and litigation, insolvency advice to agreements and contracts, the team at Rothwell Lawyers can help you today.
Turks
Tel: 02 8257 5700
Email: marketinggroup@turkslegal.com.au
Web: www.turkslegal.com.au
Turks is a specialist commercial law firm with
33 Partners and over 160 staff across our Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane offices. We are proud to look after the interests of trade creditor suppliers and financial institutions in:
l Portfolio debt recovery using our marketleading, real-time client interface, ‘TurksFocus’
l Resolution of complex debt disputes
l PPSA recovery
l Defence of unfair preference claims
l Supply documentation and guarantees.
Divisional Supporting Sponsor
Byron Thomas Recruitment
Tel: 02 8677 3020
Email: info@byronthomas.com.au
Web: www.byronthomas.com.au/
As Sydney’s leading Executive Accounting and Finance recruitment service, we offer access to our exclusive relationships, networks and database of over 80,000 Accounting and Finance Candidates. We are a privately-owned Australian company that have been operating for over 10 years. We work with a variety of public, private, family owned and private equity-backed companies.
Access Intell Pty Ltd
PO Box 1551, Kenmore, QLD 4069
Tel: 1300 831 331
Email: admin@accessintell.com
Web: https://www.accessintell.com/
Access Intell is a fast-growing fintech with a suite of B2B credit management solutions. Our platform transforms diverse data from global sources into instantly understandable insights. The customisable products create a streamlined process from online trade applications and PPSR through to ongoing risk monitoring. Fast implementation gets you onboard within 24 hours for standard setup. Backed by responsive service and flexible pricing, Access Intell is trusted by organisations across diverse industries. Visit our website to book a demo.
FIS Global
Tel: +61438049227
Email: baden.quinane@fisglobal.com
Web: https://www.fisglobal.com/
FIS is a financial technology company providing solutions to financial institutions, corporations, and developers. Our Automated Finance portfolio provides a comprehensive suite of receivables, payables and revenue optimization tools that modernize the office of the CFO, helping turn finance from a cost center into a growth partner. We create financial technology solutions that remove friction, create revenue opportunities, and give clients the confidence and capabilities to grow their business. FIS is a member of the Fortune 500® and the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index. To learn more, visit FISglobal.com. Follow FIS on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
National Credit Insurance Brokers
Tel: 1800 882 820 (freecall)
Email: info@nci.com.au
Web: www.nci.com.au
National Credit Insurance Brokers (NCI) has established itself as the premier trade credit insurance broker in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia. Trade credit insurance is a highly specialised area of insurance and with its 35 years of experience, NCI has developed an unmatched depth of expertise in arranging the right protection at the best price for your particular trading needs.
Slattery
Email: gtanner@slatteryauctions.com.au
Web: www.slatteryassetadvisory.com www.slatteryauctions.com
Slattery Valuations is Australia’s leading asset valuation team, trusted for accurate and efficient valuations nationwide and internationally. Our expertise spans finance, accounting, insolvency, insurance, mining, government, aviation, and marine sectors. We deliver discreet, evidence-backed valuations tailored to your needs and carried out under international valuation standards.
