Building on the widespread support for the Law Council of Australia’s Equitable Briefing Policy, TMA Australia encourages firms and organisations working in insolvency, restructuring, and turnaround to adopt the TMA Voluntary Code for Equitable Insolvency & Restructuring Appointments (EIRA), launched at the TMA National Conference on 11 September 2024.
Firms that sign on to the Code will be recognised on the TMA website with the inclusion of their logo.
EIRA is one of several initiatives supported by Houlihan Lokey, aimed at increasing the engagement, visibility, and retention of women in the restructuring and turnaround profession.
In their July 2023 report, the Parliamentary Joint Committee into Corporate Insolvency said:
8.26 While many other industries and professions have managed to improve diversity among their ranks, registered liquidators appear to have been locked in a time capsule that was buried years ago.
8.27 The fact that female representation amongst registered liquidators has improved to one in ten over the past decade is alarming. It appears that we are not alone in facing this issue. There are clearly broader cultural or systemic issues at play, and they must be reflected on and addressed.
Why this matters
In too many recent high-profile insolvencies, all appointed practitioners have been men. Visibility matters. Emerging women in the profession need to see real, attainable pathways. Public appointments - particularly as registered liquidators on large voluntary administrations—send a powerful message about who belongs in leadership.
But this isn’t just about one role. We must support women across the full restructuring ecosystem - accounting, legal, advisory, capital, and trustee services - to build and sustain partner-level careers.
When more women are appointed as liquidators, it opens doors and drives opportunity across the entire sector.
Why is the TMA doing this?
Formal insolvency plays a key role in many restructures, and registered liquidators are central to that process. Many TMA members are current or aspiring liquidators, while others have moved into broader roles across the restructuring and advisory space.
At TMA Network of Women (NOW) events, younger women consistently raise the barriers they face to becoming liquidators and building sustainable careers in the profession.
New South Wales
Kate Barnet, Olvera Advisory
Amanda Coneyworth, KPMG
Kate Conneely, Cor Cordis
Gayle Dickerson, KPMG
Robyn Duggan, EY
Kathryn Evans, FTI
Lisa Gibb, Grant Thornton
Melissa Humann, PwC
Jenny Nettleton, KordaMentha
Kathy Sozou, McGrathNicol
Martie Tziotis, EY
Jessie Wang, Wexted
Erica Xu, Grant Thornton
Victoria
Rachel Burdett, Cor Cordis
Leanne Chesser, KordaMentha
Rebecca Gill, PwC
Luci Palaghia, Deloitte
Emily Seeckts, KPMG
Kate Warwick, FTI Consulting
Lara Wiggins, KordaMentha
Queensland
Joanne Dunn, FTI
Mahala Hazell, PwC
Helen Newman, BDO
Kelly-Anne Trenfield, FTI