For more than twenty years, Darren has been providing business, taxation and asset protection solutions to the owners of privately-owned businesses. His passion lies in not only looking after their business needs, but also ensuring the growth and protection of his clients’ family wealth.

Darren has managed many projects to a successful conclusion for his clients including sale of business, matrimonial disputes and ATO audits. He also has significant experience assisting clients with estate planning, business acquisition and business divestment.

His experience covers a broad range of industries including retail, wholesale, professional services and property development. Darren has substantial practical experience in taxation matters and leads Fordham’s internal tax excellence group. This puts him at the forefront of tax minimisation strategies for income tax, capital gains tax, superannuation and GST.

Having completed a Master of Taxation degree to add to his Chartered Accounting qualification and Fellow status of the Tax Institute of Australia, Darren is a regular tax presenter at industry events.

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Michael joined Fordham in 2001 and is now the lead partner of a team of 30 with clients in Property & Construction, Retail/Ragtrade, Transport, Manufacturing and Franchising. He started his career in 1991 with one of the Big Four accounting firms and joined Fordham 10 years later to focus specifically on medium-sized, privately-owned businesses.

As a Chartered Tax Advisor with a wealth of experience in corporate advisory, as well as private businesses, Michael brings this unique perspective to help his clients’ businesses grow and overcome adversity. He helps clients across the broad range of business and personal issues they face including arranging external financing, modelling/forecasting, reporting, shareholder issues, structuring and valuations.

In this role Michael enjoys undertaking strategic planning for his clients and often participates as Board Chair. He runs executive leadership team meetings focused on driving accountability and meaningful improvements to operational performance. He is a regular presenter and author of industry articles for the building and property development sector, as well as Ragtrade industry segments. When not at work, he is chauffeuring four daughters to school, rep basketball and football.

Industry specialisation: Property & Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Transport, Franchising

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Sharon assists business owner clients across a broad range of industries, helping them to navigate their personal and business wealth journey and weigh up important decisions along the way. She has broad experience in taxation and business with particular expertise in complex tax advice and structuring, planning for succession and retirement and dealing with complex family and community issues.

In addition to working with business owners, Sharon is passionate about leading Fordham’s Indigenous Consulting Team, which is part of Perpetual’s broader service offering to Aboriginal communities. This team provides Executive Office and consulting services to communities across Australia.

Clients enjoy Sharon’s attentiveness, responsiveness, her ability to listen, and to provide targeted and practical advice. She is exceptionally talented at developing strong, long-term relationships, and is known for her ability to communicate complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.

Industry specialisation: Property & Construction, Retail, Native Title

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Neil discovered Fordham at a university open day and was immediately drawn to our focus on people, private businesses and premium service. After a recommendation from a friend already working for us, Neil joined Fordham in 2005 as a graduate with our Motor Dealer Services team.

Since then, Neil has worked with a wide variety of clients and tackled a diverse range of issues – from simple family and business issues, to complex sales, acquisitions and everything in-between. In addition to having outstanding taxation and business-structuring capability, Neil also has a deep expertise in commercial advisory services and business optimisation, with a focus on privately-owned motor retailers. In addition to his clients in the motor industry, Neil uses his knowledge and experience to assist business owners across a range of industries.

He has a passion for guiding his clients through the Fordham Wealth Journey®, with a particular focus on the taxation, structuring, profit improvement and succession planning components that are so sought after by today’s business owners.

Happily, Neil’s instincts as a young university graduate were correct. He loves his role at Fordham, loves helping his clients, and it shows … for every client, every day.

Industry specialisation: Motor Dealer Services 

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In Brett’s 15 years at Fordham, he has developed a very thorough understanding of the property & construction industry. During this time, he has advised a broad range of businesses from large land developers to residential and commercial builders, civil construction companies, and project management businesses. Brett also assists business owners and their families in the retail, publishing, manufacturing and finance industries.

For many of his clients, Brett acts as chair of both their operating and family boards. In these roles he plays a key part in facilitating discussion with business owners, their families, and senior management teams regarding business performance, profit improvement, optimal business structures, and business acquisition and sale opportunities. 

Brett has a deep knowledge of the Australian tax system and in particular the specialist tax issues applicable to the property and construction industry. He is also a leader of Fordham’s internal taxation excellence group. In this role he is responsible for strategies to assess the impact and maximise opportunities available with respect to the following:

• Income Tax
• Capital Gains Tax
• Small Business Capital Gains Tax Concessions
• GST (including the margin scheme)
• Stamp duty
• Land tax.

Brett is a member of the Taxation Institute of Australia and Advanced Property Development accredited (PCA). He is also a member of the Taxation & Finance Committee for the Urban Development Institute of Victoria, which advocates for policy improvements to the industry.

Industry specialisation: Property & Construction, Manufacturing, Retail

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Having worked in tax and accounting since 1997, Stuart has a wealth of experience helping business owners achieve their financial, business and personal goals.

Stuart Le Cornu assists companies to meet their objectives with strategic planning, including financial and taxation planning. He particularly relishes the challenge of helping clients manage their complex lives. This includes interpreting the intricacies of international tax, foreign controlled entities, resident and non-resident trusts, and large public and private companies.

As one of our tax advisory specialists, Stuart is an expert in all taxation matters. His approach to tax planning includes a thorough review of existing structures, interrelationships between entities, location of assets, liabilities and IP, history, capital gains cost bases, loan accounts, previous tax strategies and future plans. He regularly presents at Tax Institute seminars in matters such as the taxation of trusts, Division 7A and small business Capital Gains Tax matters.

Industry specialisation: Manufacturing, Franchising 

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Ian has over 20 years’ experience in tax and accounting administration and advice on Australian superannuation structures, specifically Small-APRA (SAF) and Self-Managed (SMSF) funds. He also specialises in risk and compliance consultancy on the impact of legislative and regulatory pronouncements on SAFs and SMSFs.

In addition, Ian has a wealth of experience in accounting and advice on Australian charitable structures, specifically Private Ancillary Funds, Public Ancillary Funds and Testamentary Charitable Trusts, as well as risk and compliance consultancy on the impact of AASB and ACNC pronouncements on these charitable structures.

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