What Matters Most 

Narelle Hooper - Host

During more than 25 years as a business and finance journalist and editor Narelle has worked for Australia’s leading media groups including the ABC, Fairfax Media and SBS TV. She’s a former Editor of the Australian Financial Review’s BOSS Magazine and was founding co-chair of the Financial Review’s Women of Influence Awards.

Narelle is also a member of the board of the The Ethics Centre. She has held a number of non executive director roles over the past decade, including with the Tasmanian Development Board, the Documentary Australia Foundation and with women's entrepreneurship accelerator SBE Australia, which runs the Springboard Enterprises program.

PHIL HARKNESS - CEO & Managing Partner

Phil Harkness is an experienced Senior Executive with 37 years’ experience working in
professional services. In 2017, he joined Mutual Trust as the Chief Executive Officer.
What matters most to Phil at Mutual Trust is the daily activation of our Purpose. By working
consistently with our clients on what matters most to them, whatever that may be, Mutual
Trust continues to build upon enduring multi-generational relationships with clients.
Prior to Mutual Trust, Phil spent five years as a Partner with Ernst and Young (EY). Phil
joined EY in 2012 to lead the Oceania Performance Improvement practice within the
Advisory Service Line and to start the Strategy Consulting practice. Phil’s responsibilities
were then expanded to include the Strategy Consulting practice for APAC. In addition, Phil
has a passion for Corporate Purpose and was the global leader for EY’s Purpose Lead
Transformation practice. Phil was also the Diversity and Inclusion Leader for EY Advisory in
Oceania.
Phil has provided advisory services to clients internationally across a wide range of
industries throughout his career including financial services, resources, utilities,
manufacturers, numerous public sector and government organisations, retail and
telecommunications organisations.
Phil holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from LaTrobe University and a Masters of
Business Administration from the Melbourne Business School (Winner of the CRA Prize for
top student in corporate strategy).
Outside of Mutual Trust, Phil works with his three adult children to help them with the
businesses they are building. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and friends in
Lorne, Victoria and visiting his daughter in New York

Tracy Conlan - Partner, Head of Straegy

Tracy is the Head of Strategy, responsible for developing and assisting the business to
implement long-term business strategies. This includes expediting implementation in the
business via strategic advice, new venture investments and other corporate development
programs, such as corporate transformation. What matters most to Tracy at Mutual Trust is
growing the business and leading the market with modern Family Office services.
Tracy joined Mutual Trust in 2018 and is an experienced banker, strategy consultant and
general manager. She spent her formative years at McKinsey where her functional
specialty was strategy and her industry focus was financial services. Tracy has over 20
years of experience across consulting and industry with a broad financial services
background. This includes EGM roles in corporate strategy, brand and marketing for the
CBA, to projects with other large Australian banks, several regionals, credit unions, wealth
and payments organisations. Tracy has also undertaken consulting projects in Australia,
London, Stockholm and Brussels whilst working at McKinsey, EY and Deloitte.
Tracy holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons 1st) from the University of Sydney, a Post
Graduate Diploma in Finance and Administration from the Securities Institute of Australia
and an MBA from London Business School.