Melbourne / Wurundjeri Country enquiry.mel@mutualtrust.com.au

Our people

Our people set Mutual Trust apart

As a Purpose-led organisation, our services are brought to life by a team of specialists who live out our values each day and are committed to Mutual Trust’s vision of being the exceptional Multi-Family Office.

Mutual Trust embodies an entrepreneurial spirit, philanthropic vision and commercial success with a family ethos that permeates everything we do. Our people enjoy a fun and engaging culture with a diverse range of skillsets and career pathways.

We work in a dynamic environment alongside industry-leading specialists with a client-centric focus.

A unique culture

Inclusion & Diversity

Our Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) Committee provides governance, strategic direction and operational oversight across a broad range of I&D initiatives.

The committee is made up of nine senior leaders across the Firm who report to the CEO and the People, Culture and Remuneration Committee.

Reward & Recognition

High performers are celebrated through Mutual Trust’s reward and recognition program.

Our commitment to professional training and development supports the growth of our people, no matter where they are in their careers.

Workplace Flexibility

We operate in a hybrid working environment, supporting our people with flexible working hours and location (role dependant).

This enables our people to best meet their client, team and individual needs and circumstances.

Employee Wellbeing

We believe work life balance is important – for both the wellbeing of our people and for the benefit of the families we help.

In genuinely caring for the wellbeing of our team, our clients benefit from higher productivity, increased motivation and in turn, a focus on what matters most.

Gender equality matters

Mutual Trust encourages and promotes a commitment to gender equality. Along with supporting the development of our women employees through a formal mentoring program, there are a range of initiatives underway to positively impact the senior gender mix.

Our gender equality commitment has helped to significantly lift the number of women in senior roles. Currently, women make up 56% of our workforce and 43% of roles at the manager level and above. More broadly, our Partners and Leaders aspire to role model and reinforce the right behaviours to encourage flexibility, collaboration and a supportive work/life balance.

Employer of Choice for Gender Equality

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We are proud to be recognised as an Employer of Choice by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). This citation verifies Mutual Trust’s action-based approach towards improving the working lives of women and men throughout the Firm.

At Mutual Trust, we proudly promote our Merlyn’s Circle initiative. Led by our Women Advisors, Merlyn’s Circle is a deliberate suite of events and engagements, providing opportunities for our families to connect and celebrate the important role women play in building economies, communities and enduring family legacies.

Mutual Trust’s Staff Giving Program

Our Staff Giving Program enables our people to choose to give their time, treasure and talent to support their philanthropic ideals, with Mutual Trust matching internal fundraising efforts.

Each year, our people come together voluntarily through this staff-led initiative to make a difference towards a designated area of focus. In 2022, we elected to support ending violence against women and in 2023 the focus was Climate Change – we were thrilled to achieve our goal of doubling Mutual Trust’s community impact through giving, volunteering and fundraising towards these important causes. In 2024, work is underway to make a difference across Education and Homelessness, supporting two chosen organisations operating in this area.

Our commitment to Reconciliation

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Painted by Deborah Newenham-Coertse (Woods) and Melissa Spillman (Woods)

Our commitment to providing real impact and opportunities for Indigenous communities is formalised in our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which is endorsed by Reconciliation Australia.

Mutual Trust’s RAP sets out clear, actionable deliverables across reconciliation, relationships, respect, opportunities and governance and reflects the heartfelt manner in which our team are working to positively benefit Indigenous communities.

Positive reconciliation impact aligns closely with our Purpose of helping families achieve what matters most and the RAP expresses our team’s collective ambition to advance Mutual Trust’s reconciliation journey.

Please click here to view the Mutual Trust RAP.

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Painted by Deborah Newenham-Coertse (Woods) and Melissa Spillman (Woods)

“Our workplace is welcoming, inclusive and diverse. Every day we are challenged and we work hard, however we also make sure there’s time to enjoy a laugh and have fun. This is why we are a high performing team and how we deliver timely and quality services. It’s this balance that makes Mutual Trust such a rewarding place to work.”

Rachael Morgan – Director, Client Operations

Mutual Trust
Board & CEO

Our Board works closely with the Executive team to guide our growth strategy and oversee the governance and stewardship of the Firm.

  • Peter Hay

    Chairman

  • Marshall E Baillieu

    Non-Executive Director

  • Charles Baillieu

    Non-Executive Director

  • Catherine Leahy

    Non-Executive Director

  • Peter Michell

    Non-Executive Director

  • Sidney Myer AM

    Non-Executive Director

  • Rupert Myer AO

    Non-Executive Director

  • Peter Yates AM

    Non-Executive Director

  • Nicola Davis

    Non-Executive Director

  • Phil Harkness

    CEO and Managing Partner

“Our people work to solve complex family issues which span across multiple generations. This intellectual challenge, combined with a fun and engaging culture, makes Mutual Trust an organisation which people really want to be a part of.”

Phil Harkness – CEO and Managing Partner

Leadership Team

  • Phil Harkness

    CEO and Managing Partner

  • Jeff Steiner

    Partner, Head of Family Office

  • Jono Gourlay

    Partner, Head of Wealth

  • Rob Hemphill

    Partner, Head of Development

  • Maria Lui

    Partner, Head of Client Experience

  • Ralf Haase

    Partner, Head of New South Wales and Queensland

  • Brad Simmons

    Partner, Head of South Australia

  • Julian Butler

    Partner, Head of Western Australia

  • Tracy Conlan

    Partner, Head of Strategy

  • Andrew Wood

    Partner, Head of Operations and Head of Tax, Accounting, Consulting & Superannuation

  • Jason Smith

    Partner, Head of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer

  • Damian Bowden

    Partner, Head of People, Culture, Marketing & Communications

  • Tom Holbeach

    Partner, Head of Technology Solutions and Data