Alumni News

Catch up on the latest news from our alumni community

We love to celebrate the successes of our alumni community. If you have started a new position, won an award or achieved something special, please let us know. Email our alumni team to share your news.

Achievements and appointments

Alumni

Anna Reoch (Sydney Senior Associate until 2017) has recently taken on the role of Senior Legal Counsel, Employment, at AirTrunk (based in Sydney). She has a wealth of experience in employment law in the Asia-Pacific region and brings her expertise from previous roles at Cognizant and Standard Chartered Bank. Her new position at AirTrunk marks another significant step in an impressive career.

Alumni

Tina Funge (Brisbane Solicitor until 2002) has recently been appointed as General Counsel at Freyssinet, a member of the Soletanche Freyssinet / VINCI Group. With over 25 years of experience in construction law, Tina brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role. She continues to be involved with UNSW Sydney (where she was an Associate Professor) and with the University of Melbourne (where she is an Honorary Senior Fellow), while also pursuing her PhD at the University of Technology Sydney.

Congratulations, Tina! Please tell us a bit about your new role.

As General Counsel for a busy specialist contractor in the civil engineering and remedial sectors, I'm responsible for providing legal advice and guidance to the company’s leadership team and the business. Freyssinet has a very interesting history. It was founded by the renowned French engineer Eugène Freyssinet, who in his day pioneered several innovations in the construction of bridges. The company is part of the VINCI Group, a world leader in concessions, energy and construction, which operates in 120 countries. It's very exciting to be part of such a dynamic organisation.

How do you balance your responsibilities as General Counsel with your other commitments?

It's always a juggle to find enough time to perform your day job, make progress with your own professional development, give back to the industry through teaching, spend quality time with your family and look after your own wellbeing. Having four children definitely makes life interesting, but means there's not much spare time!

What do you remember most about your time at Ashurst (formerly Blake Dawson)?

I remember a supportive and nurturing environment for junior lawyers, led by Paul Newman at the time. In my first year as an admitted lawyer, the level of mentoring and training provided by him and my line manager was amazing. They really did give me a thorough grounding. I was sad to leave, because it was such a happy and thriving practice at the time. But Sydney was where all the action was, including the headquarters of the major players in the construction industry. My time at Blake Dawson inspired me to look after the next generation, so when the opportunity to teach arose, I took it! I’m pleased to say that I've been asked to stay involved, despite having gone back to full-time work.

Alumni

Sandy Tsakiridi (Brussels intern until 2011) has recently taken on the role of Senior Director, Legal Counsel, at The Coca-Cola Company. She has extensive experience in global privacy and data protection and is also the founder of W@PrivacyGR, a platform for female privacy professionals and enthusiasts in Greece to share, connect and engage with each other on data protection and privacy topics.

Congratulations, Sandy! Please tell us a bit about your role at Coca-Cola.

In November 2023, I joined the Global Privacy Office of The Coca-Cola Company as Senior Director, Legal Counsel. Among other responsibilities, I am the Privacy Lead Counsel for Europe and the company's Global AI Governance Framework. Before that, I was a senior in-house counsel for the global privacy team at HSBC. I also worked as an external counsel in private practice and for one of the Big Four in London and Brussels, respectively.

Moving into a different industry and a new role was a challenge that I was really keen to take on. Given the rapid evolution of the privacy regulatory landscape and the dynamic nature of the food and beverage marketplace, my working day is varied and fast-paced, which helps nurture my agility, creative problem-solving and resilience. I'm really excited to be part of one of the world’s most recognised brands, with the opportunity to grow professionally in an environment that aligns with my core values.

What's the best career advice you've been given?

There are two pieces of advice that resonate: 1. The questions you ask are – more often than not – more important than the ones you answer. 2. You can’t delegate leading by example.

What inspired you to establish W@PrivacyGR?

During my career I have come to appreciate the value of connection and community. Opening ourselves up to new perspectives and contacts is rarely a bad thing, not to mention the sense of kinship and camaraderie that can develop within a professional group.

When I relocated to Athens after working abroad for over a decade, I realised there were fewer opportunities for female privacy professionals to come together, exchange views and support one another. That's when the idea of a dedicated community was born. Within the space of a few months, I set up the Greek branch of W@Privacy, a platform fostering discussions, connections and interactions on data protection and privacy matters. It took off immediately. Each and every one of our activities is yet another inspiring reminder that together, we can do so much.

Alumni

Michael Paphazy (Melbourne Lawyer until 2003) has recently joined VicRoads as Senior Corporate Counsel. With a robust background in IT contract negotiations and regulatory compliance, Michael brings extensive experience from his previous role at Optus, where he worked for 15 years. In his new position, Michael will focus on providing strategic legal advice and supporting VicRoads' innovation and technology initiatives.

Congratulations Michael! What are you looking forward to in your new role?

As a relatively newly ‘privatised’ entity, there are lots of exciting opportunities ahead in relation to digital and IT transformation initiatives.

What piece of career advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

Take heart and back yourself.

In Memoriam

Alumni

We are saddened to announce the passing of former London partner Michael Cunliffe, who recently lost his battle with cancer and Parkinson's.

Michael became a partner at Ashurst in 1987 and led the planning team before leaving to join Forsters.

His friend and former London partner Tony Curnow remembers Michael below:

Michael joined Ashurst in 1985 from an in-house role at the London Borough of Camden, where he had majored in planning, compulsory purchase and historic buildings law. It was a typically canny recruitment by Laurence Rutman, head of the Property department (as it was then known), who saw in Michael someone who could build an expert planning team to keep pace with the then booming development market. And it was Laurence’s somewhat left-field client London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) – which for a time was the firm’s biggest revenue earner in the 1990s – that for many years took up much of Michael's time and energy. By 1988, he and Bill Innes had built a two-partner four-assistant planning group working alongside the real estate team. It was a very collegiate bunch of ex-public authority lawyers, all keen to expand their client horizons.

Michael was a totally committed professional; he was energetic and hard-working, with an engaging vein of northern humour and a willingness to train juniors. As an occupant of the office next door, I would regularly overhear his speakerphone conversations with LDDC officers and other clients, usually conducted in his friendly bantering tone. As an assiduous document draftsman brought up in the old town clerk school, he would be quick to spot examples of “sloppy” drafting from the other side – with the adjective being jauntily pronounced in a comic way. His informal approach helped create strong client loyalty. It also made him an amusing and likeable colleague.

Michael loved (in random order) his manual Saab turbo, England and West Indies cricket (he was an MCC member), helping bring up his two sons with Elisabeth, the preservation of old buildings (both for clients and in his home town of Saffron Walden), nice lunches and jolly conversation. He will be remembered by his colleagues for his good humour, quiet humility and impressive dedication to his craft – and for building an Ashurst planning team ranking among the best in London.

Alumni

We are sorry to share the sad news that former Ashurst HR and Business Services Director Major Peter Marc Griffith passed away in January.

Former Ashurst CFO Nigel Morland remembers his friend below:

Peter was born in British Somaliland in 1953. He lived with his family in various places, at home and abroad, before boarding at Pierrepont School, Frensham. He studied law as an undergraduate before taking a big swerve to pursue a career in the Army, via Sandhurst.

As a young officer, he joined the 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. Among his many roles, he was deployed to Northern Ireland and to Rhodesia with the Commonwealth Monitoring Force. He then joined the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, all of whom were impeccably turned out at all times – whether in uniform or civilian attire. So it was perhaps here that Peter first developed an eye for fine tailoring – and a well-turned leg for a boot! He had a certain style and left a wardrobe full of nice suits with proper hats and polished shoes.

Following a return to the Airborne Forces, his last tour found him back where he started: with 7 Para RHA. Then, with major cuts to the armed forces on the horizon, he decided to take his bowler hat and head to the City. However, his links to the equestrian world continued with his work as a British Eventing Steward and Burghley Horse Trials Steward. More importantly, he was keen to encourage his daughter Lara's interest in riding.

After various roles at several law firms, Peter joined Ashurst as Global Head of HR and Operations in 1998, a role he held until 2009. It was a period of significant worldwide expansion for the firm. He led a great group of people and 16 years later they still meet up regularly, which is a testament to the team spirit he fostered.

Many Ashurst lawyers and support staff will have fond memories of Peter’s calm and supportive approach. You knew you could approach him with any problem and receive sensible and practical advice and understanding in return. One always had full confidence in his discretion.

After Ashurst, Peter again held a variety of roles at other law firms. He then spent five happy years as Company Secretary for the Howard de Walden Estate. Even during semi-retirement, his sense of duty and service was never far away. He worked around the country running pop-up Covid-19 vaccination centres in places where take-up of the vaccine was below par.

Peter was married and divorced three times. He was immensely proud of his only daughter, Lara Butler, who became a top dressage rider, first as a Junior and later when she was selected as a reserve for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Lara is now a senior professional rider. She lives in Holland with her husband Billy and their son, Jack.

There will be a drinks party in Peter's memory on the evening of Thursday 1 May at the Cavalry & Guards Club, 127 Piccadilly, London W1J 7PX. If you would like to attend, please send an email to pmgriffithmem@gmail.com as names must be notified in advance for security reasons.

If you would like to make a donation to Peter’s chosen charity, please visit: kingstroopfoundation.org

Alumni

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Helen McKenzie, a former partner, consultant, and cherished member of our firm.

Helen joined our Sydney office in 1988 and became a partner in July 1991. She established the Employment practice in our Melbourne office, which thrives to this day. Her encyclopaedic knowledge of employment law and unwavering dedication made her a pre-eminent employment lawyer, advising many of Australia's largest employers.

Helen's contributions were immense. Not only did she lead our Employment practice with distinction, but she was closely involved in the strategy that led to the merger with Ashurst and the formation of today's global firm. As the first woman elected to the board of the Australian practice in 1995, Helen was a trail-blazer for women in the legal profession. From 2008 to 2013, she served as Deputy Managing Partner of our Australian offices, providing tremendous leadership and skilled management. Her legacy is marked by her generosity, wisdom, and encouragement, which have left an indelible impact on all who had the privilege of working with her.

Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Helen's family and colleagues during this time of loss. Helen's positive impact on our firm and the legal community will be remembered and cherished by all who knew her.

Other news

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Read the report

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Jin Ong: Jin started his career as a trainee in the London office and recently re-joined the firm as a partner in the Singapore Corporate Transactions practice. We caught up with Jin to find out what drew him back to Ashurst and to get his perspective on some of the insights in our Powering Change report.

Read Jin's interview

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Read our Board Priorities report

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M&A Deals report: Our M&A Deal Report 2025 with our alumni provides key insights and analysis of Australian public M&A deals during 2024, key market trends and our predictions for 2025.

Read the report

Nick Abrahams

Alumni jobs board: View the latest career opportunities at Ashurst or post your current employer's job vacancies.

Check out our jobs board

Nick Abrahams

Podcast promo: After witnessing firsthand a growing disconnect between environmental challenges and business priorities, Roger McKerlie set out to empower organisations to embrace sustainability and along the way convert challenges into opportunities.

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