Technical Summit 2026 Speakers
Thank you to our fantastic Technical Summit 2026 Speakers for sharing their expert
Bryce Figot
Bryce Figot
Bryce is also recognised as one of Australia’s leading SMSF lawyers. He has worked predominantly in the fields of tax and superannuation over the past 17 years and holds a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne.
Bryce is a regular seminar presenter on tax and SMSF topics and has published extensively in these areas. Bryce regularly presents for the major professional bodies including the SMSF Association, CPA Australia The Tax Institute, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and DBA Network.
Bryce is regularly quoted and published in the Australian Financial Review, the Herald Sun, CCH and LexisNexis publications, and elsewhere in the financial press. Bryce wrote the book Complete Guide to SMSFs: Planning for Loss of Capacity and Death, published by CCH Wolters Kluwer. Bryce is on the editorial panel of LexisNexis’ Australian Superannuation Law Bulletin. He is a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Law School, where he is the subject coordinator of Taxation of Superannuation.
Bryce is a Specialist SMSF Advisor™ as well as being a Chartered Tax Adviser.
Special Counsel
DBA Lawyers
Craig Day
Craig Day
Craig is the Head of Technical Services at Colonial First State and has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry.
Craig team is responsible for providing high quality technical support to financial advisers and to Colonial First State’s superannuation and platform businesses.
Craig is a sought after presenter at industry conferences and professional development events and is actively involved in providing ongoing specialist adviser education.
Craig holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Taxation (Financial Planning) and is a Fellow Member of the SMSF Association.
Head of Technical Services
Colonial First State
Fraser Stead
Fraser Stead
Fraser Stead is a lawyer at DBA Lawyers. He primarily works in trust, superannuation, and taxation law. Prior to beginning his career as a lawyer, he worked in legal education. He has contributed articles to numerous publications and has been featured several times in the Tax Institute’s Taxation in Australia journal. He holds a degree in political science from the University of California Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne.
Lawyer
DBA Lawyers
Jemma Sanderson
Jemma Sanderson
Jemma Sanderson is a Director of Cooper Partners Financial Services, heading up their SMSF specialist services. Jemma is a recognised industry expert, and is a regular presenter on superannuation and SMSFs for the industry bodies across Australia. Jemma is the author of the popular publication “SMSF Guide”, published by the Taxation Institute, and the author and convener of the Taxation Institute’s Graduate Diploma of Applied Tax Law Advanced Superannuation Unit.
Jemma received the Chairman’s Award for her contribution to the SMSF industry at the 2017 conference, and in 2024 received a Community Service Award from the Tax Institute for her contribution to the tax industry.
Director
Cooper Partners Pty Ltd
Leigh Mansell
Leigh Mansell
Leigh is Director SMSF Technical & Education Services with Heffron, a company committed to raising standards within the SMSF industry.
Leigh specialises in providing technical advice on superannuation matters to individuals, and the accounting and financial planning industries. She regularly prepares papers and presentations for many accounting firms and professional bodies around Australia.
Leigh has over 35 years’ experience in superannuation and has specialised in self managed funds for over 25 years including administration/providing advice and education on superannuation matters/superannuation compliance issues/developments within the self managed superannuation arena to individuals, accountants, financial advisers and other self managed superannuation practitioners. This gives her a unique ability to advise not only on the technical issues, but also practical solutions.
Leigh is also a Fellow SMSF Specialist Advisor of the SMSF Association.
Director SMSF Technical & Education Services
Heffron
Lee-Ann Hayes
Lee-Ann Hayes
Lee-Ann is a respected tax professional with 25 years’ experience in Australian taxation law. Her varied roles include training, content creation and advice, giving her extensive practical experience in the daily tax issues faced by practitioners.
Lee-Ann’s taxation journey began at the Australian Taxation Office where she held various technical and education positions. From there Lee-Ann has worked in both public practice and for several national training organisations. She has extensive experience in developing and delivering tax education to a wide and varied audience, including graduate accountants, big four accounting firms and professional associations.
Renowned for her enthusiastic, approachable and engaging presentation style, Lee-Ann has a strong practical focus, ensuring effective learning outcomes are always achieved.
When not at work, Lee-Ann can be found on the netball court, on a run or in the great outdoors with her family.
Head of Education
TaxBanter
Louise Biti
Louise Biti
Louise is the co-founder and Director of Aged Care Steps, the leader in aged care financial advice and empowering financial advisers to deliver expert advice on aged care.
As a thought leader and one of the foremost experts in the field, Louise has spent almost 30 years analysing legislation and simplifying technical strategies for advisers and their clients, with a skill for making complex aged care issues more accessible.
With extensive industry experience, Louise has served as a director on the FAAA (formerly FPA) and SMSF Association Boards and was a member of the Aged Care Financing Authority, a former government statutory body.
Director
Aged Care Steps
Mark Ellem
Mark Ellem
Mark generally needs no introduction in the SMSF space, he is a popular, experienced and highly sought after presenter who is passionate about educating accountants and SMSF practitioners about SMSFs and strategies to make SMSFs a successful part of their business.
He has extensive experience in Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs), Pension Funds, Income Tax and Financial Advisory. He is a Fellow of the CPA, IPA and SMSF Association, and received the 2018 SMSF Association CEO award in February 2019 for his contribution to the association and was in the inaugural group of association members to advance to the status of Fellow in February 2020.
Along with Mark’s regular appearances presenting at national SMSF conferences, he also heads up Accurium’s online education and presents webinars and webclasses to provide an online interactive learning experience providing CPD hours. He regularly composes content, FAQs and CPD assessments for the Accurium TechHub. He provides in-house training to a number of organisations and can provide bespoke training to suit the needs of your organisation.
Mark frequently delivers editorial contributions and provides comment for the media, and has been featured in popular trade media including selfmanagedsuperannuation and SMSF Adviser.
He has spent over 30 years in accounting practices and SMSF administration companies, including running his own accountancy practice and SMSF administration and compliance advice company for ten years.
Mark is a member of the Austin Motor Vehicle Club of Queensland and enjoys driving his classic Austin cars, a 1968 Austin 1800 Mk1 and a 1955 Austin A50 Cambridge, when they’re running and working on them (when they’re not).
Head of SMSF Education
Accurium
Peter Burgess
Peter Burgess
Peter Burgess is the Chief Executive Officer of the SMSF Association. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Peter held the position of Deputy CEO / Director of Policy & Education with the Association and is a previous Association Board member.
With over 30 years of industry experience Peter is recognised as an authority in SMSF matters and Government policy design. He is a widely published author and media commentator on SMSFs and is regularly sought for comment on the latest policy and sector developments. Through his contribution to the development of SMSF education standards, his Government advocacy work and his commitment to professionalism and thought leadership, Peter has dedicated much of his career to improving SMSF advice competency standards and the vibrancy and credibility of the SMSF sector.
Peter holds an MBA from the University of Adelaide, an Economics degree and postgraduate qualifications in finance. In 2016, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the SMSF sector, Peter was awarded the SMSF Association’s Chairman’s Award. In June 2021, Peter achieved Fellow Member status with the SMSF Association, recognising his significant commitment, leadership and contribution to both the Association and the SMSF sector.
CEO
SMSF Association
Peter Crump
Peter Crump
There are few practitioners still standing who can claim to have been present and practicing at the dawn of time when superannuation was recast in its current form; Peter Crump is one of those.
Peter is a Senior Consultant in Private Wealth at BDO Adelaide and provides financial advice and support to personal and SMSF clients. As an actuary he also provides expert advice and evidence on superannuation in Family Law matters.
An “influencer” before it became trendy, Peter has been influencing or advising SMSFs in some form or other for 30 years throughout the whole existence of the SIS legislation, some might regard him as a living super fossil.
He is a Fellow Member of the SMSF Association, as an SMSF Specialist Adviser. Other qualifications include:
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional,
- Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors,
- Chartered Tax Adviser, and
- Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia
Peter received the SMSFA Chair Award for 2020 in recognition of his contribution to the SMSF Sector.
Peter served as a non-executive director of the SMSF Association from to 2010 to 2018, including as Chairman from 2012 to 2014.
Numerous presentations have been given to professional conferences over the years on SMSF related issues and Peter is keen on guiding and mentoring new speakers and presenters.
Senior Consultant
BDO
Shelley Banton
Shelley Banton
Shelley Banton is an SMSF specialist adviser and auditor with more than two decades of experience in superannuation, compliance, and risk management.
As Director of Super Clarity, Shelley helps the SMSF industry to navigate complex legislation, resolve compliance challenges, and manage risk with confidence.
She delivers practical compliance solutions, risk management strategies, and technical education designed to empower SMSF professionals.
A respected industry voice, Shelley is a sought-after speaker and commentator, recognised for her clear, pragmatic insights that cut through complexity.
Director
Super Clarity
Scott Hay-Bartlem
Scott Hay-Bartlem
Scott is a partner in Brisbane law firm Cooper Grace Ward and the Chair of the SMSF Association.
He and his team specialise in assisting clients and their other advisers including accountants and financial planners with tax and superannuation (particularly SMSFs) advice; estate planning, administration and disputes; family businesses, business structuring; business succession arrangements; asset protection and restructuring. Scott has a particular interest in how these areas intersect with self-managed superannuation funds and the impact of and on these structures.
He is the Chair of the SMSF Association, having joined its board in July 2019. Scott is a SMSF Specialist Advisor™ with the SMSF Association, a Chartered Tax Adviser, a member of the Society of Trust and Estate practitioners. Scott chairs the Cooper Grace Ward Diversity and Inclusion Group and its ARCUS sub-group, and is the leader of the firm’s Private Client Commercial group.
Scott been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 16th Edition of Best Lawyers in Australia in the practice areas of: Superannuation Law, Trusts and Estates, Wealth Management / Succession Planning Practice and Commercial Law. He was named the 2016 Brisbane Wealth Management/Succession Planning practice ‘Lawyer of the Year’ and the Superannuation ‘Lawyer of the Year’ for 2019, 2022 and 2024.
Scott has been listed in Doyle’s Guide for Queensland Estate Planning lawyers as a pre-eminent practitioner.
He has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Business (Accy) from the Queensland University of Technology. Scott also has also completed the Certificate of Superannuation Management and the Diploma of Superannuation Management run through ASFA and Macquarie University, and the Foundation Diploma of Financial Planning.
Partner
Cooper Grace Ward
Tim Miller
Tim Miller
Tim is the SMSF Technical & Education Manager at Smarter SMSF, he is a well-known figure within the SMSF industry, having worked in numerous technical and education roles over his 20+ year industry journey. He has aided in the accreditation of over a thousand financial planners and accountants, and has delivered more CPD training over 20 years than he’d care to remember!
Tim is a Fellow SMSF Specialist Adviser with the SMSF Association, and in 2023 received the CEO’s Award at the SMSF Association National Conference for his contribution to the SMSF industry.
SMSF Technical & Education Manager
Smarter SMSF
“Absolutely top notch event, with top line speakers and terrific content.”
“This was my first Technical Day and I found it absolutely fantastic. The speakers kept me engaged all day and I left having learnt a lot.”