• News & Insights
working in office

Event Highlights: “Leadership as an anchor of an ever-changing workplace” with Maja Palenka, Co-Founder & Director of Juggle Strategies

 

Read the event highlights from our event with Maja Palenka, Co-Founder & Director of Juggle Strategies “Leadership as an anchor of an ever-changing workplace”.

Event Summary

Great leaders attract the best talent and seize the greatest opportunity, whilst allowing space for staff to feel psychologically safe and be themselves. In this event, we explored the characteristics that embody a great leader; some of the key trends affecting leadership currently; and practical applications of leadership for this year, and years to come.

 

Key Trends affecting leadership

1.      Ways of Working Revolution

Around half of employees in Australia are eager to get back to a 5-day, in-office working week. However, the other half would prefer to stick with a hybrid working week

2.      Talent Upheaval

‘The Great Resignation’ or ‘The Great Reshuffle’, is now happening at a rapid rate within Australia. NAB research tells us that 1 in 5 professionals changed jobs last year.

3.      Technology Pressure

At the start of COVID, many companies underwent rapid technologic advances, the likes of which had not been seen before. This trend is set to continue, with AI at the forefront.

4.      Geo-political Instability

Supply chain, markets, resources and talent are ever-present trends that are not going anywhere, and will continue to have a profound impact on the way in which we lead.

 

What are the key traits of strong leadership at this time?

Staying Curious

Being open to new ways of thinking allows space for your employees to discover and validate their ideas and identity. It is also a key aspect when planning for the future, for instance, developing a range of hypotheses that can answer a range of situations rather than focussing on a fixed plan.

Anchor to Identity

When it comes down to a make-or-break situation, anchor to an identity by focussing, not on what you might do, but rather how you might do it. “People will follow us, not because we have a map, but because they have confidence in our compass”.

Prioritise Connecting

Arrange ‘stay interviews’ to support staff retention, raising questions like: ‘What makes a good/bad day at your job?’; ‘What can I do as a leader to help you have more good days?’ This provides a clear indicator of the employee’s attitude towards work, and opens up opportunities to support them.

Value Humanity

Seeing the humanity in employees has never been more vital. Two ways to increase your own humanity: (1) admit when you don’t know the answer and (2) own up to your mistakes. You can also encourage this trait with employees who are highly productive but tend to put work above everything else, by sharing your own personal wellbeing plans with them, leading by example.

 

Final Thought

Over the next 6 months, building more human and connected workplaces should be your aim as the leader of a successful business. We are social animals, and these aspects need to come first for success to follow.

 

Moir Group runs many events across the year for early and mid-career professionals.

Are you looking to move into your next finance role? Contact our team today.

Sunny Chen

Senior Consultant, Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Permanent)

Sunny is a CPA-qualified accountant with over 10 years’ experience across finance and accounting roles in a wide range of industries. She brings a practical, real-world understanding of how finance teams operate.

With a strong technical and commercial background, Sunny can quickly get to the heart of a business’s needs and turn them into smart, well-matched hiring solutions for finance and accounting professionals.

Sunny has a strong track record of recruiting high-calibre mid to senior-level candidates and takes a consultative, partnership-led approach to every search. By working closely with both clients and candidates, Sunny focuses on understanding long-term goals and building genuine, lasting relationships.

Aligned with Moir Group’s commitment to quality outcomes and long-term partnerships, Sunny is focused on creating value for both organisations and the people within them.

Sunny Chen

Senior Consultant
Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Permanent)

Upload Your CV









    Accepted file type: Word document (DOC/DOCX only).

    Tabibah Paean

    Senior Financial Accountant

    With over 9 years of experience in financial accounting, Tabibah brings a wealth of expertise to our team as a Senior Financial Accountant. Specialising in external reporting, financial reporting and analysis, and payroll, she excels in ensuring accurate financial records and providing strategic insights that drive organisational growth.

    Tabibah is a Certified Chartered Accountant, underscoring her commitment to professional excellence. She is adept at navigating complex financial landscapes and optimising processes to enhance efficiency and transparency.

    Passionate about leveraging technological advancements to streamline business processes, Tabibah is dedicated to delivering meticulous financial management and fostering a culture of integrity and excellence within our organisation.

    Tabibah Paean, Senior Financial Accountant at Moir Group

    Tabibah Paean

    Senior Financial Accountant

    Rachael Gleeson

    Operations Coordinator, Commercial Recruitment & Reception

    Rachael started with Moir Group in February 2022 and is currently in the role of Operations Assistant. She is first point of contact with phone enquiries and supporting the Operations Team in all functions

    Rachael Gleeson, Operations Coordinator - Commercial Recruitment & Reception at Moir Group

    Rachael Gleeson

    Operations Coordinator
    Commercial Recruitment & Reception

    Chloe Thomas

    Executive Assistant to Stephen Moir & Office Manager

    Chloe is Moir Group’s Operations Coordinator. In this role, she provides key administrative support to the Executive, Permanent and ESG Recruitment Team, manages our in-person and online events, and oversees Moir Group’s LinkedIn and social media presence to share insights and promote engagement.

    Since joining Moir Group in 2017, Chloe has played a central role in keeping the business running smoothly, building strong relationships, and ensuring a seamless experience for both clients and candidates.

    Prior to joining Moir Group, Chloe lived and worked in London for two years in a corporate front-of-house role at a large insurance company. She brings over 12 years’ experience in professional services, with a strong focus on operations, administration, and event coordination across the Banking, Insurance, and Finance sectors.

    Chloe is committed to delivering excellent service and making a real difference to people’s day.

    Chloe Thomas, Operations Coordinator Executive Recruitment & Events at Moir Group

    Chloe Thomas

    Operations Coordinator
    Executive Recruitment & Events

    Coralee Stanton

    Executive Assistant to Stephen Moir & Office Manager

    Coralee joined Moir Group in July 2019 as Executive Assistant to our Director Stephen Moir and Office Manager, ensuring the smooth running of our office, overseeing events and managing our Operations Team.

    She brings over 15 years’ experience as an Executive Assistant supporting CEO, C-Suite Executives and Board Members for major Logistics and Information Technology companies.

    Prior to that, Coralee spent 10 years in Office & Administration Management for HR and Recruitment companies.

    Coralee Stanton, Executive Assistant to Stephen Moir & Office Manager at Moir Group

    Coralee Stanton

    Executive Assistant to Stephen Moir & Office Manager

    Vanessa Fortune

    Recruitment Resourcer, Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)

    Vanessa is a Recruitment Resourcer in Moir Group’s Temporary and Contracting team. Supporting the contract team, she plays a key role in the end-to-end recruitment process, including sourcing, candidate management, and maintaining strong pipelines of skilled professionals to ensure a quick turnaround for urgent hiring needs.

    With a background in Business Administration, Vanessa brings strong organisational skills and a focus on streamlining recruitment processes. She is passionate about enhancing the candidate experience and providing efficient, high-quality support across all stages of the hiring process.

    Vanessa Fortune, Recruitment Resourcer Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim) at Moir Group

    Vanessa Fortune

    Recruitment Resourcer
    Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)

    Natalie Truong

    Senior Consultant, Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)

    With over 15 years of experience across a broad range of industries both in Australia and internationally, Natalie brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep understanding of fast-paced, dynamic business environments.

    A seasoned Senior Leader, Natalie has a proven track record of delivering strong outcomes by identifying and placing high-calibre professionals into roles where they can thrive. Her expertise spans mid to senior-level and C-suite appointments, and she has successfully supported organisations in building high-performing teams to drive business growth in competitive markets.

    Natalie’s approach is aligned with Moir Group’s core values of integrity, care, and delivering quality outcomes. She works closely with business leaders and decision-makers, forming strategic partnerships to ensure a strong alignment between client needs and candidate aspirations. Her recruitment style is highly relationship-driven, focused on building long-term connections that support sustainable career and business success.

    Natalie is especially passionate about connecting senior finance and accounting professionals with purpose-led organisations, creating opportunities where individuals can grow, contribute meaningfully, and align with company culture and values.

    Natalie Truong, Senior Consultant Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Permanent) at Moir Group

    Natalie Truong

    Senior Consultant
    Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)

    Deborah Swaine

    Senior Consultant, Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)

    Deborah began her recruitment career in London and has 14 years of experience, including in-house roles across various industries. She cultivates an innovative and inclusive culture that inspires, engages, and connects skilled professionals with opportunities, building capability for both now and the future.

    Deborah excels in providing bespoke solutions to clients and candidates, building genuine business partnerships, and offering a consultative service. She has a successful track record of recruiting a wide range of roles across all levels and industries. Deborah is committed to providing a first-class service and enjoys partnering closely with both clients and candidates to find the best solutions and create long-term relationships.

    Deborah Swaine, Senior Consultant Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim) at Moir Group

    Deborah Swaine

    Senior Consultant
    Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)

    Lisa Tracy

    Manager, Moir Group ESG

    Lisa is an expert in recruiting ESG and Sustainability Professionals. Over the last 15 years, she has sourced Heads of Sustainability, Chief Sustainability Officers, ESG experts and a variety of management and analyst roles across a broad spectrum of industry sectors. She has focused on working in partnership with leaders to attract and retain the highest calibre team members, whilst prioritising positive social and environmental impacts. Joining Moir Group in 2023, Lisa brings her skills and expertise to develop the new ESG Division.

    Lisa continues to teach as a casual academic in Sustainability and Climate Change Impact at the University of Sydney Business School. She is also retained as an external coach to the MBA Program. She designed the successful MBA Career Academy before transitioning her Sustainability Recruitment Firm, founded in 2008, into a coaching practice. Before Moir Group, Lisa acted as Program Manager for the Climate Solutions Partnership – a global program with WWF, HSBC and WRI. She co-designed climate innovation challenges to mobilise impact investment into climate technology ventures. Her experience brings perspective to client and candidate needs in the ESG space.

    Lisa Tracy

    Manager
    Moir Group ESG

    Andrew Pownall

    Senior Associate, Executive Search

    Andrew has over twenty years’ experience gained from recruiting in a variety of disciplines, including finance, procurement, supply chain as well as engineering and manufacturing.

    At Moir Group Andrew focuses on executive-level finance search across the greater Sydney region (including Western Sydney) and in Melbourne. Andrew has successfully executed a number of roles for a mix of ASX listed, large multinationals and SME’s.

    Candidate-focused in his approach, Andrew is passionate about supporting people with their overall job-search strategy. He is skilled at helping senior finance professionals perfect their personal brand and fine-tune their approach to securing a fulfilling executive position.

     

    Andrew Pownall, Senior Associate Executive Search at Moir Group

    Andrew Pownall

    Senior Associate
    Executive Search

    Emma Walsh

    Chief Executive Officer, Senior Contract & Interim Executive Recruitment (Accountancy & Finance)

    Emma has over 25 years’ experience in the accountancy and finance recruitment sector and is recognised for her strategic leadership, commercial acumen and ability to build high-performing teams.

    Since joining Moir Group in 2010, Emma has played a key role in shaping the organisation’s growth and direction. She provides clear leadership and vision, ensuring the business remains responsive to market conditions while delivering strong outcomes for clients and candidates.

    Emma brings deep market insight across CFO, Financial Controller, Finance Manager, commercial and change leadership, analyst, and transformation appointments. She works with ASX-listed organisations, global corporates, high-growth businesses and start-ups.

    An authentic and values-led leader, Emma is known for building collaborative, accountable and high-performing teams. She is committed to developing people and supporting organisations through growth and change.

    Emma began her recruitment career in the UK before returning to Australia in 2003. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Technology, Sydney.

    Emma Walsh Chief Executive Officer at Moir Group

    Emma Walsh

    Chief Executive Officer
    Senior Contract & Interim Executive Recruitment (Accountancy & Finance)

    Stephen Moir

    Executive Chair, Moir Group

    Prior to establishing Moir Group, Stephen spent 17 years with a leading international recruitment firm. He progressed through the business and was Managing Director for the operations in Australia. He left to establish Moir Group in early 2007.

    Stephen firmly believes that work is a big part of people’s lives and that having a satisfying job is a big part of having a fulfilling life. Stephen has had great success in delivering on this belief.  He stands by Moir Group’s values of Care, Partnership, Rigour, and Persistence, and they underpin everything he does.

    He always focuses on cultural fit, service and sourcing the right people for his clients, realising that, when Moir Group do their job really well, they have a significant impact on organisations and people’s lives. The result is that Moir’s candidates build successful careers with great retention for the organisations they are placed with.

    Stephen Moir

    Executive Chair
    Moir Group

    Rio-Jane Porter

    Senior Consultant, Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)

    Rio joined Moir Group in June 2019, as a Senior Recruitment Consultant for the Temporary/Contracting team, after relocating from Queensland. She has over 20 years’ experience in the recruitment industry, including several years spent working in the UK. Having recruited for both Commercial & NFP organisations.

    Rio possesses strong communication and relationship-building skills, and has a proven track record in contingency recruitment, account/compliance management, complaints handling and internal auditing. She is excited to bring her passion for customer service and compliance to Moir Group and help support our candidates on their career journey.

    Rio-Jane Porter Senior Consultant Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim) at Moir Group

    Rio-Jane Porter

    Senior Consultant
    Accountancy and Finance Recruitment (Contract and Interim)