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eta forum - Returning in 2025

Australia’s flagship event for the Search & Acquisition community

  • Sydney
  • September 18 & 19, 2025
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Event overview

A Day for Searchers, Investors, Operators & Advisors

Join us in Sydney this September for a full-day event bringing together Australia's Entrepreneurship through Acquisition community. From insightful panels to real-world operator stories, the EtA Forum is where meaningful connections are made.

What's On

The Agenda

Meet us at Doltone House from 7:45am to register your ticket and receive your lanyard. Then head through and enjoy a complementary breakfast, brought to you by EtA Forum sponsor Wellwards.

Time to start making your way into the conference room and join our host Pete Seligman to kick off the EtA Forum Sydney.

Kick off the day with a presentation from the fantastic Warren Hogan, the chief economic advisor at Judo Bank, the proud sponsor of the keynote.

Jake Nicholson, Managing Director from SME Ventures will provide an overview of the state of the market in APAC.

Connect with other attendees over morning tea.

Listen to a panel of entrepreneurs discuss the state of searching for and operating a business in 2025.

Moderator: Jason Andrew, Director / Head of Growth at SBO Financial

Panellists: Kylie Wright, Director at SMEVentures, Ashley Alfs, Director at Project Mule Ventures, Paige Kohalmont, CEO at Austral Herbs, Carmel Williamson, Principle at Crosby Street Capital

Gain an insight into the role of Non-Executive Directors in another engaging panel session. Brought to you by Prime Financial Group

Moderator: Jason Shepherd, Special Adviser at Prime Financial Group

Panellists: Alix Doherty, Principal Advisor at Alix Doherty Advisory, Zeljko Nikolic, Managing Director at Lilyfield Partners, Jake Maisey, Investment Director at Dorado, Rob Le Blanc Managing Partner at Ambit Partners.

Enjoy a high quality lunch and with your fellow attendees, proudly brought to you by Wellwards.

Engage in this interactive session called ‘The Entrepreneur’s Journey”, hosted by Pete Seligman. Proudly brought to you by GCI Funds.

Connect with other attendees over afternoon tea.

Hear how Josh Beaver built his hold co in an engaging fireside chat hosted by James Frank.

Proudly brought to you by Frank Law

Closing remarks and housekeeping from the formal end of day one.

Sip, graze & connect at the wonderful Signorelli Gastronomia, proudly brought to you by Arrowpoint Capital.

Kick off day two back at Doltone House with a nutritious breakfast.

Pick one of the following to attend:


Option One – Financial Modelling for EtA

With Jason Andrew SBO Financial

Presented by SBO Financial


Option Two – EtA and Search Funds 101 : An introduction if you’re new to our Community

Jake Nicholson, SMEVentures & Jemima Cooper, AGSM


Option Three – Working with a fractional CFO – using expert financial insights to drive actionable growth and value strategies. 

Jason Daniels, Prime Accounting & Business Advisory

Presented by Prime Financial

Pick one of the following to attend:

Option One -Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset: Insurance & Risk Management Throughout the Acquisition Process

Austin Rosier, Omnisure


Presented by Ominsure


Option Two – The EtA + Adviser Playbook: How to Extract Maximum Value from Your Professional Advisers

Andrew Phelan, Liston Newton



Option Three – The Art of Matching the Entrepreneur, the Deal and Capital (30 mins)

Tom Cochrane of Altor Capital and David Gulson of Prime Corporate Advisory

Connect with other attendees over morning tea.

Pick one of the following to attend:


Option One – Human Capital: Getting People Aligned Post-Close

With Frankie Close, Advisor & Coach to CEOs and Executive Teams


Option Two – Deal Structuring

James Frank & Bahar Agar, Frank Law

Presented by Frank Law


Option Three – Case Study: Arbor Capital

With Jason Andrew, SBO Financial

Pick one of the following to attend:


Option One – Insight to Impact: Creating Value by Deepening Customer Understanding and Engagement

With Cameron Honey, Current Future


Option Two – Ask Me Anything!

With Pete Seligman (and guests)


Option Three – Post-Acquisition Playbook

With Simon Plummer, Arbor Permanent Owners

Enjoy a high quality lunch and with your fellow attendees

Watch this space…

We will say our farewells over a coffee and a caramel slice after another great EtA Forum. Chat with speakers and make those final connections as we draw the curtain on the EtA Forum 2025.

That’s a wrap! See you in 2026. 

What's On

Speaker List

Warren Hogan
Judo bank

Warren Hogan is one of Australia’s leading economic analysts, with a focus on the Australian economy, policy, and global markets. 

He is Chief Economic Advisor at Judo Bank and Founder of EQ Economics, and was named the AFR’s Top Economic Forecaster in 2024. 

Previously Chief Economist at ANZ, Warren is a regular voice across national media, known for his forecasting, critical thinking and plain speaking.

Jake Nicholson
SMEVEntures

Jake Nicholson leads SMEVentures, which has backed several successful search fund acquisitions, including the first in Australia and the second in New Zealand. With a deep understanding of the ETA landscape, Jake previously served as the first employee at Search Fund Accelerator. He shares his expertise through The Search Fund Blog and Podcast, and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs as an Entrepreneur in Residence at INSEAD, where he received his MBA.

Jason Andrew
SBO Financial

Jason is a chartered accountant and founder of the Arbor Group – a holdco of financial services business ranging from accounting and tax services, funds management and corporate advisory. His personal mission and passion is to improve the financial literacy of entrepreneurs and executives and change the current worldview of the accounting profession.

Kylie Wright
SMEVentures

Kylie Wright is an Oxford MBA and seasoned C-suite executive with more than 15 years’ experience leading high-growth, tech-enabled businesses. She has built high-performing sales teams, led complex operational turnarounds and guided companies through successful exits.

Now partnering with SMEVentures, Kylie is focused on acquiring and leading a small business as CEO, bringing strategic insight and hands-on leadership to create lasting value.

Ashley Alfs
Project mule ventures

She is an operations and supply chain professional with 15 years of experience across manufacturing, medical devices and FMCG. Prior to starting Project Mule she worked in management consulting, corporate and SMEs. She brings with her the professional experience, resilience and accountability to spearhead the successful acquisition and growth of an established business through its next stage.

Paige Kohalmi
austral herbs

Paige Kohalmont is CEO and co-owner of Austral Herbs, acquired in 2023 through her search fund, Greenstorm Capital. With nearly 15 years in operations management, she has led businesses across import, distribution and SMEs, as well as running her own.

An owner-operator at heart, Paige thrives on growing small businesses, building strong teams and designing systems that make work both productive and enjoyable.

Carmel Williamson
crosby street capital

Crosby Street Capital was founded by Carmel Williamson, a seasoned business leader known for driving innovation and transformation in businesses and empowering great teams.

With extensive experience in building businesses for global holding companies and some of Australia’s largest listed companies, Carmel brings a unique blend of operational expertise, an entrepreneurial approach, global perspective, and a motivating management style.

Jason Shepherd
prime financial group

Jason spent around 20 years advising businesses in M&A, capital raising, and strategic roles within commercial and investment banking. He then transitioned to roles in founder-led and SME companies as an executive, board member, or adviser. At Prime, Jason applies this extensive experience to capital and asset management, supporting the company’s presence in the Search fund and ETA sector.

Alix Doherty
alix doherty advisory

Alix is experienced Managing Director and Business Advisor that has a proven record of identifying opportunities, choosing the right targets, and delivering outcomes, Alix brings a wealth of skills and expertise to the role of Non-Executive Director and Advisor.

Zeljko Nikolic
lilyfield partners

Zeljko is a seasoned business leader with an exceptional track record of leading complex transformation across diverse industries. As the Managing Director and Founder of Lilyfield Partners, he specialises in developing and delivering large-scale transformation programs. He is highly regarded by his clients for his collaborative approach, which effectively transforms strategic objectives into tangible outcomes driving profitable growth and enhancing operational performance.

Jake Maisey
dorado capital

Jake is Investment Director at Dorado Capital, a family office based in Perth. Dorado Capital invests across all asset classes including Property, Venture Capital and Private Equity and recently raised a A$10m fund to invest in Search Funds in Australia and New Zealand. Before joining Dorado in May 2019, Jake worked in Corporate Finance at KPMG in Perth and Fund Management at Stenprop in London. Jake is an experienced investor and corporate advisor and sits on a number of boards as a non-executive director.

Pete Seligman
forum host & investor

Pete Seligman is a Search Investor and co-founder of EtA Forum, recognised as one of Australasia’s leading voices on Search Fund and ETA insights and advice.

With a background spanning engineering, investment banking and business ownership, he has acquired and led multiple SMEs. Today, Pete leverages this experience to back the next generation of entrepreneurs and support the global transition of small business ownership.

Josh Beaver
beaver process equipment

Josh Beaver is an entrepreneur and business owner who has spent the past 18 years building Beaver Group. He bought the original business at age 27 and has grown it through reinvention, organic expansion, and now acquisitions, with the group on track to do over $80m in sales this year. Today Josh is evolving his role from hands-on operator to permanent capital investor, applying his growth playbook across multiple roll-up platforms supported by shared services.

James Frank
frank law

James is a corporate lawyer and advisor who is passionate about helping founders grow and protect their businesses. As the Chief Executive Partner of Frank Law, James oversees the firm’s growth and development, as well as working with founders to structure smart deals, navigate complex legal landscapes, and unlock growth.

He is also the founder of Frank Advisory, a corporate advisory and consultancy firm that helps business owners navigate critical growth moments, and Brolly Capital, which aims to provide growth capital and buyout solutions to SME founders.

Andrew Phelan
liston newton advisory

Andrew Phelan is a highly experienced adviser, specialising in business and entrepreneurial strategy for high-net-worth clients. He focuses on understanding the unique needs of business owners and delivering solutions that align with their goals and budgets.

He has particular expertise in complex tax matters, including structuring, Division 7A, PSI, CGT, state taxes and GST, helping clients navigate regulations and optimise financial strategies.

He is a Member of the Institute of Public Accountants and an Associate of CPA Australia.

Tom Cochrane

Tom Cochrane
altor capital

Tom is an Associate Portfolio Manager within the Altor team and has diverse experience across Altor’s business including private credit, private equity, public equities and corporate advisory. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Economics at the University of Queensland and is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst.

Jason Daniels
prime financial group

Jason is a Chartered Accountant and Certified Advisory Board Chair and has worked some of Australia’s most well-established and growing privately-owned businesses including assisting with due diligence in acquisitions and as fractionalised CFO post-acquisition supporting the executive in strategic financial decision making and reporting to Board/investors.

Austin Rosier
omnisure

Austin Rosier is a Senior Risk Adviser at Omnisure, recognised for his expertise in holistic risk management and M&A insurance solutions. He is known for his strategic approach to complex, hard-to-place risks, from major construction projects to fast-evolving tech ventures.

Named Insurance Business Young Achiever of the Year, Austin is valued for his analytical insight and practical solutions. He works closely with business owners to design proactive risk strategies that protect long-term business viability.

Simon Plummer
arbour permanent owners

Simon Plummer is an experienced entrepreneur and operator with over a decade of success acquiring, growing and leading small and mid-sized businesses. After scaling a building services company to IPO, he has completed multiple founder-led acquisitions, personally stepping in as CEO to drive integration, transformation and growth.

Simon holds an undergraduate degree in accounting and is an alumnus of London Business School.

Cameron Honey
current future

Cam Honey is Founder and CEO of Current Future and a reformed lawyer and chartered accountant. With two decades of experience in finance, advisory and operations, he has worked on complex projects at PwC, Herbert Smith Freehills, Venues NSW and Michael Cassel Group.

He founded Current Future to help private businesses navigate periods of significant change, providing senior expertise to deliver results quickly and effectively.

Rob LeBlanc

Rob LeBlanc
ambit partners

Rob is a co-founder and the managing partner of Ambit Partners, a leading international Search Fund investor. Having invested and supported entrepreneurs in more than 30 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, Rob has developed unique expertise across the Search Fund lifecycle.

Bahar agar
frank law

Bahar Agar is Director of Corporate & Commercial, advising clients across industries on corporate securities and commercial transactions. She specialises in mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets and corporate governance.

Recognised in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for M&A Law in 2023 and 2024, Bahar has extensive experience in complex transactions, capital raisings, ASX Listing Rules and Corporations Act compliance.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Social Science in Criminology and Social Policy from UNSW.

frankie close
Inflection edge

Frankie Close is the Founder of Inflection Edge, a leadership advisory and coaching practice supporting investors, CEOs, and executive teams through pivotal moments of change. A Business Psychologist and Executive Coach, she combines senior in-house experience at EY (UK) and Macquarie Bank with two decades advising leaders across financial services, technology, healthcare, government, and private equity. Frankie is known for her 30/60/90-day alignment frameworks and her ability to turn “people issues” into investor-grade insights, helping boards and operators translate strategy into measurable outcomes with clarity and confidence.

Jemima Cooper

JEMIMA COOPER

Jemima Cooper is a former ballerina turned ultrarunner whose career bridges marketing, investor relations, and venture building. She launched her first business development consultancy while at university and has since advised over 120 clients across 8 countries, from sports brands and digital scale-ups to private equity firms, football agencies, and governments.he specialises in building investor ecosystems, scaling trust, and translating vision into capital, partnerships, and growth. Her recent work has focused on investor relations projects and search/ advisory in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition.

Attendee FAQs

Event Overview

The Forum takes place on Thursday 18 September and Friday 19 September 2025 at Doltone House – Darling Island Wharf, Pyrmont. Event details are on the EtA Forum Sydney website. Venue map: Google Maps link.

Daily schedule

  • Registration opens: 7:45am
  • Networking breakfast: 7:45am
  • Program start: 8:30am
  • Program finish: 4:30pm
  • Optional Networking Drinks & Light Dinner: 4:30pm–8:00pm
  • Entry via North Wharf only (South Wharf is closed due to another event).
  • Registration opens: 7:45am
  • Networking breakfast: 7:45am
  • Workshops start: 8:30am
  • Program finish: 3:00pm
  • Optional Networking Afternoon Tea: 3:00pm–4:00pm
  • Full agenda available on the event website.

tickets & registration

Collect your name badge at the registration desk – your badge is your entry.

Located on the Promenade outside Doltone House – Darling Island.

Refunds or credits are available if you cancel by 10 September (7 days prior). Cancellations after this date are non-refundable.

getting there

  • Public transport: Short walk from Pyrmont Bay Light Rail, Gadigal Metro Station, and Town Hall.
  • Ferry: F4 Pyrmont Bay Ferry from Circular Quay to Pyrmont Bay Wharf.
  • Rideshare/taxi: Drop-off at The Star Casino main entrance.
  • Parking: Paid parking at The Star Casino.

Yes, there is step-free access throughout, except the street entry/exit from Parkview Room. Ask at the registration desk if you need assistance.

attire

The Forum is not a formal event and comfort is key! Business casual is recommended, but think of it in the relaxed sense: neat jeans, shirts, polos, dresses, or whatever you feel comfortable networking and learning in. No need for suits or ties. Bring a light layer for air-conditioning or cool weather.

food & dietaries

Yes, meals will cater for dietary needs where possible. Please note food is prepared in a commercial kitchen and may contain traces of allergens. If you have severe allergies, bring your EpiPen/medication and you’re welcome to bring your own food.

photography & filming

Yes, content may be used on EtA Central and LinkedIn. If you haven’t consented, please notify registration staff and email a headshot to hello@etacentral.com.au so you can be excluded where possible.

onsite extras

  • Complimentary barista coffee each morning.
  • Meeting/work spaces (Parkview & Signorelli’s) available Thursday – ask staff for directions.
  • Wi-Fi – details at registration and on room signage.
  • Cloak/storage – limited space at registration desk.
  • Meals – breakfast, lunch, and morning/afternoon tea included both days.
  • Thursday evening networking dinner & drinks with canapés, food stations, and drinks.

pre-forum meetup

Yes, an informal Sydney Meetup on Wednesday 17 September at Bungalow 8, Darling Harbour. Starts 5:30pm onwards, self-funded food & drinks. Capacity limited to 60 – register via EtA Central or LinkedIn. Look for the EtA Central banner.

support

You can email us at hello@etacentral.com.au or reach out to Helen Clark via EtA Central or on 0405 724 004.

Who Should Attend

Who is the EtA Forum For?

Typical eta forum attendees include:

  • People Looking to Acquire a Business
  • Current Operators
  • Investors & Funders
  • Advisors & Lawyers
  • Business Owners
  • People Looking To Learn More About EtA

Does this sound like you?

Secure Your Ticket

Event Feedback

What Past Attendees Say

Love the ETA concept and lm glad there is a community here in Australia like the one you have setup

I'll be coming back every year from now!

Everyone was there to genuinely help and support the growing community

Thanks for creating such a quality but relaxed and friendly atmosphere. It was a pleasure to participate this event and I am very happy to be part of the EtA community

It was my first introduction to the community. High quality of professionals and experienced business owners. Quality networking opportunity

EtA Central and EtA Forum Partners

Prime Financial

Wealth Management, Corporate Finance, Accounting & Business Advisory, SMSF as well as ESG Advisory services under one roof.

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Frank Law

Western Sydney’s trusted corporate and commercial law firm, and business advisory providing deep expertise and friendly service.

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Current Future

Scale-up specialists, CurrentFuture develops tailored strategies and solutions, helping private companies to realise their potential faster.

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EtA Forum Sponsors

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