Headquarters:
Level 21/400 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000
Year founded:
1980
Number of employees:
200+
Phone:
+61 7 3231 2444
Email:
lawyers@cgw.com.au
Website:
cgw.com.au
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cooper-grace-ward/
“Having four insurance designations, and the wealth of knowledge that comes with it, enables me to better counsel customers regarding the importance of having the appropriate insurance coverage”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
Charles Sweeney
Managing Partner
Erin Jakubans
Director of People and Culture
Craig Menzies
Senior Vice President, Client Service Delivery and Operations
Leadership
As managing partner at Cooper Grace Ward, Charles Sweeney leads the firm’s strategy, management and day-to-day operations. He demonstrates his commitment to inclusivity and positive workplace culture by actively supporting and promoting firm-wide inclusion initiatives and policies.
In addition to organisational leadership, his expertise extends to corporate and commercial law, where he stands as a recognised market leader.
Managing Partner
Charles Sweeney
As director of people and culture at Cooper Grace Ward, Erin Jakubans leads the firm’s people strategy and works alongside business leaders to align talent initiatives with the firm’s strategic objectives and values.
She has broad experience in delivering talent management and leadership development programs to cultivate high-performing teams and to foster a culture of excellence, collaboration and inclusion. Erin is passionate about empowering people to achieve their full career potential, while making a socially positive contribution to the workplace and the community.
Director of People and Culture
Erin Jakubans
Craig Menzies leads the client services team to oversee the delivery, integration, and transformation of business services within the Symcor delivery network. He also leads a team responsible for client relations and its operational excellence initiatives.
Menzies joined Symcor in 2009 as vice president of operations for the Western Region. His 20 years of global outsourcing operations experience includes serving as director of North America utility BPO operations for Accenture and, prior to that, as director of customer care operations at CustomerWorks LP.
Senior Vice President, Client Service Delivery and Operations
Craig Menzies
“Having four insurance designations, and the wealth of knowledge that comes with it, enables me to better counsel customers regarding the importance of having the appropriate insurance coverage”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
Leadership
“A true leader can see potential in different employees, regardless of their position. Listening and recognizing the value of each individual not only inspires them but also makes them grow professionally”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
Leadership
Aaron Sanderson
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Aaron Sanderson is responsible for overseeing Symcor’s financial and risk management operations in alignment with the company’s overarching vision and mission. He joined Symcor in 2016 as vice president of finance, bringing with him a wealth of experience in managing financial operations and a track record of successfully enabling growth and sales activities to deliver strong results.
With over 20 years of expertise in functional finance spanning diverse industries, Sanderson is an exceptional leader with a razor-sharp focus on generating results. Prior to Symcor, he held roles at organizations, including Deloitte, Atomic Energy of Canada, and Brewers Retail/Brewers Distributor.
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Aaron Sanderson
Paul MacDonald
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Paul MacDonald is responsible for developing and executing Symcor’s market-driven technology strategy and managing the technical support and core application teams. He began working with Symcor as a consultant in 2015 before being appointed to his current position in 2016.
MacDonald has extensive experience as a business and information technology executive from his time as senior vice president and chief information officer at Farm Credit Canada, and vice president at Ipsos-Reid.
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Paul MacDonald
Cooper Grace Ward is a leading independent law firm based in Brisbane. As a full-service law firm, the team provides a range of legal services to clients nationally and internationally.
The firm is recognised for having a vibrant, energetic and diverse team, and is committed to supporting and developing its people to meet the changing needs of clients.
Cooper Grace Ward’s key practice groups are among the leading Brisbane-based teams in their respective areas of expertise. Recognised as an Inclusive Employer by the Diversity Council Australia since 2017, the firm has a wide range of policies and initiatives focused on inclusion, diversity and equity in the workplace. It is also committed to nurturing an environment that prioritises wellbeing and development.
Cooper Grace Ward embraces and celebrates its differences by fostering a safe and inclusive work environment where everyone can achieve their full potential.
Saba Shariff
Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy, Product and Innovation Officer
Elisabeth Demone
Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Dan Draper
Group Chief Underwriting Officer
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Saba Shariff oversees multiple teams responsible for designing and launching innovative products that address industry-wide challenges, along with a mandate for charting Symcor’s corporate strategy towards continued growth. Saba joined Symcor in 2002 and held progressive senior positions thereafter.
Prior to joining Symcor, she had previous experience in both start-ups and telecommunications. Named as one of Canada’s Top 50 Women in Fintech in Canada, Shariff is a sought-after public speaker who shares insights on topics such as open banking, innovation, and women in technology in the Canadian financial industry.
Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy, Product and Innovation Officer
Saba Shariff
Elisabeth Demone oversees the company’s legal, contractual, and regulatory functions in addition to guiding governance matters as secretary to the board of directors. She joined Symcor in 2010, holding progressively senior positions.
Prior to joining Symcor, Demone worked at John Deere Credit and Stikeman Elliott LLP. She earned her LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. She previously served as a director on the board of the Canadian Technology Law Association.
Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Elisabeth Demone
Dan Draper was appointed group chief underwriting officer in September 2022. He had previously served for more than two years as group head of underwriting at AXIS. Prior to that, he had been group chief risk and actuarial officer at VIBE. Before joining VIBE, Draper spent eight years with AXIS, holding a number of leadership roles that included group chief actuary, chief risk analytics officer, and insurance segment chief risk officer. Before that, he held managerial positions at the Financial Services Authority, XL Capital, and EY.
Group Chief Underwriting Officer
Dan Draper
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Sarah M Stewart
Associate Vice President,
Leasing and Call Centre Operations
Karen Bannister, CM
Vice President, Marketing
Dave Longbottom
Chief Technology Officer
Alex Ventura
Head of Marketing
Damian Palovick
Senior Vice President of Underwriting
AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America
Dr. Mary Lavoie
Head of Risk Management and Senior Vice President
AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America
Mark Bernacki
Chief Underwriting Officer
Ryan Armijo
Chief Operating Officer, Underwriting Division
Bob Petrilli
President, Underwriting Division
Read on
IB Top Brokerages
Award Winner
Award Winner
COOPER GRACE WARD
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Read on
Award Winner
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Read on
Award Winner
SPECIAL REPORT
Home
Bio
Medal
Small business
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Turnaround time – claims
BDM support
Broker communication, training and development
Overall service level
BDM support
BDM support
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
“A true leader can see potential in different employees, regardless of their position. Listening and recognizing the value of each individual not only inspires them but also makes them grow professionally”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
“Having four insurance designations, and the wealth of knowledge that comes with it, enables me to better counsel customers regarding the importance of having the appropriate insurance coverage”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
“A true leader can see potential in different employees, regardless of their position. Listening and recognizing the value of each individual not only inspires them but also makes them grow professionally”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
