EY Port Jackson Partners promotes two junior consultants

EY Port Jackson Partners has promoted two of its female junior consultants to the next level. 

Grace Duncan and Rebecca Lawrence both joined EY Port Jackson Partners as a Business Analyst in the first quarter of 2018, and have now seen their contribution to the consulting firm rewarded with a promotion to Associate level.

Lawrence joined the strategic consulting firm, part of EY following the Big Four’s acquisition of Port Jackson Partners, after obtaining a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from The University of Western Australia. Her dissertation examined the link between real economic growth and living standards, with a specific focus on the Australian economy.

During her studies, she deferred her degree by one year to work in Asia in various corporate internships as part of the Australian Government's New Colombo Plan Program. Lawrence completed internships at QBE Insurance in Hong Kong and National Australia Bank in Singapore. 

At EY Port Jackson Partners, Lawrence has worked on projects in the energy sector, both in the public policy space and with a large electricity retailer, and was involved in developing a growth strategy for a leading Australian home builder. She also helped businesses assess the impacts of Australia’s taxation system.

Meanwhile, Grace Duncan joined Port Jackson Partners after obtaining a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws at Sydney University, having also completed electives in France and the United Kingdom. Recalling why she joined the Sydney-based strategy consultancy, “The main reason was the people I met during the interview process. I found them to be very impressive individuals, yet very friendly and approachable.” 

Two and a half years down the line, Duncan is delighted at the opportunities she has been given. Her first project was based in Melbourne, focusing on developing the negotiation strategy for the client’s upcoming negotiations with a major service provider. She then spent three months working on a regional development project for a state government, and has also served clients in the packaging and financial services sectors.

EY Port Jackson Partners has a team of around 50 partners and consultants, and is led by Managing Partner Byron Pirola. The firm operates alongside EY’s global strategy consulting brand, EY-Parthenon.