People are the greatest asset on the journey towards success.
Advocates, partners and trusted advisors. Meet the EM Advisory Team.

Natasha MandieManaging Director
Natasha has over twenty years of corporate advisory and investment banking experience advising mid-market and technology companies across M&A and capital raising transactions in private and public markets.
Natasha’s strategic and direct approach inspires confidence and lets you know where you stand. Her negotiation, execution and change management experience, coupled with her extensive business networks and renowned tenacity, delivers the best outcome for her clients. Natasha founded EM Advisory in 2011 after senior roles at Credit Suisse and Hindal Group.

Amir PaluchManaging Director
Amir is a skilled M&A and Corporate Finance practitioner having run transactions from initiation through integration both in-house and advisory, along with managing investor relations, corporate restructures and capital raising processes. His analytical and hands-on approach means he’s able to grasp concepts and derive insights quickly, distil complex issues into clear action plans and present articulate pathways.
Prior to joining EM Advisory Amir worked at major Australian corporates including the global digital marketplace business, Envato and Australasian logistics, property and airports group, Linfox. Amir also worked at global investment banks Investec, Goldman Sachs and Rothschild.

Caitlin IlesManaging Director
Caitlin is an accomplished, growth-focused senior executive with 15+ years’ senior executive experience within the venture capital and start-up ecosystem globally.
Caitlin’s commercial experience spans ANZ regional businesses for large USA-based multinationals, to management roles in start-ups. She was a senior executive within one of APAC’s leading venture capital firms and is an angel investor in some of Australia’s top-performing and most promising start-ups.
Oswald FernandesVice President
Oswald brings over 10 years’ experience in M&A, private equity and venture capital advisory.
Oswald is a keen student of business, with a interest in growth drivers, and how business models can be translated to other industries and geographies. With extensive experience across the food and beverage and technology sectors in both India and the Middle East, Oswald brings a broad perspective on how businesses can scale, as well as how M&A and capital raisings can support this growth.
Philip GoldhahnVice President
Philip has over 8 years’ experience in M&A advisory across Europe and the UK.
Working with financial sponsors, start-ups, and publicly listed corporations, both on the sell- and buy-side, Philip has a breadth of experience in end-to-end process management, deal structuring and execution.
Prior to joining EM Advisory, Philip was a VP at Carlsquare in Germany where he focused on technology, consumer, and business services transactions.
Gayathri ShankarAssociate
Gayathri brings more than 5 years’ experience across corporate strategy, business finance and corporate advisory. Gayathri is a Chartered Accountant and has completed two levels in CFA.
She enjoys working with high growth businesses. Her experience in fashion and the retail industry have helped her gain in-depth knowledge of business operations, and develop her core expertise in financial analysis and modelling.
Christian IturbeAssociate
Christian brings four years of experience across corporate finance and public practice accounting.
He enjoys applying his strong understanding of accounting and valuation principles to add value in business analysis, strategy and modelling, particularly in the context of M&A transactions.
Sam LeesAnalyst
Sam brings three years of experience across M&A, due diligence and corporate advisory, and is currently completing the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program.
He has a passion for business strategy and enjoys using his strong technical skill set to help growth companies achieve their goals and maximise economic value.
James HeathAnalyst
James brings over two years of experience in venture capital and corporate advisory.
He is passionate about applying an alternative perspective to business analysis and strategy to assist clients in achieving their goals.
Anna LeggCFO
Anna is an experienced finance executive and company secretary with over 25 years of experience in financial reporting, management and analysis across a wide range of industries including Fin Tech, Biotech, Banking and Finance and Import/Distribution in public, private and government arenas.
Anna is passionate about understanding key business drivers and solving problems. She has an eye for key details and enjoys providing financial insights. Her previous roles include Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary at an ASX listed biotech, Financial Analyst at Australia Post and CFO of an early version of Touchcorp Ltd.
Kylie FaveroPractice Manager
Kylie is an experienced administrator, having provided executive level support across a number of industries including finance, logistics and technology, in both Australia and the UK.
Kylie enjoys supporting others to achieve their best, always seeking to find solutions to challenges with a focus on continuous improvement.