Presenters

David McCrostie, Partner, Turks
David joined Turks as an undergraduate in 1991. Throughout his time at Turks, David has acted for secured and unsecured creditors exercising their rights in situations of distressed exposures and upon the insolvency of borrowers and debtors. David is the current head of Turks’ Banking Practice Group and continues to act for the firm's corporate and government lender clients on a broad range of matters that arise on both performing and non-performing facilities throughout the entire life-cycle of a loan. Given his long experience and expertise in insolvency, David continues to conduct and supervise litigation and projects in the firm's Commercial Practice Group particularly on instructions from liquidators, voluntary administrators and both private bankruptcy trustees and the Official Receiver. In 2006, David was appointed a member of the Law Council of Australia's specialist Insolvency and Reconstruction Law Committee. The Law Council's Committee consists of legal practitioners with specialised legal knowledge and experience in insolvency that provides guidance to the Law Council in its dealings with State and Federal Governments when relevant issues emerge. Articles David has written appear in the Insolvency Law Bulletin and he has been an instructor on the post-graduate Advanced Insolvency Program run jointly (then) by the University of Southern Queensland and the Insolvency Practitioners' Association of Australia (now ARITA). He is frequently involved in the organisation, preparation and delivery of both internal and external seminars.


Ashley Leslie, Director – Restructuring & Recovery, Vincents
Ashley has a diverse range of experience which includes corporate accounting, information technology, corporate reconstruction and insolvency and investment scheme wind-ups. She has a holistic approach to solving complex problems in a diverse range of businesses and is well respected for her attention to detail. She has experience in: Liquidations, Administrations, Receiverships, Personal Bankruptcies, Statutory Trusteeships, and Part X Debt Agreements. Ashley is an insolvency practitioner with over 19 years of insolvency experience, specialising in both corporate and personal insolvencies. After working in other specialist insolvency and mid-tier accounting firms, Ashley commenced with Vincents in January 2012 and was made Director in 2017.


Nicolas Pilavidis FICM CCE, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Institute of Credit Management
Nick Pilavidis is the CEO of the Australian Institute of Credit Management (AICM), representing over 3,000 credit professionals—Australia’s custodians of cash flow. These professionals play a critical role in assessing and mitigating credit risk across all sectors, managing credit terms for the supply of goods, services, and finance. Since taking the helm in 2014, Nick has led the AICM through a period of significant transformation—restoring financial sustainability, reaching record membership levels, and deepening member engagement. He is a passionate advocate for the credit profession, championing reforms that empower businesses to make informed credit decisions and manage risk effectively. Nick brings over 20 years of hands-on credit experience spanning the technology, property management, and debt collection industries in both Australia and the UK. A former AICM Australian Young Credit Professional of the Year (2005), he was later honoured as a Fellow of the Institute in recognition of his long-standing volunteer service on the NSW Council and National Board. He holds several professional designations, including Certified Credit Executive, Certified Association Executive, Fellow of CPA Australia, and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Beyond the AICM, Nick serves as a Director of the Australasian Society of Association Executives and is Australia’s Independent Member on the Australia–New Zealand Electronic Invoicing Board (ANZEIB). He also represents the AICM and the broader credit profession on numerous government and industry forums, leading advocacy efforts on credit management and cash flow at the federal level. When not immersed in credit, governance, or supporting the development of credit professionals, Nick enjoys time with his family, experimenting in the kitchen, and catching the occasional game of Rugby Union.

Michael Brereton, Partner, Restructuring & Insolvency, William Buck
Michael is a leading corporate restructuring advisor and insolvency practitioner with over 20 years’ experience assisting companies that are underperforming, facing financial distress or in need of financial restructure. He is passionate about the profession and currently serves on the ARITA (Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association) National Board of Directors as President, is a member of the Executive Committee, former chair of the Finance Committee and is immediate past Chairperson of the NSW and ACT Committee of ARITA. He has significant experience as a registered liquidator in various roles including acting in the capacity as receiver and manager, administrator, deed administrator, liquidator, creditors trustee, and statutory trustee. He has also conducted numerous confidential consulting and lender advisor engagements and solvency reviews. Michael is a passionate sports lover both on the field and in the armchair. When he is not on the tennis court, you’ll find him on the sidelines of a hockey or soccer field cheering on his three children.