CLM Announces New CFO and COO Appointments

“We feel that this co-leadership structure is appropriate for where the firm is right now,” says Partner Matt Tustin. “Kriselle and Lee-Anne are both super talented people, and they are working closely with our Management Board to execute our strategies.

“They bring plenty of energy to their roles, and plenty of drive. They demand high standards of their team and the wider firm, and they are already driving productivity gains which is exciting to see.”

Both appointments are internal, with Kriselle and Lee-Anne already possessing a deep knowledge of CLM. “They know our team and have a lot of institutional knowledge. This means that they have hit the ground running in their new roles.”

Matt says their complementary skill sets were a key factor in the decision to elevate them into executive roles.

“They work together really effectively. They are extremely dedicated to their jobs, they both work incredibly hard, and they constantly live by the Cooney Lees Morgan values. They are natural and generous leaders, and they are great at empowering and growing other individuals in their team.”

Kriselle joined the firm in 2022 and previously worked for Deloitte. She is both a Chartered Accountant and an enrolled Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court. Her new role sits at the intersection of finance and operations, where she can use systems, processes and insight to influence how the business performs.

“This promotion means a lot to me as it reflects the trust the partners have in me and the effort I have put into strengthening the firm’s financial foundations,” she says. “I’m looking forward to continuing to work closely with everyone to make continuous tweaks and improvements to the business.

“Over the last 18 months Lee-Anne and I have worked closely together on the changeover of our practice management and document management systems, and I really enjoyed working with her on these projects. So there is a lot to be excited about for the next chapter.”

CLM’s core values – whānau, integrity, excellence and respect – resonate strongly with both women who say they thrive in a collaborative environment.

Lee-Anne steps into her COO role with a broad operational remit, with partners noting her ability to tackle lots of diverse projects, often simultaneously. “She really gets stuff done in a friendly but efficient way and brings people along for the ride,” Matt says. 

With a background in project management, Lee-Anne enjoys bringing diverse groups together around shared goals and creating the right conditions for collaboration and momentum. “I get a lot of energy from working alongside people as they achieve their own goals and successes, and no two days are ever the same.”

She says the co-leadership model with Kriselle brings together complementary strengths across finance, operations and people.

“We share a strong focus on identifying pain points, improving systems and finding practical ways to move the firm forward. We collaborate well by bringing our different experiences together to reach the best solutions. I’m excited to work with Kriselle and our wider Business Services team to continue building a collaborative, high-performing firm.”

Matt says both leaders are now focused on delivering the firm’s strategic priorities, including continued growth and maintaining high standards of client service. “We are really pleased with the current trajectory of the firm, and Kriselle and Lee-Anne should deservedly take some credit for the gains we are seeing.”

The new appointments form part of a broader set of promotions across the firm this year, including new partners Kate Stubbing and Rachael Zame, and Senior Solicitor Aimee Cox.

“We are naturally really proud of those who are being promoted this year,” Matt says. “They are all ambitious and talented people, who represent our firm in a great light. These promotions give us a glimpse into the future of Cooney Lees Morgan which is a future that we are excited about.”