National business advisory firm McGrathNicol has appointed three new partners in its Brisbane and Sydney offices.
Brisbane-based Melissa Smith has been with the consulting firm for 18 years, making the step up to partner in its Restructuring practice. Having led numerous complex formal engagements including trading businesses, Smith has extensive experience in conducting independent business reviews and monitoring projects for both private and public sector clients.
Her experience covers a broad range of industries, including retail, health and aged care, resources and mining, agribusiness, transport and logistics, hospitality and property.

Commenting on the appointment, Jason Preston, Executive Chair of McGrathNicol, said: “Melissa brings a wealth of restructuring experience and expertise to our clients, we are proud to promote her to the partnership.”
Alex Morkos is a technology and cyber security specialist with more than 25 years of experience designing enterprise technology solutions, security engineering, and operations and risk management frameworks. Based in Sydney, his experience covers both the business and technical sides of cyber across industries including banking, retail and defence.
Also based in Sydney is Mark Wroniak, a technology and cyber professional who specialises in the development, management and execution of IT security strategies, advice, architecture, and assessment activities. He has implemented a range of innovative security solutions and strategies for clients across banking and finance, retail, critical infrastructure and government.
Morkos and Wroniak previously co-founded and built Aleron into an award-winning cybersecurity consultancy. In 2019, they led the sale of Aleron to EY.
“We are excited to welcome Alex and Mark to the Advisory practice, particularly at a time when our clients are looking for expert advice and support in navigating security infrastructure projects, ongoing cyber threats, and complex data and privacy challenges,” said Preston.
Last week, McGrathNicol was named one of Australia’s leading consulting firms in multiple categories.
National business advisory firm McGrathNicol has appointed three new partners in its Brisbane and Sydney offices.
Brisbane-based Melissa Smith has been with the consulting firm for 18 years, making the step up to partner in its Restructuring practice. Having led numerous complex formal engagements including trading businesses, Smith has extensive experience in conducting independent business reviews and monitoring projects for both private and public sector clients.
Her experience covers a broad range of industries, including retail, health and aged care, resources and mining, agribusiness, transport and logistics, hospitality and property.
Commenting on the appointment, Jason Preston, Executive Chair of McGrathNicol, said: “Melissa brings a wealth of restructuring experience and expertise to our clients, we are proud to promote her to the partnership.”
Alex Morkos is a technology and cyber security specialist with more than 25 years of experience designing enterprise technology solutions, security engineering, and operations and risk management frameworks. Based in Sydney, his experience covers both the business and technical sides of cyber across industries including banking, retail and defence.
Also based in Sydney is Mark Wroniak, a technology and cyber professional who specialises in the development, management and execution of IT security strategies, advice, architecture, and assessment activities. He has implemented a range of innovative security solutions and strategies for clients across banking and finance, retail, critical infrastructure and government.
Morkos and Wroniak previously co-founded and built Aleron into an award-winning cybersecurity consultancy. In 2019, they led the sale of Aleron to EY.
“We are excited to welcome Alex and Mark to the Advisory practice, particularly at a time when our clients are looking for expert advice and support in navigating security infrastructure projects, ongoing cyber threats, and complex data and privacy challenges,” said Preston.
Last week, McGrathNicol was named one of Australia’s leading consulting firms in multiple categories.
Summary:
National business advisory firm McGrathNicol has announced the appointment of three new partners in its Brisbane and Sydney offices. Melissa Smith, based in Brisbane, has been promoted to partner in the Restructuring practice after 18 years with the firm, bringing extensive experience in conducting independent business reviews and monitoring projects across various industries.
In Sydney, Alex Morkos and Mark Wroniak have joined as technology and cyber security specialists. Morkos has over 25 years of experience in enterprise technology solutions and cyber security, while Wroniak specializes in IT security strategies and assessment activities. Both previously co-founded the cybersecurity consultancy Aleron, which they sold to EY in 2019.
Jason Preston, Executive Chair of McGrathNicol, expressed pride in Smith’s promotion and excitement over the addition of Morkos and Wroniak, especially as clients face increasing security and privacy challenges. Last week, McGrathNicol was also recognized as one of Australia’s leading consulting firms in multiple categories.