The August
Advisory Way
We are August Advisory - where sharp minds and generous hearts make risk and governance simpler, smarter and more human.
We’re not here to tick boxes - we help businesses use risk as an enabler to make better decisions, move with confidence and turn ‘what ifs’ into ‘let’s go’.
OUR VALUES
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Trusted by purpose-led financial services, not for profits and corporate enterprises.
Experts in enterprise risk transformation and elevating executive risk leadership.
Helping businesses uncover real return on investment from their risk spend.
Expertly
Agile
We know our stuff but stay flexible, delivering insights that land.
Completion is Our High
We love a good plan, sharp execution, and results that matter.
Work Hard, Laugh Often
We take our work seriously, but not ourselves.
Coaching Over Telling
We help our clients
(and each other) see differently and
take action.
Bold, Yet Practical
We love big ideas, but only if they’re doable, not just theoretical.
We’re partners in progress, helping clients make risk their edge.
At August Advisory, we do more than consult - we turn risk into opportunity, with brains and heart.
Our Team
KATE GANNON
Energetic and creative, with a focused and pragmatic approach to problem solving, Kate brings two decades of experience consulting to, and working for, global and regional financial services businesses in London and Australia. She is a strong change agent with an ability to think both ahead and on her feet whether she is designing frameworks or leading teams through ambiguity or crisis.
She founded her own consulting practice, August Advisory, in 2021 after identifying a gap in the market for risk advisory support for purpose-based financial institutions. These organisations needed ‘match-fit’ resources to help them drive maturity where capacity and capability issues left them short.
Kate has built expertise across the spectrum of risk disciplines. This includes the design and implementation of risk appetite statements, profiles, frameworks, and policies. She is known for her straight-talking approach and for her ability to distil complexity into simplicity.
Kate has a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Economics from the University of Queensland. She is a chartered accountant, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. When Kate is not doing risky things, she can be found learning some new skills (like AI or cycling) or at the beach or sport-of-the-term with her teenage sons.
RACHEL JANSSEN
A problem solver extraordinaire, Rachel brings over 23 years’ experience and depth in the financial services sector. Rachel has worked in retail and business banking, operations, and relationship management, but her real expertise has been developed over the years in governance and risk management across financial and non-financial risk dimensions.
She has worked for NAB, Suncorp, Bankwest, and Great Southern Bank, and she joined August Advisory as a principal consultant in 2022.
With a natural ability to think differently and join the dots, Rachel seeks and welcomes diversity of thought when she is designing or proposing solutions. Rachel loves to create order out of chaos, so you will see her thrive when problems are large and complex.
Rachel has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Southern Queensland. She also has a Certificate in Governance and Risk Management from the Governance Institute of Australia. When Rachel is not working, she can be found at home with her husband and a menagerie of cats and assorted wildlife. She loves to travel and immerse in local culture and food.
JEN PHELPS
Insights-driven and analytical, with a deep curiosity of human behaviour and impacts, Jen brings 20 years of experience in the financial sector in Australia. Jen has worked for Newcastle Permanent Building Society, Great Southern Bank, Gallagher Bassett, and joined August Advisory as a Senior Consultant in 2022.
Jen has built expertise across several risk disciplines, including risk partnering, risk culture, operational risk, risk frameworks, and policy and committee governance. Jen has experience in designing and evolving risk management frameworks and processes, and a special interest in risk culture and the connections between culture and risk maturity. She is a strong believer that behaviour drives risk outcomes.
Her colleagues will tell you she is a wonderful team member, an active listener and always respectful and considerate of others' opinions. Her ability to distil concepts into simple frameworks, and to transfer lessons from one area to another, make Jen a valuable influencer of change.
Jen has a Graduate Certificate in Policy and Governance from the Queensland University of Technology, a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology and a Bachelor of Psychological Science from Griffith University. She also has multiple qualifications in risk management and financial services.
KATE COOPER
Kate is a dynamic leader with 17+ years of experience driving business and technology transformation across global financial institutions in London and Australia. She excels in navigating complexity, from strategy formation to execution, ensuring lasting impact.
She has held key roles at Suncorp Bank, RBS/NatWest, and Morgan Stanley before joining August Advisory in 2025 upon returning from a decade in London. Her expertise spans enterprise architecture, agile coaching, change management, and program leadership across Risk, Finance, and Banking.
Kate specialises in setting clear strategies, prioritising roadmaps, designing governance frameworks, and embedding sustainable change. She coaches teams at all levels, making complex concepts practical and actionable while fostering self-sustaining learning communities.
She holds a Finance degree from La Trobe University and certifications in enterprise architecture, agile, and change management. Outside work, she enjoys the beach with her husband and Labrador or sharing good wine and conversation with friends.
LET’S MAKE RISK WORK FOR YOU!
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The right risk capability isn’t a cost - it’s a competitive advantage
August Advisory partners with executives, risk leaders and boards to build practical risk capability for strategic impact - so you can make better decisions leading to better outcomes with confidence.
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