30 November 2026
How this accounting firm plans to grow revenue by 70%
Peter Antonius never expected to lead an accounting business. Today, he's leading Liston Newton through an ambitious transformation to build the firm of the future.
By Professional Services View
It's no exaggeration to say Liston Newton has ambitious growth plans, but if you ask Peter Antonius, there's no other option.
When Peter joined the professional services firm as chief executive officer five years ago, it was generating $5 million in annual revenue. This year, it’s on track for $9.3 million and it’s targeting $16 million by the end of 2030.
But Peter's plan for the 50-year-old accounting firm goes beyond growing revenue by over 70% in the next five years. His vision is to transform what began as a sole-trader practice in regional Victoria, into what he calls the “professional services firm of the future”.
An unexpected direction
Leading an accounting firm through an ambitious transformation is a career path Peter never anticipated. “I swore I'd never work in public practice!" he laughs.
But it’s his varied background in consulting and professional services that shaped Peter’s thinking on accounting businesses.
He predicts evolving technology and tighter regulation will make it increasingly difficult for smaller practices to survive.
"We absolutely need to bulk up to thrive, to remain relevant to our clients and invest in systems, people and technology so we can continue to drive value for our clients. With the increased cost of doing business, scale will really matter in the future," he says.
Planning for growth
Liston Newton has expanded its operations, evolving and maturing the business divisions – focused on business advisory, bookkeeping, wealth, and lending. It established a Philippines-based team of about 20 to support local staff with accounting administration.
“Five years ago, we were very much a tax and compliance focused business, but we’ve expanded to better support our target market – small to medium businesses that turn over between $1 to $50 million,” Peter says.
Relocating head office from the suburbs of Malvern to the fringe of Melbourne's CBD has attracted larger and more complex clients and helped with recruitment.
The path to client value
The firm's growth ambitions were put to the test in June 2025 when the business completed a management buyout as part of its succession planning journey.
When founder Kieren Liston and his son, the firm’s Chairman John Liston, exited the business, the time was right to review the firm’s strategy.
Peter says the new direction is encapsulated in the firm's vision statement, "Where people and technology bring ambition to life".
In pursuing that vision, the business is embracing technology. It recently hired a full-time AI engineer and plans to recruit a second. Within the next few years, Peter expects AI and automation to be embedded throughout its business systems.
While technology is a great enabler, Peter acknowledges it is the people who deliver value to clients through their expertise and relationships.
"We ask our managers and staff to 'wow' our clients, to deliver great outcomes. To do that well, we need to invest in the right skill sets," he says.
Partnering with NAB
While people and technology will play a critical role in achieving Liston Newton's growth ambitions, Peter says strong external partnerships are equally important.
Relationships are also important in a banking partner.
Behind Liston Newton's transformation is a long-standing partnership with NAB, which has supported the firm through every stage of its growth.
Peter says regular conversations with Adam Holster, NAB Professional Services Executive VIC, and the broader team have given the bank a deep understanding of Liston Newton’s performance, ambitions and longer-term plans.
“If we know there’s something we’ve got to plan for or something we need to achieve, having that open dialogue really helps each party know where they’re at and what is possible.”
That partnership extends to Liston Newton’s clients, whether they’re reviewing their transactional banking, looking at financing or need specialist services.
One client started as a small apparel business and has since expanded into a global enterprise. As its banking needs became more complex, Liston Newton introduced the business to NAB specialists who now support both its Australian and international operations.
For Peter, making those introductions comes down to confidence.
“All we ask is: please be commercial; be responsive; get to really know our business inside and out. And that’s something that NAB has always done for us.”
