Profession
Chartered accountants make a difference where it counts – for people, businesses, communities and economies around the world. Here, Acuity magazine profiles 20 young CAs applying high ethical standards to their chosen careers.
Grace Magee CA, 24
“I aim to bring high levels of personality and character to my role.”
Finance business partner, Mitie London, England
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Hayden Walsh CA, 32
Territory sales manager - north, Xero
Auckland, New Zealand
“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.”
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Aiko Wang CA, 34
Director at Rodgers Reidy
Sydney, Australia
“I am eager to establish myself as a role model for women."
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Luka Zivkovic CA, 31
Senior commercial analyst, Gold Road Resources
Perth, Australia
“I have helped enable a clear overview of the supply chain and the risks.”
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Luke Steere CA, 27
Senior financial accountant, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Wellington, New Zealand
“We want to attract, grow, role model and support Māori and Pasifika aiming to enter the accounting profession.”
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Nadia Afrin CA, 24
Intermediate accountant, Mazars
Sydney, Australia
“I have always had a strong sense of aspiration and self-drive to build something great of my own.”
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Cary Walkin CA, 34
Salesforce team lead, Xero Auckland, New Zealand
“Big differences are made one small change at a time.”
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Pauras Rege CA, 33
Director, Tiaki Capital Limited Auckland, New Zealand
“I have been able to promote CA as a designation of choice within the mergers and acquisitions sector.”
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Grace Magee CA, 24
Finance business partner at Mitie
Growing up in rural New Zealand and working for a regional big four office, Grace Magee CA likes to think she brought a level of practicality and real-life industry knowledge to her audit clients.
London, England
“I tried to breakdown what is often a natural barrier between auditor and client,” she says. Magee has also given her time providing independent audits and advice to rural charitable organisations, such as the local Dog Trialling Association.
She recently made the move from New Zealand to London to broaden her experience and notes a CA qualification can “take you anywhere.”
“I aim to bring high levels of personality and character to my role.”
Ben Walker CA, 33
Founder, Inspire Accountants Brisbane, Australia
“I’ve enjoyed my opportunity to help others and see the impact on their personal and professional lives.”
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Rebecca Casey CA, 28
Senior risk manager,
Westpac Group
Sydney, Australia
“Volunteering is such a powerful way for CAs to give back to their community.”
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Rishi Kher CA, 32
Co-founder of XB4
Melbourne, Australia
“I became an Uber driver to pay the bills.”
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Sarah Hyland CA, 31
Founder and head of purpose, Together Business
Darwin, Australia
“We service the social enterprise sector in a way that honours vision and mission.”
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Ritu Saxena CA, 33
Finance and strategy professional
Auckland, New Zealand
“I am passionate about the advancement and empowerment of women.”
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Tanya Kerkvliet CA, 33
Director, climate change, sustainability and ESG, KPMG
Perth, Australia
“It is my passion to use my accounting knowledge to contribute to the greater good.”
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Theshan Goonewardene CA, 34
Director, KPMG US LLP
New York, US
“I help organisations understand how ESG is an opportunity to unlock value.”
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Story Joshua Gliddon
“I took a pay cut and worked longer hours, most days with little reward.”
Accountant, Oakdare Holdings
Townsville, Australia
Tayla Connolly CA, 30
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“I am helping provide a connection between the ATO and the CALD community.”
Treasurer, Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils
of Australia
Queensland, Australia
Waqas Durrani CA, 34
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“There were shifts where I barely saw the nurses as they were running between rooms, not taking breaks.”
Manager, service finance business partner team, Waitematā District Health Board
Auckland, New Zealand
Grace Preston CA, 33
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“From an early age, I knew that for things to change, you have to change.”
Assistant manager, Mazars Sydney, Australia
Shikha Rana CA, 27
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“I completed a commercial review of the product and recommended a price adjustment.”
Sherpa, Tenzing (Mandata)
London, UK
Clive O’Sullivan CA, 31
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Walsh didn’t let this deter him, enrolling in the Eastern Institute of Technology and studying a business degree, majoring in accounting. “The head injury meant I struggled to retain information so I had to spend a huge amount of time revising to make it stick.”
Despite his disability, Walsh managed to top several classes and secured a graduate position with Deloitte in Auckland. He discovered his love for technology and eventually moved to Xero, where he’s now territory sales manager for the north.
In January he will embark on a new role, as head of revenue for Plugin Accountant. “I’ve realised it’s much better to focus on the type of person I want to be,” says Walsh, who lives his life based on an Albert Einstein quote:
“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.”
Hayden Walsh CA, 32
Auckland, New Zealand
Territory sales manager - north, Xero
“When I was 19, I was studying law but suffered a major head injury,” says Hayden Walsh CA. The New Zealander had to learn how to read and write again and was told his hopes to complete a university degree were over.
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Wang says, “When I arrived in NZ, I knew no one.” She learned to be self-sufficient, graduating from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce. Moving to Australia, Wang gained her Masters of Professional Accounting and Commerce from the University of Sydney.
Since then she has worked in insolvency and forensic accounting, work she says is intellectually challenging and emotionally charged. In January 2022 Wang was successful in her application to become a registered liquidator. “Around 9% of registered liquidators are female,” she says.
“I am eager to establish myself as a leader in my industry and as a role model for other women breaking into male-dominated industries.”
Aiko Wang CA, 34
Sydney, Australia
Director at Rodgers Reidy
Aiko Wang CA moved to New Zealand from China at age 14 by herself. Apart from holidays, she has never returned to live in China and was only reunited with her mother when her mother immigrated to Australia in July 2022.
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He also worked on automation designed to decrease reporting times and human input – in turn reducing the risk for human error.
This year, back in his old role, he implemented software that will reduce the number of databases and hours the team spends gathering information for commercial, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), and modern slavery reporting.
“Something that is becoming more and more crucial to business operations, given the delays and shortages of goods across the globe,” says Zivkovic.
“This has enabled the company to have a clear overview of their supply chain and the risks associated with it...”
Luka Zivkovic CA, 31
Perth, Australia
Senior commercial analyst at Gold Road Resources
Luka Zivkovic CA joined Australian gold producer Gold Road Resources in 2021 as a senior commercial analyst. Shortly after joining, due to staff shortages, there was a gap in the end of month (EOM) reporting team. Zivkovic stepped in and over the next five-six months streamlined processes, reducing the EOM cut-off from nine days to five.
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Steere has spent his career as a CA in the New Zealand public sector and shortly after completing his CA qualification was accepted into the Pacific Island Mentoring Program for emerging leaders.
“I am excited to change my focus and work on something I am passionate about,” he says, adding it reflects his personal values “on providing opportunity for my community.”
Steere’s specific area of focus is being involved in a Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Māori and Pasifika special-interest group where, he says:
“We want to attract, grow, role model and support Māori and Pasifika who are aiming to enter the accounting profession.”
Luke Steere CA, 27
Wellington, New Zealand
Senior financial accountant at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Luke Steere CA is passionate about increasing the number of Māori and Pasifika in the accounting profession. He became conscious of how Māori and Pasifika make-up only a small percentage of the industry workforce, and how he is one of them.
X
“During this time of need our clients relied on our knowledge… to identify and apply for any assistance packages available,” she says.
But Afrin, who grew up in a motivated South-East Asian household, wanted to go beyond the role of a CA, so together with her partner founded an ecommerce business, Elitspire Australia, specialising in the design and manufacture of smart luxury LED (light emitting diode) mirrors.
In the 12 months since being founded she has used her experience as a CA to expand the business into local and international markets.
“I have always had a strong sense of aspiration and self-drive to build something great of my own.”
Nadia Afrin CA, 24
Sydney, Australia
Intermediate accountant at Mazars
Nadia Afrin CA helped guide her clients at Mazars Australia through the darkest days of the pandemic, a move which saw her role shift from traditional compliance to that of an adviser.
X
But Walkin’s perspective on making a difference is, well, a little different. “It’s difficult to wrap our heads around those big differences and determine our own agency and capabilities,” he says. “Fortunately, big differences are made one small change at a time.”
One small change Walkin made was to volunteer with a non-profit needing spreadsheet help. It only took a couple of hours of his time.
But that led to conversations with leadership about data management and then to serving on the advisory board which in turn morphed into supporting a strategy to roll out new technology to scale environmental conservation activities across New Zealand. Those few hours working on a spreadsheet ultimately made a significant difference.
“Big differences are made one small change at a time.”
Cary Walkin CA, 34
Auckland, New Zealand
Salesforce team lead at Xero
“If we’re going to focus on making a difference, we should focus on the big differences, right?” suggests Cary Walkin CA. And Walkin has made some big differences, including a technological transformation at Xero which led to better customer engagement.
X
His self-belief and confidence in having a CA qualification enabled him to take this risk, and the firm has grown from three directors to 10 people. “My unconventional career pathway allows me to promote CA as a qualification and designation of choice within the corporate advisory sector,” he says.
But he is also making a difference by investing and operating in a child care centre in a lower socioeconomic area of Auckland, to give kids access to opportunities he had.
Along with this work, he’s a mentor to school students considering an accounting career and is also vice chair of CA ANZ’s NZ Emerging Leaders Committee and a board member of New Zealand Asian Leaders (NZAL).
“My unconventional career pathway allows me to promote CA as a qualification and designation of choice within the corporate advisory sector.”
Pauras Rege CA, 33
Auckland, New Zealand
Director, Tiaki Capital Limited
From a young age, Pauras Rege CA had a burning ambition to start his own business. He was told his age would count against him and that he was better off in a secure corporate job. He didn’t listen. A year ago, he co-founded Tiaki Capital, an independent corporate finance firm.
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Walker founded the accounting firm Inspire in Brisbane in 2013, which has since grown to a team of 21 people.
He says he has had four team members achieve full membership as CAs, another staffer became an associate partner at the firm after eight years working as an accountant and he’s mentoring another five accountants through their CA program.
“I’ve enjoyed my opportunity to help others and see the impact on their personal and professional lives.”
Ben Walker CA, 33
Brisbane, Australia
Founder, Inspire Accountants
Mentoring is a passion for Ben Walker CA. He remembers the help he received when he was starting out as an accountant and studying to become a CA and wants to deliver the same career development to the young accountants he works with.
X
But it’s what happens after hours that informs Casey’s vision of what a CA can be for the community.
She volunteers for several organisations, including Banish, a Sydney-based eco company focused on recycling difficult to process plastics, as well as food rescue charity OzHarvest.
“Whether it’s skills-based or hands-on, it just shows we have so much to give.”
And if volunteering with Banish and OzHarvest is not enough, she’s also active as a student mentor at the University of Sydney Business School. “It gives me a great sense of pride knowing I have supported a student on their future career journey.”
“Volunteering is such a powerful way for CAs to give back to their community.”
Rebecca Casey CA, 28
Sydney, Australia
Senior risk manager, Westpac Group
In her day job as senior risk specialist and senior risk manager at Westpac, Rebecca Casey CA is deeply involved in solving problems for the business and being a trusted adviser for Westpac’s customers. (She’s also a CA Risk Specialist, having completed the CA Risk Specialisation course with CA ANZ in 2020.)
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His younger brother, who was 21 at the time, has an intellectual disability and Kher wanted to take time-off to focus on his sibling and his development. “I became an Uber driver to pay the bills,” Kher says.
At the same time, however, he was volunteering his time and CA skills to growing companies in the blockchain space and successfully helped a startup, now known as Digital Metal Exchange, to raise funds, after which he was offered the chief financial officer position.
Since then Kher has started an ayurvedic beauty and skincare company, Holy Sanity, founded consulting firm XB4 and got a not-for-profit, Third Man Up, off the ground. If that’s not enough he’s also the director of the charity, Schoolgoers.
“I became an Uber driver to pay the bills.”
Rishi Kher CA, 32
Melbourne, Australia
Co-founder of XB4
After seven years at EY in Melbourne, where he began as an 18-year-old cadet and worked up to assistant manager, Rishi Kher CA came to the difficult decision to leave so he could care for a family member.
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“We service the social enterprise sector in a way that honours their vision and mission,” she says, adding she’s not content to rest on her laurels. In 2023, she plans to scale the reach of Together Business, addressing the accessibility and affordability barriers associated with getting quality business advice.
“It is access to timely and fit-for-purpose business support that remains a key barrier to the success of Indigenous small business,”
Sarah Hyland CA, 31
Darwin, Australia
Founder and head of purpose, Together Business
Connecting with clients on a deeply human level is a passion for Sarah Hyland CA. As founder of Together Business, a First Nations-led chartered accounting social enterprise servicing purpose-led businesses nationally (Indigenous businesses comprise 92% of her client base) Hyland wants her company to make an impact.
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Because of this scarcity, Saxena wants to share her skills to benefit the communities she is part of, focusing on young people, gender equality and the alleviation of poverty.
Saxena sits on the United Nations Women Aotearoa New Zealand Auckland Regional Committee and is a committee member for the UN Women Aotearoa NZ and CA ANZ Auckland Emerging Leaders.
“I am very grateful to be supported by a great network and the career opportunities that led me to become the professional I am today,” she says.
“I want to give this knowledge back to our youth.” As part of this passion, Saxena has mentored and coached women and youth, in particular girls from Kelston Girls' College. She has mentored business students, helping some to find big four accounting firm positions. She also shares career tips for youth through her social channel, Project Upgrade Her.
“I am passionate about the advancement and empowerment of women.”
Ritu Saxena CA, 33
Auckland, New Zealand
Finance and strategy professional
As a CA, financial management is a naturally acquired skill, but it’s also a scarce expertise, says Ritu Saxena CA.
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Where once she would read about triple bottom line reporting in textbooks, today environmental auditing is well and truly part of the world we live in.
Kerkvliet is a director of climate change, sustainability and environmental social and governance (ESG) at KPMG Perth, which has rapidly grown from five to 24 people.
She joined the team seven years ago when the concept of climate change was seen as controversial. KPMG’s leadership had the foresight to see demand was growing for audited non-financial data. Kerkvliet is an accredited greenhouse gas auditor and presents at global conferences on the future of ESG in audit.
“It is my passion to use my accounting knowledge to contribute to the greater good.”
Tanya Kerkvliet CA, 33
Perth, Australia
Climate change, sustainability and ESG at KPMG
“Auditing dollars is one thing, but auditing whether a company has delivered on the social outcomes it said it would? How many people are that lucky?”, says Tanya Kerkvliet CA, who began her career as an external auditor.
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He helps organisations, from private to publicly listed companies, navigate through the seismic shifts in corporate regulatory reporting and the broader ESG landscape.
Goonewardene is director in the New York office at KPMG and brings a global skill set having started his career in Australia and worked in offices throughout Europe. He is certified in Advancing Sustainability from the NYU Stern Center of Sustainable Business and holds certification from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in regards to gender matters, human rights and the environment. He is completing Harvard University’s Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership course.
“As an ESG leader, I help organisations understand how ESG is an opportunity to unlock value and undergo profound transformational change to maintain a competitive edge.”
Theshan Goonewardene, 34
New York, US
Director at KPMG US LLP
In a stellar 12-year career in professional services, primarily with KPMG, Theshan Goonewardene CA has done it all, including working on one of the biggest corporate deals of the 2010s. Today, his specialty lies with environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
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“My parents have owned and operated their trucking company since 1990, before I was born,” she says. “I have lived and breathed their struggles and also watched them succeed many times.”
Their world came crashing down when a long-term client collapsed, owing Connolly’s parent’s company A$2 million. She quit her job and used every inch of personal and professional knowledge she had to help her parents rebuild, proudly noting they never laid anyone off, and pay and super obligations were met. But it wasn’t easy.
The business is now flourishing, employing 50 people across three locations in regional Queensland and with a fleet of 25 road trains delivering goods across the state.
“I took a pay cut and worked longer hours, most days with little reward.”
Tayla Connolly CA, 30
Townsville, Australia
Accountant at Oakdare Holdings
Trucking seems a long way from accounting but for Tayla Connolly CA the skills she learned as a CA came in very handy when her family business, located in far north Queensland, needed her most.
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During COVID-19 he used his skills to lobby for financial assistance for temporary residents who were ineligible for government support, as well as lobbying for the establishment of a high-level, multi-agency COVID-19 working group focused on multicultural people.
He was also appointed to the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) community leader network, where, he says, he is “helping provide a connection between the ATO and the CALD community.”
He is passionate about CAs having concern for their fellow citizens, where “mutual respect, tolerance and compassion for those in need, as well as equality of opportunity, prevails.”
“I am helping provide a connection between the ATO and the CALD community.”
Waqas Durrani CA, 34
Queensland, Australia
Treasurer, Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia
Waqas Durrani CA is passionate about integrity and governance in the not-for-profit sector and is an advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) peoples as deputy chair (among other roles) of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia.
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Her current role is managing a team of finance business partners looking after the finances of the clinical divisions within the Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand, Waitematā district. But when Omicron hit, staff were also taken out with illness and the call went out for non-clinical staff to support the clinical services.
Preston cut her team’s non-urgent work and went to help on the wards.
Preston says she will never forget the experience, taking away a renewed appreciation for the work doctors and nurses do to keep New Zealanders safe and well.
“There were shifts where I barely saw the nurses as they were running between rooms, not taking breaks.”
Grace Preston CA, 33
Auckland, New Zealand
Manager service finance business partners at Waitematā District Health Board
Chartered accountants don’t expect to be working on hospital wards, providing care for patients – or just lending an ear for someone who’s lonely – but that’s where Grace Preston CA found herself during the height of the New Zealand Omicron outbreak in early 2022.
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Graduating with a Bachelor of Business Accounting from Victoria University in 2018 she started her career as a graduate accountant with a boutique interior design firm.
“I realised how much I love solving problems and fell in love with my job.” Joining Mazars as assistant manager in the outsourcing division, Rana has been involved in all manner of business management, including putting COVID-19 provisions in place for organisations downsizing and upsizing.
And that is exactly what she has done for her and her family.
“From an early age, I knew that for things to change, you have to change.”
Shikha Rana CA, 27
Sydney, Australia
Assistant manager at Mazars
In 2013, Nepalese-born Shikha Rana CA came to Australia with the dream of changing the course of her and her family’s lives. “Australia has offered me so much more than I could ever imagine,” she says.
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During the past 12 months, O’Sullivan helped establish the building blocks for Mandata, a transport and logistics B2B software as a service (SaaS) business.
“A product line that was non-core but still delivering circa 20% of revenue hadn’t been given the attention it had deserved and was the main reason for churn within the business,” O’Sullivan says.
“This has reduced the churn of this product as the price is now aligned to where the product sits in the market.”
“I completed a commercial review of the product and recommended a price adjustment to better align it to other offerings within the market”
Clive O’Sullivan CA, 31
London, UK
Tenzing (Mandata)
A Sherpa in London? Clive O’Sullivan CA is a long way from the Himalayas, but as part of the growth team for private equity firm Tenzing, O’Sullivan’s title is ‘Sherpa’ which means he works directly with portfolio company chief executive officers to drive value creation and help businesses grow faster.
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“The head injury meant I struggled to retain information so I had to spend a huge amount of time revising to make it stick.” Despite his disability, Walsh managed to top several classes and secured a graduate position with Deloitte in Auckland.
He discovered his love for technology and eventually moved to Xero, where he’s now territory sales manager for the north. In January he will embark on a new role, as head of revenue for Plugin Accountant.
“I’ve realised it’s much better to focus on the type of person I want to be,” says Walsh, who lives his life based on an Albert Einstein quote:
“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.”
Auckland, New Zealand
“When I was 19, I was studying law but suffered a major head injury,” says Hayden Walsh CA. The New Zealander had to learn how to read and write again and was told his hopes to complete a university degree were over. Walsh didn’t let this deter him, enrolling in the local EIT and studying a business degree, majoring in accounting.
Territory sales manager – north, Xero
Hayden Walsh CA, 32
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Wang says, “When I arrived in NZ, I knew no one.” She learned to be self-sufficient, graduating from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce.
Moving to Australia, Wang gained her Masters of Professional Accounting and Commerce from the University of Sydney. Since then she has worked in insolvency and forensic accounting, work she says is intellectually challenging and emotionally charged.
In January 2022 Wang was successful in her application to become a registered liquidator. “Around 9% of registered liquidators are female,” she says. “I am eager to establish myself as a leader in my industry and as a role model for other women breaking into male-dominated industries.”
“I am eager to establish myself as a leader in my industry and as a role model for other women breaking into male-dominated
industries.”
Sydney, Australia
Aiko Wang CA moved to New Zealand from China at age 14 by herself. Apart from holidays, she has never returned to live in China and was only reunited with her mother when her mother immigrated to Australia in July 2022.
Director at Rodgers Reidy
Aiko Wang CA, 34
X
He also worked on automation designed to decrease reporting times and human input – in turn reducing the risk for human error.
This year, back in his old role, he implemented software that will reduce the number of databases and hours the team spends gathering information for commercial, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), and modern slavery reporting.
“Something that is becoming more and more crucial to business operations, given the delays and shortages of goods across the globe,” says Zivkovic.
“This has enabled the company to have a clear overview of their supply chain and the risks associated with it...”
Perth, Australia
Luka Zivkovic CA joined Australian gold producer Gold Road Resources in 2021 as a senior commercial analyst. Shortly after joining, due to staff shortages, there was a gap in the end of month (EOM) reporting team. Zivkovic stepped in and over the next five-six months streamlined processes, reducing the EOM cut-off from nine days to five.
Senior commercial analyst at Gold Road Resources
Luka Zivkovic CA, 31
X
He became conscious of how Māori and Pasifika make-up only a small percentage of the industry workforce, and how he is one of them.
Steere has spent his career as a CA in the New Zealand public sector and shortly after completing his CA qualification was accepted into the Pacific Island Mentoring Program for emerging leaders.
“I am excited to change my focus and work on something I am passionate about,” he says, adding it reflects his personal values “on providing opportunity for my community.”
Steere’s specific area of focus is being involved in a Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Māori and Pasifika special-interest group where, he says:
“We want to attract, grow, role model and support Māori and Pasifika who are aiming to enter the accounting profession.”
Wellington, New Zealand
Luke Steere CA is passionate about increasing the number of Māori and Pasifika in the accounting profession.
Senior financial accountant at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Luke Steere CA, 27
X
“During this time of need our clients relied on our knowledge… to identify and apply for any assistance packages available,” she says.
But Afrin, who grew up in a motivated South-East Asian household, wanted to go beyond the role of a CA, so together with her partner founded an ecommerce business, Elitspire Australia, specialising in the design and manufacture of smart luxury LED (light emitting diode) mirrors.
In the 12 months since being founded she has used her experience as a CA to expand the business into the local and international market.
“I have always had a strong sense of aspiration and self-drive to build something great of my own.”
Sydney, Australia
Nadia Afrin CA helped guide her clients at Mazars Australia through the darkest days of the pandemic, a move which saw her role shift from traditional compliance to that of an adviser.
Intermediate accountant at Mazars
Nadia Afrin CA, 24
X
But Walkin’s perspective on making a difference is, well, a little different. “It’s difficult to wrap our heads around those big differences and determine our own agency and capabilities,” he says.
“Fortunately, big differences are made one small change at a time.” One small change Walkin made was to volunteer with a non-profit needing spreadsheet help. It only took a couple of hours of his time.
But that led to conversations with leadership about data management and then to serving on the advisory board which in turn morphed into supporting a strategy to roll out new technology to scale environmental conservation activities across New Zealand. Those few hours working on a spreadsheet ultimately made a significant difference.
“Big differences are made one small change at a time.”
Auckland, New Zealand
“If we’re going to focus on making a difference, we should focus on the big differences, right?” suggests Cary Walkin CA. And Walkin has made some big differences, including a technological transformation at Xero which led to better customer engagement.
Salesforce team lead at Xero
Cary Walkin CA, 34
X
His self-belief and confidence in having a CA qualification enabled him to take this risk, and the firm has grown from three directors to 10 people. “My unconventional career pathway allows me to promote CA as a qualification and designation of choice within the corporate advisory sector,” he says.
But he is also making a difference by investing and operating in a child care centre in a lower socioeconomic area of Auckland, to give kids access to opportunities he had.
Along with this work, he’s a mentor to school students considering an accounting career and is also vice chair of CA ANZ’s NZ Emerging Leaders Committee and a board member of New Zealand Asian Leaders (NZAL).
“My unconventional career pathway allows me to promote CA as a qualification and designation of choice within the corporate advisory sector.”
Auckland, New Zealand
From a young age, Pauras Rege CA had a burning ambition to start his own business. He was told his age would count against him and that he was better off in a secure corporate job. He didn’t listen. A year ago, he co-founded Tiaki Capital, an independent corporate finance firm.
Director, Tiaki Capital Limited
Pauras Rege CA, 33
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Walker founded the accounting firm Inspire in Brisbane in 2013, which has since grown to a team of 21 people.
He says he has had four team members achieve full membership as CAs, another staffer became an associate partner at the firm after eight years working as an accountant and he’s mentoring another five accountants through their CA program.
“I’ve enjoyed my opportunity to help others and see the impact on their personal and professional lives.”
Brisbane, Australia
Mentoring is a passion for Ben Walker CA. He remembers the help he received when he was starting out as an accountant and studying to become a CA and wants to deliver the same career development to the young accountants he works with.
Founder, Inspire Accountants
Ben Walker CA, 33
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But it’s what happens after hours that informs Casey’s vision of what a CA can be for the community. She volunteers for several organisations, including Banish, a Sydney-based eco company focused on recycling difficult to process plastics, as well as food rescue charity OzHarvest.
“Whether it’s skills-based or hands-on, it just shows we have so much to give.”
And if volunteering with Banish and OzHarvest is not enough, she’s also active as a student mentor at the University of Sydney Business School. “It gives me a great sense of pride knowing I have supported a student on their future career journey.”
“Volunteering is such a powerful way for CAs to give back to their community.”
Sydney, Australia
In her day job as senior risk specialist and senior risk manager at Westpac, Rebecca Casey CA is deeply involved in solving problems for the business and being a trusted adviser for Westpac’s customers. (She’s also a CA Risk Specialist, having completed the CA Risk Specialisation course with CA ANZ in 2020).
Senior risk manager, Westpac Group
Rebecca Casey CA, 28
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His younger brother, who was 21 at the time, has an intellectual disability and Kher wanted to take time-off to focus on his sibling and his development.
“I became an Uber driver to pay the bills,” Kher says. At the same time, however, he was volunteering his time and CA skills to growing companies in the blockchain space and successfully helped a startup, now known as Digital Metal Exchange, to raise funds, after which he was offered the chief financial officer position.
Since then Kher has started an ayurvedic beauty and skincare company, Holy Sanity, founded consulting firm XB4 and got a not-for-profit, Third Man Up, off the ground. If that’s not enough he’s also a director of local charity Schoolgoers.
“I was an Uber driver to pay the bills.”
Melbourne, Australia
After seven years at EY in Melbourne, where he began as an 18-year-old cadet and worked up to assistant manager, Rishi Kher CA came to the difficult decision to leave so he could care for a family member.
Co-founder of XB4, Melbourne, Australia
Rishi Kher CA, 32
X
As founder of Together Business, a First Nations-led chartered accounting social enterprise servicing purpose-led businesses nationally (Indigenous businesses comprise 92% of her client base) Hyland wants her company to make an impact.
In 2023, she plans to scale the reach of Together Business, addressing the accessibility and affordability barriers associated with getting quality business advice.
“It is access to timely and fit-for-purpose business support that remains a key barrier to the success of Indigenous small business,”
Darwin, Australia
Connecting with clients on a deeply human level is a passion for Sarah Hyland CA.
Founder and head of purpose,
Together Business
Sarah Hyland CA, 31
X
Saxena sits on the United Nations Women Aotearoa New Zealand Auckland Regional Committee and is a committee member for the UN Women Aotearoa NZ and CA ANZ Auckland Emerging Leaders.
“I am very grateful to be supported by a great network and the career opportunities that led me to become the professional I am today,” she says. “I want to give this knowledge back to our youth.”
As part of this passion, Saxena has mentored and coached women and youth, in particular girls from Kelston Girls' College. She has mentored business students, helping some to find big four accounting firm positions. She also shares career tips for youth through her social channel, Project Upgrade Her.
“I am passionate about the advancement and empowerment of women.”
Auckland, New Zealand
As a CA, financial management is a naturally acquired skill, but it’s also a scarce expertise, says Ritu Saxena CA. Because of this scarcity, Saxena wants to share her skills to benefit the communities she is part of, focusing on young people, gender equality and the alleviation of poverty.
Finance and strategy professional
Ritu Saxena CA, 33
X
Where once she would read about triple bottom line reporting in textbooks, today environmental auditing is well and truly part of the world we live in.
Kerkvliet is a director of climate change, sustainability and environmental social and governance (ESG) at KPMG Perth, which has rapidly grown from five to 24 people. She joined the team full time seven years ago when the concept of climate change was seen as controversial.
KPMG’s leadership had the foresight to see demand was growing for audited non-financial data. Kerkvliet is an accredited greenhouse gas auditor and presents at global conferences on the future of ESG in audit.
“It is my passion to use my accounting knowledge to contribute to the greater good.”
Perth, Australia
“Auditing dollars is one thing, but auditing whether a company has delivered on the social outcomes it said it would? How many people are that lucky?”, says Tanya Kerkvliet CA, who began her career as an external auditor.
Director, climate change, sustainability
and ESG at KPMG
Tanya Kerkvliet CA, 33
X
He helps organisations, from private to publicly listed companies, navigate through the seismic shifts in corporate regulatory reporting and the broader ESG landscape.
Goonewardene is a director is a director in the New York office at KPMG and brings a global skill set having started his career in Australia and worked in offices throughout Europe. He is certified in Advancing Sustainability from NYU Stern Center of Sustainable Business and holds certification from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in regards to gender matters, human rights and the environment. He is completing Harvard University’s Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership course.
“As an ESG leader, I help organisations understand how ESG is an opportunity to unlock value and undergo profound transformational change to maintain a competitive edge.”
New York, US
In a stellar 12-year career in professional services, primarily with KPMG, Theshan Goonewardene CA has done it all, including working on one of the biggest corporate deals of the 2010s. Today, his specialty lies with environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
Director at KPMG US LLP
Theshan Goonewardene CA, 34
X
“My parents have owned and operated their trucking company since 1990, before I was born,” she says. “I have lived and breathed their struggles and also watched them succeed many times.” Their world came crashing down when a long-term client collapsed, owing Connolly’s parent’s company A$2 million.
She quit her job and used every inch of personal and professional knowledge she had to help her parents rebuild, proudly noting they never laid anyone off, and pay and super obligations were met. But it wasn’t easy.
The business is now flourishing, employing 50 people across three locations in regional Queensland and with a fleet of 25 road trains delivering goods across the state.
“I took a pay cut and worked longer hours, most days with little reward.”
Townsville, Australia
Trucking seems a long way from accounting but for Tayla Connolly CA the skills she learned as a CA came in very handy when her family business, located in far north Queensland, needed her most.
Accountant at Oakdare Holdings
Tayla Connolly CA, 30
X
During COVID-19 he used his skills to lobby for financial assistance for temporary residents who were ineligible for government support, as well as lobbying for the establishment of a high-level, multi-agency COVID-19 working group focused on multicultural people.
He was also appointed to the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) community leader network, where, he says, he is “helping provide a connection between the ATO and the CALD community.”
He is passionate about CAs having concern for their fellow citizens, where “mutual respect, tolerance and compassion for those in need, as well as equality of opportunity, prevails.”
“I am helping provide a connection between the ATO and the CALD community.”
Queensland, Australia
Waqas Durrani CA is passionate about integrity and governance in the not-for-profit sector and is an advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) peoples as deputy chair (among other roles) of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia.
Treasurer, Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia
Waqas Durrani CA, 34
X
Her current role is managing a team of finance business partners looking after the finances of the clinical divisions within the Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand, Waitematā district. But when Omicron hit, staff were also taken out with illness and the call went out for non-clinical staff to support the clinical services.
Preston cut her team’s non-urgent work and went to help on the wards. “There were shifts where I barely saw the nurses as they were running between rooms, not taking breaks,” she says.
Preston says she will never forget the experience, taking away a renewed appreciation for the work doctors and nurses do to keep New Zealanders safe and well.
“There were shifts where I barely saw the nurses as they were running between rooms, not taking breaks.”
Auckland, New Zealand
Chartered accountants don’t expect to be working on hospital wards, providing care for patients – or just lending an ear for someone who’s lonely – but that’s where Grace Preston CA found herself during the height of the New Zealand Omicron outbreak in early 2022.
Manager service finance business partners at Waitematā District Health Board
Grace Preston CA, 33
X
Graduating with a Bachelor of Business Accounting from Victoria University in 2018 she started her career as a graduate accountant with a boutique interior design firm. “I realised how much I love solving problems and fell in love with my job.”
Joining Mazars as assistant manager in the outsourcing division, Rana has been involved in all manner of business management, including putting COVID-19 provisions in place for organisations downsizing and upsizing.
And that is exactly what she has done for her and her family.
“From an early age, I knew that for things to change, you have to change.”
Sydney, Australia
In 2013, Nepalese-born Shikha Rana CA came to Australia with the dream of changing the course of her and her family’s lives. “Australia has offered me so much more than I could ever imagine,” she says.
Assistant manager at Mazars
Shikha Rana CA, 27
X
During the past 12 months, O’Sullivan helped establish the building blocks for Mandata, a transport and logistics B2B software as a service (SaaS) business.
“A product line that was non-core but still delivering circa 20% of revenue hadn’t been given the attention it had deserved and was the main reason for churn within the business,” O’Sullivan says.
“This has reduced the churn of this product as the price is now aligned to where the product sits in the market.”
“I completed a commercial review of the product and recommended a price adjustment.”
London, UK
A Sherpa in London? Clive O’Sullivan CA is a long way from the Himalayas, but as part of the growth team for private equity firm Tenzing, O’Sullivan’s title is ‘Sherpa’ which means he works directly with portfolio company chief executive officers to drive value creation and help businesses grow faster.
Sherpa, Tenzing (Mandata)
Clive O’Sullivan CA, 31
X
of the Future
20 YOUNG CAs
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Hayden Walsh CA
Magee says CAs often have a reputation for being a bit unexciting or boring, and this is something she wants to dispel. “I aim to bring high levels of personality and character to my role,” she says, adding her time in London will improve her skills, enabling an eventual return to NZ where she wants to make a difference to local businesses.
Magee says CAs often have a reputation for being a bit unexciting or boring, and this is something she wants to dispel. “I aim to bring high levels of personality and character to my role,” she says, adding her time in London will improve her skills, enabling an eventual return to NZ where she wants to make a difference to local businesses.
“I tried to breakdown what is often a natural barrier between auditor and client,” she says. Magee has also given her time providing independent audits and advice to rural charitable organisations, such as the local Dog Trialling Association.
She recently made the move from New Zealand to London to broaden her experience and notes a CA qualification can “take you anywhere.”
Magee says CAs often have a reputation for being a bit unexciting or boring, and this is something she wants to dispel. “I aim to bring high levels of personality and character to my role,” she says, adding her time in London will improve her skills, enabling an eventual return to NZ where she wants to make a difference to local businesses.
“I aim to bring high levels of personality and character to my role.”
London, England
Growing up in rural New Zealand and working for a regional big four office, Grace Magee CA likes to think she brought a level of practicality and real-life industry knowledge to her audit clients.
Finance business partner at Mitie
Grace Magee CA, 24
X
“The head injury meant I struggled to retain information so I had to spend a huge amount of time revising to make it stick.” Despite his disability, Walsh managed to top several classes and secured a graduate position with Deloitte in Auckland.
He discovered his love for technology and eventually moved to Xero, where he’s now territory sales manager for the north. In January he will embark on a new role, as head of revenue for Plugin Accountant.
“I’ve realised it’s much better to focus on the type of person I want to be,” says Walsh, who lives his life based on an Albert Einstein quote:
“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.”
Auckland, New Zealand
“When I was 19, I was studying law but suffered a major head injury,” says Hayden Walsh CA. The New Zealander had to learn how to read and write again and was told his hopes to complete a university degree were over. Walsh didn’t let this deter him, enrolling in the local EIT and studying a business degree, majoring in accounting.
Territory sales manager – north, Xero
Hayden Walsh CA, 32
X
Wang says, “When I arrived in NZ, I knew no one.” She learned to be self-sufficient, graduating from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce.
Moving to Australia, Wang gained her Masters of Professional Accounting and Commerce from the University of Sydney. Since then she has worked in insolvency and forensic accounting, work she says is intellectually challenging and emotionally charged.
In January 2022 Wang was successful in her application to become a registered liquidator. “Around 9% of registered liquidators are female,” she says. “I am eager to establish myself as a leader in my industry and as a role model for other women breaking into male-dominated industries.”
“I am eager to establish myself as a leader in my industry and as a role model for other women breaking into male-dominated
industries.”
Sydney, Australia
Aiko Wang CA moved to New Zealand from China at age 14 by herself. Apart from holidays, she has never returned to live in China and was only reunited with her mother when her mother immigrated to Australia in July 2022.
Director at Rodgers Reidy
Aiko Wang CA, 34
X
He also worked on automation designed to decrease reporting times and human input – in turn reducing the risk for human error.
This year, back in his old role, he implemented software that will reduce the number of databases and hours the team spends gathering information for commercial, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), and modern slavery reporting.
“Something that is becoming more and more crucial to business operations, given the delays and shortages of goods across the globe,” says Zivkovic.
“This has enabled the company to have a clear overview of their supply chain and the risks associated with it...”
Perth, Australia
Luka Zivkovic CA joined Australian gold producer Gold Road Resources in 2021 as a senior commercial analyst. Shortly after joining, due to staff shortages, there was a gap in the end of month (EOM) reporting team. Zivkovic stepped in and over the next five-six months streamlined processes, reducing the EOM cut-off from nine days to five.
Senior commercial analyst at Gold Road Resources
Luka Zivkovic CA, 31
X
He became conscious of how Māori and Pasifika make-up only a small percentage of the industry workforce, and how he is one of them.
Steere has spent his career as a CA in the New Zealand public sector and shortly after completing his CA qualification was accepted into the Pacific Island Mentoring Program for emerging leaders.
“I am excited to change my focus and work on something I am passionate about,” he says, adding it reflects his personal values “on providing opportunity for my community.”
Steere’s specific area of focus is being involved in a Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Māori and Pasifika special-interest group where, he says:
“We want to attract, grow, role model and support Māori and Pasifika who are aiming to enter the accounting profession.”
Wellington, New Zealand
Luke Steere CA is passionate about increasing the number of Māori and Pasifika in the accounting profession.
Senior financial accountant at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Luke Steere CA, 27
X
“During this time of need our clients relied on our knowledge… to identify and apply for any assistance packages available,” she says.
But Afrin, who grew up in a motivated South-East Asian household, wanted to go beyond the role of a CA, so together with her partner founded an ecommerce business, Elitspire Australia, specialising in the design and manufacture of smart luxury LED (light emitting diode) mirrors.
In the 12 months since being founded she has used her experience as a CA to expand the business into the local and international market.
“I have always had a strong sense of aspiration and self-drive to build something great of my own.”
Sydney, Australia
Nadia Afrin CA helped guide her clients at Mazars Australia through the darkest days of the pandemic, a move which saw her role shift from traditional compliance to that of an adviser.
Intermediate accountant at Mazars
Nadia Afrin CA, 24
X
But Walkin’s perspective on making a difference is, well, a little different. “It’s difficult to wrap our heads around those big differences and determine our own agency and capabilities,” he says.
“Fortunately, big differences are made one small change at a time.” One small change Walkin made was to volunteer with a non-profit needing spreadsheet help. It only took a couple of hours of his time.
But that led to conversations with leadership about data management and then to serving on the advisory board which in turn morphed into supporting a strategy to roll out new technology to scale environmental conservation activities across New Zealand. Those few hours working on a spreadsheet ultimately made a significant difference.
“Big differences are made one small change at a time.”
Auckland, New Zealand
“If we’re going to focus on making a difference, we should focus on the big differences, right?” suggests Cary Walkin CA. And Walkin has made some big differences, including a technological transformation at Xero which led to better customer engagement.
Salesforce team lead at Xero
Cary Walkin CA, 34
X
His self-belief and confidence in having a CA qualification enabled him to take this risk, and the firm has grown from three directors to 10 people. “My unconventional career pathway allows me to promote CA as a qualification and designation of choice within the corporate advisory sector,” he says.
But he is also making a difference by investing and operating in a child care centre in a lower socioeconomic area of Auckland, to give kids access to opportunities he had.
Along with this work, he’s a mentor to school students considering an accounting career and is also vice chair of CA ANZ’s NZ Emerging Leaders Committee and a board member of New Zealand Emerging Leaders.
“My unconventional career pathway allows me to promote CA as a qualification and designation of choice within the corporate advisory sector.”
Auckland, New Zealand
From a young age, Pauras Rege CA had a burning ambition to start his own business. He was told his age would count against him and that he was better off in a secure corporate job. He didn’t listen. A year ago, he co-founded Tiaki Capital, an independent corporate finance firm.
Director, Tiaki Capital Limited
Pauras Rege CA, 33
X
Walker founded the accounting firm Inspire in Brisbane in 2013, which has since grown to a team of 21 people.
He says he has had four team members achieve full membership as CAs, another staffer became an associate partner at the firm after eight years working as an accountant and he’s mentoring another five accountants through their CA program.
“I’ve enjoyed my opportunity to help others and see the impact on their personal and professional lives.”
Brisbane, Australia
Mentoring is a passion for Ben Walker CA. He remembers the help he received when he was starting out as an accountant and studying to become a CA and wants to deliver the same career development to the young accountants he works with.
Founder, Inspire Accountants
Ben Walker CA, 33
X
But it’s what happens after hours that informs Casey’s vision of what a CA can be for the community. She volunteers for several organisations, including Banish, a Sydney-based eco company focused on recycling difficult to process plastics, as well as food rescue charity OzHarvest.
“Whether it’s skills-based or hands-on, it just shows we have so much to give.”
And if volunteering with Banish and OzHarvest is not enough, she’s also active as a student mentor at the University of Sydney Business School. “It gives me a great sense of pride knowing I have supported a student on their future career journey.”
“Volunteering is such a powerful way for CAs to give back to their community.”
Sydney, Australia
In her day job as senior risk specialist and senior risk manager at Westpac, Rebecca Casey CA is deeply involved in solving problems for the business and being a trusted adviser for Westpac’s customers. (She’s also a CA Risk Specialist, having completed the CA Risk Specialisation course with CA ANZ in 2020).
Senior risk manager, Westpac Group
Rebecca Casey CA, 28
X
His younger brother, who was 21 at the time, has an intellectual disability and Kher wanted to take time-off to focus on his sibling and his development.
“I became an Uber driver to pay the bills,” Kher says. At the same time, however, he was volunteering his time and CA skills to growing companies in the blockchain space and successfully helped a startup, now known as Digital Metal Exchange, to raise funds, after which he was offered the chief financial officer position.
Since then Kher has started an ayurvedic beauty and skincare company, Holy Sanity, founded consulting firm XB4 and got a not-for-profit, Third Man Up, off the ground. If that’s not enough he’s also a director of local charity Schoolgoers.
“I was an Uber driver to pay the bills.”
Melbourne, Australia
After seven years at EY in Melbourne, where he began as an 18-year-old cadet and worked up to assistant manager, Rishi Kher CA came to the difficult decision to leave so he could care for a family member.
Co-founder of XB4, Melbourne, Australia
Rishi Kher CA, 32
X
As founder of Together Business, a First Nations-led chartered accounting social enterprise servicing purpose-led businesses nationally (Indigenous businesses comprise 92% of her client base) Hyland wants her company to make an impact.
In 2023, she plans to scale the reach of Together Business, addressing the accessibility and affordability barriers associated with getting quality business advice.
“It is access to timely and fit-for-purpose business support that remains a key barrier to the success of Indigenous small business,”
Darwin, Australia
Connecting with clients on a deeply human level is a passion for Sarah Hyland CA.
Founder and head of purpose,
Together Business
Sarah Hyland CA, 31
X
Saxena sits on the United Nations Women Aotearoa New Zealand Auckland Regional Committee and is a committee member for the UN Women Aotearoa NZ and CA ANZ Auckland Emerging Leaders.
“I am very grateful to be supported by a great network and the career opportunities that led me to become the professional I am today,” she says. “I want to give this knowledge back to our youth.”
As part of this passion, Saxena has mentored and coached women and youth, in particular girls from Kelston Girls' College. She has mentored business students, helping some to find big four accounting firm positions. She also shares career tips for youth through her social channel, Project Upgrade Her.
“I am passionate about the advancement and empowerment of women.”
London, England
As a CA, financial management is a naturally acquired skill, but it’s also a scarce expertise, says Ritu Saxena CA. Because of this scarcity, Saxena wants to share her skills to benefit the communities she is part of, focusing on young people, gender equality and the alleviation of poverty.
Finance and strategy professional
Ritu Saxena CA, 33
X
Where once she would read about triple bottom line reporting in textbooks, today environmental auditing is well and truly part of the world we live in.
Kerkvliet is a director of climate change, sustainability and environmental social and governance (ESG) at KPMG Perth, which has rapidly grown from five to 24 people. She joined the team full time seven years ago when the concept of climate change was seen as controversial.
KPMG’s leadership had the foresight to see demand was growing for audited non-financial data. Kerkvliet is an accredited greenhouse gas auditor and presents at global conferences on the future of ESG in audit.
“It is my passion to use my accounting knowledge to contribute to the greater good.”
Perth, Australia
“Auditing dollars is one thing, but auditing whether a company has delivered on the social outcomes it said it would? How many people are that lucky?”, says Tanya Kerkvliet CA, who began her career as an external auditor.
Director, climate change, sustainability
and ESG at KPMG
Tanya Kerkvliet CA, 33
X
He helps organisations, from private to publicly listed companies, navigate through the seismic shifts in corporate regulatory reporting and the broader ESG landscape.
Goonewardene is a director is a director in the New York office at KPMG and brings a global skill set having started his career in Australia and worked in offices throughout Europe. He is certified in Advancing Sustainability from NYU Stern Center of Sustainable Business and holds certification from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in regards to gender matters, human rights and the environment. He is completing Harvard University’s Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership course.
“As an ESG leader, I help organisations understand how ESG is an opportunity to unlock value and undergo profound transformational change to maintain a competitive edge.”
New York, US
In a stellar 12-year career in professional services, primarily with KPMG, Theshan Goonewardene CA has done it all, including working on one of the biggest corporate deals of the 2010s. Today, his specialty lies with environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
Director at KPMG US LLP
Theshan Goonewardene CA, 34
X
“My parents have owned and operated their trucking company since 1990, before I was born,” she says. “I have lived and breathed their struggles and also watched them succeed many times.” Their world came crashing down when a long-term client collapsed, owing Connolly’s parent’s company A$2 million.
She quit her job and used every inch of personal and professional knowledge she had to help her parents rebuild, proudly noting they never laid anyone off, and pay and super obligations were met. But it wasn’t easy.
The business is now flourishing, employing 50 people across three locations in regional Queensland and with a fleet of 25 road trains delivering goods across the state.
“I took a pay cut and worked longer hours, most days with little reward.”
Townsville, Australia
Trucking seems a long way from accounting but for Tayla Connolly CA the skills she learned as a CA came in very handy when her family business, located in far north Queensland, needed her most.
Accountant at Oakdare Holdings
Tayla Connolly CA, 30
X
During COVID-19 he used his skills to lobby for financial assistance for temporary residents who were ineligible for government support, as well as lobbying for the establishment of a high-level, multi-agency COVID-19 working group focused on multicultural people.
He was also appointed to the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) community leader network, where, he says, he is “helping provide a connection between the ATO and the CALD community.”
He is passionate about CAs having concern for their fellow citizens, where “mutual respect, tolerance and compassion for those in need, as well as equality of opportunity, prevails.”
“I am helping provide a connection between the ATO and the CALD community.”
Queensland, Australia
Waqas Durrani CA is passionate about integrity and governance in the not-for-profit sector and is an advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) peoples as deputy chair (among other roles) of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia.
Treasurer, Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia
Waqas Durrani CA, 34
X
Her current role is managing a team of finance business partners looking after the finances of the clinical divisions within the Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand, Waitematā district. But when Omicron hit, staff were also taken out with illness and the call went out for non-clinical staff to support the clinical services.
Preston cut her team’s non-urgent work and went to help on the wards. “There were shifts where I barely saw the nurses as they were running between rooms, not taking breaks,” she says.
Preston says she will never forget the experience, taking away a renewed appreciation for the work doctors and nurses do to keep New Zealanders safe and well.
“There were shifts where I barely saw the nurses as they were running between rooms, not taking breaks.”
Auckland, New Zealand
Chartered accountants don’t expect to be working on hospital wards, providing care for patients – or just lending an ear for someone who’s lonely – but that’s where Grace Preston CA found herself during the height of the New Zealand Omicron outbreak in early 2022.
Manager service finance business partners at Waitematā District Health Board
Grace Preston CA, 33
X
During the past 12 months, O’Sullivan helped establish the building blocks for Mandata, a transport and logistics B2B software as a service (SaaS) business.
“A product line that was non-core but still delivering circa 20% of revenue hadn’t been given the attention it had deserved and was the main reason for churn within the business,” O’Sullivan says.
“This has reduced the churn of this product as the price is now aligned to where the product sits in the market.”
“I completed a commercial review of the product and recommended a price adjustment.”
London, UK
A Sherpa in London? Clive O’Sullivan CA is a long way from the Himalayas, but as part of the growth team for private equity firm Tenzing, O’Sullivan’s title is ‘Sherpa’ which means he works directly with portfolio company chief executive officers to drive value creation and help businesses grow faster.
Sherpa, Tenzing (Mandata)
Clive O’Sullivan CA, 31
X
Clive O’Sullivan CA, 31