MA Economics and Accounting, 1984 Upon graduating from Edinburgh I pursued an accounting career that started with Arthur Andersen (RIP) in Edinburgh and which has subsequently progressed through London, Jakarta, Melbourne and Canberra in Australia to Auckland, New Zealand. Is this a deliberate progression south? Quite probably! But I’m about as far now as I can go without starting on the polar route back to Scotland. After a brief stint post Arthur at EY, I have been Director Global Assurance at Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited, New Zealand’s largest company, since 2003 and I am also President of the Institute of Internal Auditors New Zealand. At various times I have also been Treasurer of Motorcycle Riders’ Association of Australia, a board member of the Dolphin Research Institute Inc. and President of the University of Edinburgh Alumni Association of Victoria Inc. On the way I picked up a Scottish CA, Australian CA, Australian CPA and MIIA (Internal Audit) so the Edinburgh career grounding has stood me in great stead in both my professional and community roles. I met my wife, Jenny Johanson, in Melbourne and we have two wonderful daughters, Bethany aged five (born in Melbourne) and Rhianna born just four months ago here in Auckland. For any that remember me I continue to ride motorbikes, currently a Kawasaki ZRX1200R and in amongst my travels to many, many cities and countries over the years courtesy of a wonderful and varied career to date an absolute highlight has to be a motorbike circumnavigation of Australia: 21,000 kms in 20 days. Everyone should get out there and do it if they have the chance. It’s been great so far…. This article was published on 2024-07-03
