Spokespeople

• Lee White FCA, Chief Executive Officer

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5598
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Lee White FCA is the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (the Institute). Previously he held the role of Executive General Manager - Members, where he had responsibility for leading the Institute's policy and practice developments across all areas of the accounting profession including financial reporting, auditing, superannuation, taxation and financial advisory services.

  Lee is also currently working on a range of projects intended to improve regulatory frameworks in a number of ASEAN countries.

  Lee is formerly the Chief Accountant for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). He was directly involved with the introduction of international accounting standards in Australia in 2005 and the creation of ASIC's audit oversight programme. Lee is also an experienced audit practitioner in the public and private sectors.

  Lee has been a member of the Australian Financial Reporting Council (the oversight authority of standard setting in Australia) and the Australian member of both international regulatory accounting groups, the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators (IFIAR).

  Professional memberships include fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

• Yasser El-Ansary CA, General Manager of Leadership & Quality

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5623
  Press office: 02 9290 5562
  
  Yasser El-Ansary is the General Manager of Leadership & Quality at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

  Joining the Institute in early 2009, Yasser has over 15 years of experience in a variety of business and advisory roles, having started his career in the specialist field of tax.

  Yasser is responsible for leading the Institute’s public policy team, which spans a wide variety of disciplines dealing with major issues that impact businesses and the broader economy.

  An important part of Yasser's role is to work closely with the federal government and its agencies on policy and administration matters, as well other regulatory bodies both within Australia and abroad. In addition, he is involved in developing and executing the organisation-wide strategic imperatives of the Institute, and talking to its 70,000 plus members right across the country.

  Prior to his current role, Yasser was the Institute's Tax Counsel, and has held previous positions with Australand Holdings Limited, PwC, the Federal Department of the Treasury and Rio Tinto Limited.

  Yasser is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australian National University and a Master of Taxation Law from the University of New South Wales.
  

• Bill Palmer FCA, Director International Relations

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5613
  Press office: 02 9290 5586 
  
  Bill Palmer is the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia's Director International Relations, responsible for driving the reach and influence of the Chartered Accountants brand in Asia.
  
  From 2004 to 2009, he was the Institute’s General Manager, Standards and Public Affairs, where he oversaw the Institute’s technical and advocacy work, including professional and technical standards and quality review.
  
  Prior to joining the Institute, Mr Palmer was a partner for 24 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers, practising in Indonesia, Australia and Singapore. 
  
  Mr Palmer was a member of the Australian government’s Financial Reporting Panel, a body established to hear disputes that may arise between the corporate regulator and a company in relation to financial reporting requirements.

• Geraldine Magarey FCA, Manager Sustainability and Regional Australia

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5597
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Geraldine Magarey is Manager Sustainability and Regional Australia at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. She is responsible for leading the Institute’s initiatives around all areas of sustainability. She also represents the interests of Institute members in regional and rural Australia.
  
  Ms Magarey has over 20 years of experience in the accounting profession. Prior to joining the Institute, she was a senior manager at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), where she was involved in the strategic direction and management of the accountants and auditors team.
  
  Ms Magarey is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Commerce as well as a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.

• Professor James Guthrie FCA, Head of Academic Relations

  

  Direct phone: 0402 153 453
  Press office: 02 9080 5835
  
  Professor James Guthrie is the Head of Academic Relations at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. He is responsible for the Institute’s relationships with accounting academics and stakeholders in the Australian higher education system, and providing thought leadership to benefit the wider accounting profession. 

  Prof. Guthrie has more than 35 years in accounting education. He has extensive academic and research experience having worked in universities in both Australia and overseas in the fields of business and accounting. 

  His ‘Enhanced business reporting: International trends and possible policy directions’ research co-written with C Boedker and J Mouritsen, was affirmed outstanding paper award winner in the Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2009. 

  Prof. Guthrie is an honorary professor at the University of Sydney, and prior to joining the Institute, he was the Chair of Discipline of Accounting at the University. He has previously held roles at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and the University of New South Wales. 

  Prof. Guthrie holds a degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of New South Wales.

• Liz Westover CA, Head of Superannuation

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5704
  Press office: 02 9290 5562
  
  Liz Westover joined the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia in August 2009.

  Ms Westover has extensive experience in the superannuation industry, having previously held the position of Senior Manager, Superannuation Division at KPMG, with responsibility for consulting on all aspects of superannuation including, corporate funds, companies, employers and individuals.

  Prior to her role at KPMG, Ms Westover held the position of Superannuation Division Manager at Nexia Court & Co Chartered Accountants, where her primary focus was on self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs).

  Ms Westover is responsible for all aspects of the superannuation industry, including SMSFs, and will contribute to the Institute's influence in the superannuation sphere.

  Ms Westover holds a Master of Legal Studies from the University of New South Wales and a Bachelor of Business from the University of South Australia.

• Andrew Stringer CA, Head of Audit

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5566
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Andrew Stringer was appointed to the position of Head of Audit at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia in September 2006. He has over 30 years of experience in auditing, having worked for Deloitte in South Africa, before transferring to Canada and then Australia. He established his own company to consult in the areas of auditing and use of technologies in auditing, and over a ten year period provided services to the NSW Auditor-General’s Office and Audit New Zealand, as well as various internal audit groups.

  Most recently he was the National Director, Audit Services for Horwath Australia for five years before joining the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. 

  Mr Stringer is a member of the Canadian and South African Institutes of Chartered Accountants, as well as the Institute of Internal Auditors in Australia.

• Kerry Hicks FCA, Head of Reporting

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5703
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Kerry Hicks has been Head of Reporting for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia for over 3 years.  With more than 25 years of experience in the accounting profession, Ms Hicks provides strong leadership, technical competence and support in the area of financial reporting for the Institute.

  Ms Hicks is focused on raising the profile of the Institute on financial reporting issues, both in the Australian and Institution environments. She plays a vital role in enabling the Institute to provide expert advice to assist members in dealing with the ever-changing accounting standards and corporations law related matters. She presents matters to members across Australia, seeking direct input on issues to ensure our advocacy work with government is representative of members views and the public interest.  She is a member of the AASB’s Not-for-profit Advisory Panel and various institutional committees dealing with reporting matters.

  Prior to her current role, she was the Executive Director of the Technical Consulting Group with Ernst & Young. While in that role Ms Hicks developed expertise in the implementation and application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) both in Australia and internationally for large listed organisations as well as not-for-profits and private companies. 

  Ms Hicks is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.
  

• Karen McWilliams CA, Manager - Chartered Accountants in business

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5754
  Press office: 02 9290 5562
  
  Karen McWilliams was appointed as Manager of Chartered Accountants in Business for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia in 2008. The new role was created as part of a sustained effort to represent and assist members working in business, with a particular focus on sustainability and climate change issues.

  Prior to her role, Ms McWilliams worked in statutory reporting at WorleyParsons Ltd, an ASX listed global professional services provider for two years. She also spent six years in audit and assurance with Deloitte in London and Ernst & Young in Sydney. 

  Ms McWilliams is dedicated to consulting with members in business and advocating their specific requirements through submissions to government and appropriate bodies. Her role also assists members in business develop their career by providing a knowledge network so that they can keep up-to-date with emerging issues impacting their roles and responsibilities.

  Ms McWilliams is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

• Hugh Elvy, Head of Financial Advisory Services

  

  Direct phone: 02 9290 5564
  Press office: 02 9290 5562 
  
  Hugh Elvy is responsible for the development and implementation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia's financial advisory services strategy and policies. This includes practice management and education.
  
  Mr Elvy works closely with the government and Treasury on policy issues and projects relating to financial planning and financial services regulation.
  
  He has over 20 years of experience working in the financial services industry, including banking, funds management and financial advisory services.
  
  Prior to joining the Institute Mr Elvy was the National Training Manager for Westpac Financial Planning, with responsibility for the overall operational and technical training function for over 700 planners and ancillary staff.
  
  During his career with Westpac he successfully held numerous key roles in the financial services arena. Mr Elvy’s industry experience and expertise incorporates research, policy and product development, compliance, sales and business development functions.
  

• Sue Prestney FCA, Small and Medium Enterprises Spokesperson

  

  Direct phone: 03 9521 3000
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Sue Prestney commenced with Fell & Starkey (now Ernst & Young) Chartered Accountants in 1974 and worked as an auditor for three years. She became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1977.
  
  She then spent 10 years in Ernst & Whinney’s business services division with five of these years as a manager, providing accounting and taxation services to a wide range of medium sized businesses.
  
  In 1987 Ms Prestney joined Boyd Tuckwell Lush (now Boyd Partners Limited) as a taxation specialist and has provided consulting services in all areas of taxation and superannuation, specialising in corporate tax, corporate restructuring and superannuation planning using privately administered superannuation funds.
  
  In recent years Ms Prestney, who is the Chairman of Boyd Partners Limited, has focused on family business advising and capital raising, as well as taxation, and regards herself as a generalist with specialist skills. She has a strong interest in facilitating the buying and selling of businesses and enhancement of shareholder value.
  
  Her client base consists largely of medium sized businesses (turnovers between $10m and $100m) in the manufacturing, transport, service, retail and wholesale industries, to which she provides a broad range of taxation, management and financial advice.
  
  Ms Prestney has written The ABC of GST (published by Information Australia) which was listed in Business Review Weekly Top 10 Business Titles in April 2000 and The ABC of BAS. She has had articles published in various publications on taxation, family business and preparation of businesses for sale and frequently gives presentations of these topics for various organisations.

• Mark Jones, General Manager SA and NT

  

  Direct phone: 08 8113 5509
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Mark Jones spent the first 13 years of his career in the advertising and marketing profession before moving to the Securities Institute of Australia (SIA) as Manager.
  
  Having been with the SIA for six years he moved to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia in April 2000. 
  
  Mr Jones is the Institute's General Manager for South Australia and Northern Territory and is part of the senior management team. 
  
  He has a Bachelor of Business with a Major in Marketing and a Diploma in Direct Marketing.
  
  

• Simon Grant FCA, General Manager Members

  

  Direct phone: 07 3233 6514 
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Simon Grant is the General Manager Members responsible for all the State and Territories offices as well as overseeing the Sales and Marketing functions of the Institute.

  From 2002 to 2012, Simon held the role of General Manager of the Queensland office, where he was responsible for the delivery of member services and training to Queensland’s 6,500 members and the delivery of the CA Program to approximately 1,500 candidates.

  Prior to joining the Institute, Simon had seven years as a Director in Deloitte Corporate Finance in Brisbane and prior to that worked for a niche retail bank in Sydney for seven years as their Country Head of Credit for Australia. Simon qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1987 with an antecedent firm that is now part Deloitte and then went overseas to the United Kingdom and the United States working in a practice and banking environment.
  

• Gary Arcus, General Manager WA

  

  Direct phone: 08 9420 0407
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Gary Arcus was appointed General Manager for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia's West Australia branch in September 2008 and is responsible for advocating the interests of local members on both state and national issues. 
  
  Mr Arcus previously worked for the Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCI) WA as Manager of Key Client Relations where he was responsible for managing the organisation’s training and apprenticeship programs. Prior to this role, he managed the CCI’s Registered Training Organisation.
  
  Through his extensive experience in the management of training courses, he understands the role of member-based organisations and the rewarding career opportunities that training provides. 
  
  Mr Arcus holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from University of West Australia and an Executive Masters of Business Administration from Curtin University.
  

• Renee Le Grande, General Manager ACT

  

  Direct phone: 02 6122 6118
  Press office: 02 9290 5569
  
  Renee Le Grande joined the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia in 2005 and was appointed as the General Manager for Australian Capital Territory in 2007.

  Prior to her current role, Ms Le Grande was a General Manager for Media Monitors for five years. In addition, she worked at The Canberra Times for over 15 years in several senior management roles including marketing, circulation and advertising.

  Ms Le Grande is dedicated to ensuring the Australian Capital Territory members’ needs are met and represented appropriately. With a strong Government background she continues to administer and maintain relationships with Federal Departments, Ministers and corporate clients.

  Although she has traveled overseas and lived in other parts of the world, she has spent the majority of her time living and working in Canberra, therefore giving her a strong grasp of the Canberra market.

  Ms Le Grande is a member of the Australian Business Ltd, Chamber of Commerce and Australian Institute of Management and media entertainment and arts alliance.

• Duncan Pittard, General Manager VIC and TAS

  

  Direct phone: 03 9641 7437
  Press office: 02 9290 5569 
  
  Duncan Pittard is the General Manager for Victoria and Tasmania at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. He joined the Institute in March 2004 and has more than 20 years experience in the accounting and finance profession.

  Mr Pittard is responsible for leading and directing the performance of the Victorian and Tasmanian regions to ensure that the Institute effectively represents the needs of its membership and promotes the importance of the profession. He is responsible for the ongoing management of member advisory panels, delivery of member services and events, building proactive and effective stakeholder relationships and strategic planning of regional activities.

  Prior to his current role, Mr Pittard was the Senior Relationship Manager at the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He has also held positions at Hays, Email, IOOF and Deloitte.