Path to Partnership

Wali Aziz is Head of Audit & ESG Leader at Walker Wayland NSW, a AFR top 20 accounting firm. Wali was a real pleasure to interview, during our chat he shared excellent insights into the career moves he made and opportunities he saw in order to achieve his goal of becoming an Audit Partner.

Wali shared his views on the importance of having mentors during your career journey, as well as the importance of having a supportive and commercial firm such as Walker Wayland in helping him achieve Partner.  Wali talks about the need as a leader to evolve and grow, even as a Senior Partner, an example of which is importance and focus ESG has with clients.

For anyone on that Path to Partnership I really think Wali’s story will really resonate.

As well as being Managing Partner of PKF Sydney, few would argue that Bob Bell is an industry legend with over 42 years experience in the chartered accounting profession.

Bob became a founding Partner of a firm, just 7 years into his career and has operated at the Partner level ever since having started, built merged or exited from a couple of boutique firms over the years.

It was an incredibly enjoyable chat talking to Bob about his career, particularly his transition from Manager to Partner and business owner in the early part of his career as well as his more recent transition from Senior Partner to Managing Partner of PKF Sydney.

We cover a lot in our conversation, from the importance of relationships in terms of clients and how insightful learning off clients can be, to how to build a sustainable fee base and the importance of “just getting out there to win work”.

It's fair to say that Adam’s path to Managing Partner, is not the usual path. Adam began life as an accountant in various commercial roles before joining Moore Stephens as their internal finance person. Its there where Adam grew personally and professionally, working in an environment that saw value in Adam’s role and where the internal functions of the firm, finance, IT, HR and operations supported the growth of the firm. Adam talks about the importance of working closely with Senior Partners who allowed him to do his thing who trusted him and gave him the responsibility to grow those functions and for him to have a seat in the all-important Partner meetings. 

We talk about the Moore Stephens and Pitcher Partner merger and the role Adam played as COO in bringing together two major players in the Sydney market. Adam talks about the importance of allowing his team to grow and take accountability for their functions which allowed a smooth transition to the firm that Pitcher Partners is today. We talk through Adam’s transition from COO to Managing Partner and the key skills and confidence needed in such a role as well as the importance of internal and external mentors along the way.

I though this was such an insightful and enjoyable chat with Adam in how a career in accounting can start in one direction yet can lead you to a different path in what is a very successful career to date. Adam was very generous with his advice on aspiring Partners and Managing Partners as well as the challenges firms such as Pitcher Partners have in the next 12-24 months.

Preeti Inchody is Senior Managing Director of deals & advisory at Ankura, a global consulting firm with over 35 offices across the world.

Preeti’s path to Partnership is one of resilience, persistence hard work, humility, and patience. Born and raised in Mumbi India, Preeti talks fondly about her childhood and the intensity of Mumbai when she started her career in accounting and finance. Preeti and her Husband then take the bold step and move to Australia in 2011 a country they had never even visited where Preeti talks about the initial challenges of securing a job and the approach she took to overcome those challenges. In 2015 Preeti joined global advisory firm FTI Consulting as the first “deals” person in a team of Insolvency and Restructuring professionals, Preeti talks about how she made her business a success as well as the importance of having mentors who supported her during that time. In February 2020 Preeti joined Ankura, 2 months before the world changed. Preeti talks about the challenges of starting a new business in a new brand in Australia at the start of Covid and how she was able to make it a success. Preeti achieved “Partnership” at Ankura at the beginning of 2023, we talk about what that meant to her and how she wants to help and mentor anyone on a similar journey.

I loved this chat with Preeti. We covered a lot, particularly the importance of persistence, how she built her network and eco-system, the importance of internal and external mentors in her career journey as well as her thoughts on the deals market in the next 6 to 12 months.

Preeti’s Path to Partnership is inspirational and I think it will resonate with a lot of people. Hope you enjoy!

Mitch Stone is Executive Director (Partner) of Quantaco, a specialist hospitality advisory firm born out of the PKF and Lawler Partners brand. I’ve known Mitch for a number of years, since he was a Manager, so I’ve been lucky enough to see firsthand Mitch’s individual journey on his Path to Partnership.

During our chat we talk about the importance of mentors, what aspiring Partners can work on to help the get there, as well talking more about the Quantaco brand, and the success they’ve had as a firm, in such a short space of time.

Jim Softsis is Managing Partner and Head of Specialist Advisory at Findex, Australia’s fifth largest firm in the AFR top 100.

Jim has had a really impressive career journey to Partner, not least what he’s helped build at Findex, but also the career moves he made, at the time he made them made sense which will resonate with people. Jim is a great example of someone understanding that when there is change going on all around you, by sticking with in because you believe in a firms strategy, that can create great opportunities for you personally..

I really enjoyed my chat with Jim, I’ve known him for over 13 years and to see him go from Senior Manager to Senior Partner is great to see. Jim is passionate about his clients needs and growth, as well as the importance of building a team and mentoring their development both personally and professionally

Jim gives great advice about how to build a successful practice and the importance of building your personal brand both inside and out side the firm which I think will be really valuable to people.

Lauren Hosie is a Business Advisory Partner at Pitcher Partners NSW. Lauren’s journey to Partner is incredibly impressive, but Lauren would struggle to say that as Lauren is a self-confessed introvert who, in her own words “hates to talk about herself.”

First and foremost Lauren is a Mum to 2 young children whose husband is in the military. Lauren became a Partner at Pitcher Partners at the age of 30 and has been a Partner for 5 years. She is now a full equity Partner having built a highly impressive client base and fee base.

Lauren talks about the importance of having a mentor Partner, someone who had her “back” and full support during her path to Partnership. She talks about the importance of being authentic, being nice and responsive and why she “makes business personal” We talk about how she juggles family life and work life, and not to “sweat the small stuff” but having a supportive firm and great people around her is so important.

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation, and I think it will resonate and inspire many in the industry.

Greg is a Director & Partner of advisory and accounting services for SW Accountants & Advisors and has worked in professional practice for over 28 years. Having worked for global accounting giants such as Grant Thornton and PWC, Greg founded Armstrong Dawson in 2012. 

Excitingly Greg recently sold his firm Armstrong Dawson to SW accountants and he and the Armstrong Dawson team merged their practice into SW in July this year.