John O'Connell

Audit Director

 

John started with Audit New Zealand in 1991. He has a varied portfolio covering both the central and local government sectors. John has also carried out a number of significant probity and governance reviews.

Before joining Audit New Zealand, John spent 13 years auditing in public practice and a number of years in senior financial management positions both in New Zealand and overseas.

Ajay Sharma

Audit Director

 

Ajay has been with Audit New Zealand since 1990. His public sector audit experience includes central government entities, State-owned enterprises, Crown entities, and tertiary education institutions. Some of Ajay's large clients include the Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand Customs Service, and the Ministry for the Environment. Ajay is a member of our central government and Crown entity sector group.

Ajay has conducted a number of special reviews for audit clients. In 2003 he worked with Te Puni Kokiri on financial reviews for funding that was part of the "Reducing Social Inequalities Package". Recently he has been involved with auditing the Crown's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. Before joining Audit New Zealand, Ajay was an external auditor with an international chartered accounting firm.

Jo Smaill

Audit Director

 

Jo began working for Audit New Zealand in 1994. She has specialist knowledge of local government auditing but has also taken a lead role in audits for large complex government departments, Crown Entities and District Health Boards. Jo is also a member of our health sector group.

Before joining us, Jo worked for a number of years as an internal auditor at the Department of Internal Affairs. During this time she completed a number of efficiency and effectiveness audits. Jo also worked in the Health sector for a short period of time.

Clare Helm

Audit Director

 

Clare has worked for Audit New Zealand since 1993. During Clare's time with us she has worked on a range of clients in the central government, Crown entity, tertiary education, and local government sectors.

Before joining Audit New Zealand, Clare worked in the north of England as an audit manager.

Stephen Lucy

Audit Director

 

Stephen has been with us since 1999 and specialises in auditing central government and Crown entities. He has extensive experience in the Transport, Māori Affairs, Health and Tertiary Education sectors.

Stephen is currently responsible for the audit of the Financial Statements of the Government and his clients include the Kiwirail Group, the New Zealand Fire Service Commission, the Ministry of Defence, the New Zealand Defence Force, Te Wānanga o Raukawa, the Capital and Coast District Health Board, and a number of Māori Trust Boards.

Before joining Audit New Zealand, Stephen worked for Lakes DHB and KPMG (here and in the United Kingdom).

Phil Kennerley

Audit Director

 

Phil joined Audit New Zealand as an Audit Director in 2008. He is responsible for a portfolio of central government, crown, tertiary education, and local government entities. These include the Department of Labour, Te Puni Kōkiri, the Māori Trustee, the Electricity Authority, Horowhenua, Manawatu and Rangitikei District Councils and Upper Hutt City Council, and the Universal College of Learning (UCOL).

His earlier experience included senior management accounting roles in Anchor Foods Limited (United Kingdom) and the New Zealand Dairy Board, Group Financial Controller for ENZA, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Frucor Group, and Company Secretary/CFO for Rembrandt Suits Limited.

Phil started his career with the Audit Office in Wellington, where he carried out a wide range of audits, including mainly statutory boards and local authorities, before a four-year term as senior auditor in London.

Peter Davies

Director, Specialist Assurance Services

 

Peter joined Audit New Zealand in September 2004. He provides specialist project and contract management advice to a range of government agencies. Peter is a professional civil engineer with extensive experience on large civil engineering projects.

During the 1980s he was involved in the construction of the Clyde Dam in Central Otago. From 1990 to 1995, he worked on the construction of an underground railway project in London. In 1995, Peter returned to New Zealand as Regional Operations Manager for the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council. In 2000, he became Chief Executive of that council until 2004. During 2004, he managed two major disasters that afflicted the Manawatu-Wanganui and Bay of Plenty regions.

Clint Ramoo

Audit Director

 

Clint joined Audit New Zealand in July 2009. He is responsible for a range of clients in the central government, Crown entity, tertiary, and local government sectors.

Before joining Audit New Zealand, Clint spent 13 years at a CA firm in South Africa, exiting at the level of Partner. His client portfolio was predominantly in the public sector focusing on regional and local government organisations, public entities, and tertiary institutions. As well as providing financial audit services, he also provided assurance and consulting services to a number of public sector clients. His last position before moving to New Zealand was that of Chief Financial Officer at a tertiary institution.

Karen Young

Audit Director

 

Karen joined Audit New Zealand in 1995. Her auditing experience includes a range of public sector organisations, including central government, Crown entities, health, and local government.

Kelly Rushton

Audit Director

 

Kelly started with Audit New Zealand in 1998. Kelly has worked on a range of clients, focusing mainly on central government and Crown entities, but including tertiary education and health sector clients. As well as managing audit assignments, he has undertaken client-requested and taxpayer-initiated assurance engagements.

During his time with us, Kelly spent 18 months working in the National Audit Office in London.

Mark Jensen

Associate Director, Specialist Assurance Services

 

Mark returned to New Zealand, and began working for Audit New Zealand, in September 2006. He has over 20 years experience in the construction and facilities management industries. His professional experience includes project management, procurement, tendering, contract management, risk management, cost estimation, continuous improvement, quality management auditing and benchmarking.

Having spent the last 12 years living in the United Kingdom, Mark worked for Pfizer, the world's largest biomedical research organisation, and Bovis Construction, one of the world's leading companies in project management and construction services. At Pfizer he had leadership roles in the design and delivery of site and global 'business excellence' solutions, spanning the United Kingdom, United States, and Europe. At Bovis Construction, Mark was employed as a senior Quality Manager. Before leaving for the United Kingdom, Mark worked as a Quantity Surveyor.

Martin Richardson

Associate Director, Specialist Assurance Services

 

Martin joined Audit New Zealand in 2007. He has particular interests in performance measurement, management and reporting, asset management, and regeneration. This is his second stint with Audit New Zealand, having been seconded from the UK to work on Long-term Council Community Plans in 2005/06.

Martin spent 10 years with the UK Audit Commission, leading a team of local government performance auditors and inspectors. For two years he was seconded to the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, London. He also designed and implemented a performance management framework for the ₤3 billion New Deal for Communities programme and worked on performance assessment of Local Strategic Partnerships.

A Chartered Surveyor by profession, before joining the Audit Commission Martin spent 10 years working on mapping and civil engineering projects across the UK. He also spent time with the Ministry of Agriculture in Grenada, West Indies, working on a land redistribution programme.

Bradley Young

Audit Manager

 

Bradley began his Audit New Zealand career in 2000.

Bradley gained his auditing experience with a range of public sector clients in the central government, Crown entity, and tertiary education sectors. Bradley acquired private sector experience by working for Ernst & Young in Sydney.

Chee Hong Lim

Audit Manager

 

Chee Hong joined Audit New Zealand in 2004. His current client portfolio includes goverment departments, crown entities, district health boards and tertiary institutions.

Audit New Zealand has added a public sector dimension to Chee Hong's experience; after graduating from the Systematic Business Training Centre in Malaysia, he worked in medium-sized chartered accountancy firms before moving into internal auditing. Chee Hong also spent 10 years in internal auditing at two large banks in Malaysia. He is a fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (UK) and a Chartered Accountant registered with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.

Iain Craig

Audit Manager

 

Iain began his career with Audit New Zealand in March 1998 as graduate trainee. He is Group Manager for our tertiary sector group, and is involved in facilitating the resourcing process.

Before starting at Audit New Zealand, Iain was involved in life insurance and superannuation administration in New Zealand and Britain.

Jayne Winfield

Audit Manager

 

Jayne has worked for Audit New Zealand since February 2000, on a range of clients in the central government, Crown entity, Trust board, and local government sectors. Jayne has recently been working with the Executive Leadership Team within Audit New Zealand. She currently works predominantly in the defence sector, but has a broad range of central government and Crown entity clients, including the financial statements of the government consolidation.

David Kidman

Audit Manager

 

David has worked for Audit New Zealand since 2002 across the Central Government, Crown Entity and Local Government sectors. In addition to managing a portfolio of audit clients, David has been involved with taxpayer-initiated enquiries as well as assisting with Audit New Zealand's staff development programme.

David supplemented his New Zealand experience in 2006 by participating in a secondment to the National Audit Office based in London.

Nicola Hankinson

Audit Manager

 

Audit New Zealand was delighted to welcome Nicola back – to New Zealand and to us – in October 2007. Having started her career at Audit New Zealand in 1999, Nicola’s audit portfolio now includes central government, Crown entity, State-owned enterprise, council-controlled organisation, and Māori Trust clients.

While travelling overseas, Nicola worked as an internal auditor at the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Parkhill Audit Agency (the agency responsible for auditing the National Health Service), Cancer Research UK, the Strategic Rail Authority, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Deloitte.

Dieter Röhm

Manager, Information Systems Audit and Assurance

 

Dieter joined Audit New Zealand in July 2008 as a Supervising Senior. He manages the delivery of Information Systems audit work in support of the financial audit for a range of clients in all sectors of government.

Dieter began his career at Deloitte in South Africa where he qualified as a CA. He then moved to PricewaterhouseCoopers where he qualified as a CISA. Before moving to New Zealand, Dieter filled internal IT audit positions at Woolworths (a retailer), and Vodacom (a telecommunications provider).

Andrew Clark

Audit Manager

Andrew joined Audit New Zealand in May 2008. His audit portfolio includes a range of central government, crown entity, and local government clients. Andrew’s clients are predominantly in the health sector, and he is also a member of the Health Sector Group that provides guidance to staff and clients on health sector issues and developments.

Before joining Audit New Zealand, Andrew was an audit manager in the private sector in Cape Town where he specialised in the auditing of retirement funds. He is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA).

Rachel McKechnie

Audit Manager

Rachel joined Audit New Zealand as an Audit Manager in April 2011. Her portfolio includes Central Government, Crown Entity, local government, and health clients.

Prior to coming to New Zealand, Rachel worked for the Audit Commission in the United Kingdom where she worked on a range of health and local government clients.

David Tonks

Audit Manager

David joined Audit New Zealand in 2011. His audit portfolio includes central government, Crown entity, State-owned enterprise, and local government sectors.

Before joining Audit New Zealand David was the Head of Audit and Risk at one of the UK’s largest local government bodies, prior to which he led on the development of the assurance function at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust in London. He was also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the UK’s national regulator of Nurses and Midwifes. Starting as a graduate trainee, David worked for the Audit Commission in the United Kingdom for 14 years covering the local government, health and charities sectors.

Darren Paterson

Audit Manager

Darren joined Audit New Zealand in November 2011. Based in Wellington, he manages a range of clients in the central government, crown entity, and health sectors.

Before coming to New Zealand, Darren worked as an Audit Manager for the Audit Commission in the United Kingdom, where he had over 9 years experience working in the health and local government sectors. Darren has also worked in private sector audit and as a Financial Controller for two small private companies.