By Meredith Booth

Vivian Wang CA learned financial literacy early from her accountant mother, and this inspired not only her career choice but also her passion for helping other women become financially empowered. 

Wang, who is a director at Perth accounting practice RE Ledger, was one of a group of WA-based members of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand who founded charity Financial Toolbox, with a mission to help empower Western Australian women to take control of their money.

Official statistics show that many WA women have barely more than half the savings of men, 60% of WA women retire with zero superannuation, WA women earn 24% less than men in the state and most WA women still lack the financial confidence and skills to invest.

“Financial Toolbox provides education for women who don’t have finance, tax and super knowledge,” says Wang, who now serves as the charity’s finance director. “The programs extend to women in need of these skills in corporates and industry associations. We recognise the problem starts when they’re young and we’re working towards establishing programs for high school.”

Wang also chaired the successful 2018 Young CA Pilot Not-For-Profit Board Experience Program in WA.

“The program allows young CAs in Western Australia to sit in and observe how a not-for-profit board operates,” Wang explains. “In the last two years that we have run this in WA, we’ve had not-for-profits offering young CAs a role within the organisation so they can continue their relationship post this program.

“To me, to be able to have the skills and opportunity to give back to the community, and to the profession, is invaluable and rewarding.”

“To me, to be able to have the skills and opportunity to give back to the community and to the profession is invaluable and rewarding.”

Wang is an active member of the CA ANZ Public Practice Advisory Committee and Young CA Panel WA. She also volunteers as the treasurer of Rotary Elizabeth Quay and on the board of Sphinx Foundation Inc (a Perth-based charity providing education scholarships.

Wang was recently named the CA ANZ 2019 Young CA Regional Advocate, WA. She is one of 12 Young CA Regional Advocates, who are shortlisted for the 2019 President’s Prize, to be announced in late 2019. The prize recognises CA ANZ members under 35 who have made an outstanding commitment to the accounting profession and have used their skills in service of their local community.

Vivian Wang CA
RE Ledger, director
Age: 27
Other roles:
CA ANZ 2019 Young CA Regional Advocate, WA
Financial Toolbox Inc, finance director
Rotary of Elizabeth Quay, treasurer
Sphinx Foundation Inc, board member
CA ANZ Public Practice Advisory Committee
CA ANZ Young CA Panel WA
Registered Financial Adviser
Chartered Tax Adviser
Registered Tax Agent