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CA ANZ Life Membership is reserved for up to 40 people who have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the profession. Recipients Professor Emeritus Ann Tarca FCA, Stephen Walker FCA and Dr Nives Botica Redmayne FCA discuss the opportunities, influences and experiences that have shaped their successful careers.

Ann Tarca FCA

Professor Emeritus, University of Western Australia (UWA) Business School; member of International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) 2017–2025

After working in state public service and a ‘big eight’ firm, my career took a different direction when we moved to a country town. I chose teaching over working in an accounting practice, primarily because I had a young family and it offered more flexibility, then found education enjoyable and stimulating so I decided to continue in that field.

I started at UWA with solid teaching experience and quickly began a master’s degree, followed by a PhD. My topic, international accounting standards, led to many interesting research opportunities and research papers. This research and engagement with practice led to my appointment as a member of the International Accounting Standards Board from 2017 to 2025. I enjoyed working with world leaders in standard setting and contributing to improving financial reporting practice globally.

I was lucky enough to have world-renowned Professor Philip Brown AM as one of my mentors. I learned a lot about leadership by watching how he worked with staff and students. Despite his enormously successful career, he remained very focused and dedicated to education, creating an environment where students willingly gave 110%. He advised me that your most valuable asset is your reputation.

Working with students has always been a very satisfying aspect of my work. Research can be personally satisfying for you and your team, but it’s hard to see the impact of your work. I found helping students achieve their degrees and launch their careers incredibly rewarding.

I advised students to become a CA because many things open up for you when you have that qualification. I also encouraged them to be curious and take every opportunity to broaden their minds. We’re all bound to face setbacks and we may sometimes feel uncertain about our choices, but difficulties can help us clarify what we really want to achieve. I also believe that having a plan B can be very reassuring.

Stephen Walker FCA 

Executive director, Audit New Zealand

The credibility that comes with being a CA has opened many doors for me – I’ve been fortunate to work in auditing, consulting, training and standard setting across a wide range of roles and environments. I’ve always been energised by the people around me, and I still get great pleasure from meeting new people, understanding what makes them tick and helping find the right solutions for the problems in front of us.

I encourage the graduates who join my organisation to make the most of every opportunity, to be curious and make sure they’re agile enough to adapt to change. I also remind them that, first and foremost, accountants and auditors are there to serve a client, and you can only do that by engaging in the right way. Good communication skills are critical.

My first executive leadership role was at the International Federation of Accountants in New York. I was determined to prove my worth by working all hours, until two of my staff said I was going about it in the wrong way. They told me that, while leadership requires hard work, it’s as much about getting to know the people around you and helping them play to their strengths. That was a real lightbulb moment for me.

When I was there, companies such as Enron and HIH had just collapsed, causing some distrust of the accounting and auditing professions, and those responsible for setting relevant standards. Navigating that situation alongside some of the most senior and influential people in the global accounting profession taught me a lot, including about ‘small p’ politics and how to work with people with different, sometimes conflicting, interests.

While I’ve had many opportunities, most of which I’ve jumped at, I’ve thrown my hat in the ring for a couple of roles that didn’t materialise – but I think we can learn a lot from what seem to be setbacks at the time. I’ve heard many leaders say that the challenges they faced during the COVID years gave them more clarity, certainty and confidence in a very uncertain world.

In my current role, leading the New Zealand Auditor-General’s in-house audit practice, I’ve been able to apply all those learnings and add many more. We never stop learning.

Dr Nives Botica Redmayne FCA

Professor and accounting discipline lead, Massey University

I’ve always been quick to say yes to opportunities – perhaps a bit too quick sometimes – but I genuinely believe that something good comes out of every experience.

My father advised me to examine every opportunity in front of me and make sure it aligned with my values. He believed that your values are your anchor in any situation. So, while my philosophy has always been to see where an opportunity will take me, I’ve been drawn to those where I could see how I could bring value to people or organisations. Being a CA has equipped me with many important skills and values, and provided me with opportunities to add value in both accounting practice and academia.

When I was in practice and auditing clients, I really enjoyed working with different firms and partners, and leading different teams. I loved that two days were never the same. That’s still true in my current job as an academic, where some days are about teaching, some about governance and some about research. I get a great deal of satisfaction from being in a position to change people’s lives through education and mentoring, and I’m also actively looking for opportunities to bring together ‘town and gown’. I feel strongly that what we teach and research should be relevant to the real world and, as educators, we need to help bridge that gap.

I think ambitious young CAs should be prepared to take some risks, step outside their comfort zone and stretch themselves to see just how much they can achieve. I also think it’s important to stay positive about technology despite all the negative things we hear, particularly about AI. Accountants have adapted to all kinds of changes over the years and I see AI as just another tool we can use to do things differently and, no doubt, more efficiently.