About us
The Australian Society has been in existence for more than 25 years. There are over 1,400 Chartered Accountants Ireland members living in Australia, and the Society’s main objective is to act as a professional and social forum for members living in Australia.
It does this by hosting social and networking events in the key cities members traditionally settle in. The Society operates regionally through chapters – in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. The events provide regular opportunities for members to meet socially and assist newly arrived members to network with their Australian colleagues.
The Society is managed by a dedicated volunteer committee who love to hear from newly arrived members. They organise events with support from the Institute's Society executive. Events range from St. Patrick's Day celebrations to family picnics and sightseeing tours, as well as events around the Institute President's outreach activity.
The Society has also had the pleasure of hosting high profile speakers including Irish Government ministers, representatives from IDA and Enterprise Ireland, Consul General of Ireland to Australia, the Irish Ambassador to Australia, and leaders from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Our members play an active role in the development of the Australian economy by working in the areas of finance, business and industry or by working in practice, offering expertise in audit, tax, accountancy and consultancy to a wide range of clients.
The Institute's point of contact and Society Executive is Arlene Gibbs, so if you are a member in Australia or considering travelling to Australia, get in touch with Arlene to
register your details!
Members in Australia
Here are some facts about the demographic of our 1,400 members in Australia. Some might surprise you!
- Gender breakdown: 43.6% female; 56.4% male
- Age distribution:
- 24-34 years: 50.8%
- 35-44 years: 28%
- 45-54 years: 11%
- 55-65 years: 6.6%
- Over-65 years: 3.6%
- Employment status:
- In business: 88%
- In practice/working in practice: 8%
- Retired: 2%
- Other: 2%
Chapter locations
Brisbane
The newest Chapter was launched in 2024 and aims to run quarterly events for the growing Irish Chartered Accountant community in the region.
Melbourne
The Melbourne Chapter has over 200 members, and runs quarterly events for Irish Chartered Accountants in the region. Like the other chapters, they have strong links to other Irish networking, community and business groups.
Perth
There are nearly 150 Irish Chartered Accountants in Western Australia. The Perth Society holds several events each year for members in the region and has strong links to other Irish cultural and networking groups.
Sydney
About 650 Irish Chartered Accountants call Sydney home, and it is the most popular starting point for members considering a move. The Chapter runs several events per year, and also hosts Institute outreach visits.
Australian Society Committee
The Australian Society Committee is made up of nine voluntary Australian-based members who are elected each year during the Society’s AGM. To contact the committee please email the society executive Arlene Gibbs.
Cliff Wilson – Australian Society Chair
Cliff has been in Australia for nearly 20 years, and is founder of Wilson Select, a well-established recruitment firm specialising in search and selection for finance roles. He remains actively involved in the Society to maintain connections with his peers in Australia and to keep reconnect with his Irish roots.
Katie Sharkey – Sydney Chapter Head
Katie is one of the society's longest-serving committee members, residing in Sydney since 2015. She is currently the Integration Manager at GenesisCare, a global healthcare provider.
Edward Brennan – Melbourne Chapter head
Edward is a partner at BDO Melbourne and has been living in Australia since 2012. He leads the Melbourne Chapter, utilising his extensive experience in financial services.
Darren King – Society Secretary | Perth Chapter head
Darren is the Director at Walsh Clancy and O'Neill Accountants in Perth, where he lives with his wife and young family. He leads the Perth Chapter, bringing a wealth of experience in accounting and business advisory.
Louise Roddy – Brisbane Chapter head
Louise moved to Australia in 2023 and has been instrumental in establishing the society’s newest chapter in Brisbane. Before relocating, Louise was actively involved in the Leinster Society, and she brings this experience to her leadership role in Brisbane.
Amanda Meunier – Society Treasurer
Originally from Dublin, Amanda relocated to Sydney in 2016. She now serves as Commercial Finance Manager at MYOB, a leading business management platform.
Paul Minton – Committee member (Sydney)
Paul is co-founder of Lemon Talent, a recruitment firm based in Sydney that specializes in sourcing top-tier finance talent for leaders in the industry.
Sean Brennan – Committee member (Sydney)
Sean moved to Sydney in 2019 and works as a Finance Manager in Business Partnering at Commonwealth Bank, where he plays a key role in supporting business decisions through financial insight.
Sinead Hamzawi – Committee member (Sydney)
James Henry – Committee member (Melbourne)
Laura Murphy – Committee member (Melbourne)
Have a query?
If you have a query, please refer to our Support & Services page and contact the relevant department with your query.
Was this article helpful?
LOADING...