Bernadette Scanlon

Bernadette has built on the fundamentals of Accounting to pursue careers that demand strong analysis and strategic decision-making skills.

I never wanted to be an accountant. In fact, when I first enrolled at university, my intention was to complete two majors, Law and Economics. However, I soon realised that Accounting, and the commercial context that it relates to, just made sense. The great thing about studying accounting is that because it is so practical it provides an excellent foundation for many diverse career options. Although I initially started my career in what could be perceived as a more ‘traditional path’—working in the taxation team at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)—I soon realised that with my technical background and love for problem solving, the world was my oyster. After three years in tax, I moved into the deals team, working with distressed businesses, before applying my skills in a public sector context by working in the management consulting team at PwC. Accounting is so much more than preparing or auditing accounts. It helps in interpreting financial statements, setting budgets, making investment decisions, being familiar with strategy and governance, and understanding the mechanics of an organisation.

Quite early on I could also see that by furthering my studies and becoming a chartered accountant I would hold an internationally recognised and respected qualification, giving me the opportunity to work abroad without significant barriers. In 2017, I moved to Amsterdam, where I helped establish the cyber security team for Aon, Netherlands, before moving to the UK to head the consulting team at a public sector design agency in London. Having a ‘CA’ against my name definitely helped with this transition.

I am honoured to have recently been appointed the chief executive officer for Nicholson Consulting, a data analytics consultancy based in Wellington, whose vision is to create a more equitable Aotearoa through good decision making. Each day I use my accounting knowledge, whether this be in my operational or strategic decisions or in my discussions with senior public sector officials and private sector clients.

Although I have not strictly practised law or worked as what could be viewed as a traditional accountant or economist, I am constantly drawing upon all I have learned in these areas and have realised just how versatile my chosen degrees really are.