BDO promotes more than a dozen new partners in mid-year round

Accounting and consulting firm BDO has made more than a dozen mid-year partnership promotions across its Australian offices, with two dozen individuals also elevated to director.

The thirteen fresh partnership promotions are a jump on the four made at the beginning of the year, lifting BDO’s overall count to over 350, with the firm noting it had eased up somewhat on external partner recruitment of late after a period of significant growth.

That growth includes crossing the $600 million revenue-mark in its last financial year on the back of a 12 percent rise, having passed $400 million in just 2022, with BDO stating that this year’s figures are expected to achieve a similar level of double-digit growth as the last.

“BDO’s growth is driven by our unwavering investment in our people and culture, and these promotions recognise the high calibre of people coming through our firm and the contribution they are making to our clients, teams, and future,” said chief executive David Garvey. “We are committed to supporting our people and providing tangible career development opportunities.”

“We’re seeing steady growth across all areas of the firm in audit, tax and advisory, and that allows us to keep investing in the next generation of leaders,” Garvey continued. “Professional services is a people business. Technology will continue to change the way we work, but we still need people to exercise judgement and develop communication skills, client capability, and technical expertise.”

BDO’s new partners:

Ben Watkinson – global expatriate & employment taxes – joined BDO in Sydney in 2022 after close to two decades at KPMG.

Brett Monk – business services (outsourced accounting) – has been with BDO in Sydney since studying a commerce degree in 2009.

Chelsea Si – corporate & international tax – has been with BDO in Melbourne for almost two decades, and holds a masters in tax law.

Daniel Footer – audit & assurance – joined BDO in Sydney last year after an earlier two decades at PwC between Australia and the UK.

Dominic She – business services (outsourcing) – joined BDO in Sydney in 2017 and is a key member of the firm’s China desk.

Ishan Chopra – deal advisory – relocated to Sydney in 2018 after earlier time with BDO in the US and India, having joined from Grant Thornton.

Jodi Leonard – business restructuring – is an insolvency accountant with close to two decades of experience based out of BDO’s Brisbane office.

Katie Bourne – forensic services – joined BDO in Sydney in 2024 from the NSW Crime Commission and earlier major investigative bodies.

Lulu Zeng – project & infrastructure advisory – leads BDO’s infrastructure economics practice out of Sydney, having joined from KPMG in 2018.

Melissa Mitchell – corporate & international tax – joined BDO in Brisbane in 2012, and focuses on the mining, energy, and natural resources sectors.

Owen Lonergan – business services (business and taxation) – has been with BDO in Brisbane since graduating with a commerce degree in 2013.

Tenille Ireland – superannuation – is an SMSF specialist based in Adelaide who joined the firm in 2022 after nearly eight years at HLB Mann Judd.

Vivi Chen – business services (SMSF advisory) – joined in Sydney in 2024 after nearly a decade between William Buck and Hill Rogers (now Nexia).