Tom’s career in accounting wasn’t exactly planned; he discovered an aptitude for the profession while at university. Since joining HLB Mann Judd Melbourne in 2021, Tom has developed a particular focus on helping businesses navigate growth, expansion and transactions. Along the way, working closely with senior executives has helped shape Tom’s journey to director, his commercial approach to tax, and his perspective on leadership.
I grew up in Blackburn in Melbourne and initially had my sights set on working in the sports industry. During my Bachelor of Business, at La Trobe University, however, I found I was getting some of my best marks in the accounting subjects. I returned to university to complete the required accounting subjects and developed an interest in tax.
Finding my path
I joined HLB Mann Judd because I wanted to specialise in providing tax advice, which wasn’t a career path available to me at my previous firm, and was given the opportunity to work with business owners and founders in the mid-market, while still having the scale and resources of a larger firm.
Today, I help businesses navigate the tax implications of growth and change. This includes assisting companies expanding internationally or into Australia, M&A and transactional tax matters, and working with start-ups on employee share schemes and corporate structures.
Learning through experience
One of the things that has helped me most in building my career has been developing a commercial mindset to complement my technical tax knowledge. It’s not enough to understand the technical answer. You also need to understand the client, their business and what they are trying to achieve, and then translate that technical knowledge into practical guidance they can use.
Working directly with senior executives and business owners has been particularly valuable in developing this skill. Rather than simply completing compliance work or reviewing data, I’ve had the opportunity to see how business leaders operate, make decisions and approach challenges.
A highlight of my time at HLB was also attending the 2026 HLB Mann Judd Australasian Conference hosted in Melbourne, which gave me the opportunity to strengthen relationships with colleagues across the Association.
Embracing change
Technology has changed how we work internally and interact with clients. The development of AI as a practice tool is an obvious example, and we’re continuing to see new ways technology can improve how we deliver our services.
What leadership means to me
Leadership is about providing an example and creating an environment where the team can produce their best work. It’s about empowering people to take ownership and giving them the confidence to contribute to the work we do for our clients.
I think that’s reflected in the culture within HLB Mann Judd. It’s supportive and collaborative, and people are willing to share their knowledge and help each other. That creates an environment where you can continue learning while also giving others the opportunity to develop.
Life outside of work
Most of my time is spent with my wife and our two daughters, who are four and one. I like to stay active, whether that’s running or going to the gym, and I enjoy playing golf and watching sport.
Sport has always been a big part of my life, which probably explains why it was originally where I thought my career would take me. These days, I’m happy to keep it as something I enjoy outside of work while continuing to build a career in tax.