The HLB Mann Judd Australasian Association has made several new partner and director appointments, effective 1 July 2024.

In Perth, Norman Neill has been appointed managing partner, replacing Lucio Di Giallonardo who was in the role for four years, reflecting the firm’s policy of rotating the position within the partnership. Mr Neill was previously managing partner between 2014 and 2020. He joined HLB Mann Judd as a graduate in 1992 and became a partner in the corporate advisory and audit services division in 2003.

In Sydney, five directors have been promoted as partners, bringing the number of partners in the Sydney firm to twenty-one.

  • Georgina Ridhalgh joined HLB Mann Judd in 2003 after gaining her Bachelor of Commerce (accounting and finance) from the University of Sydney. She became a director in the business advisory division in 2021, specialising in family businesses and high net worth family groups. Ms Ridhalgh is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
  • James Friend has over 15 years’ audit and advisory experience. He has been with HLB Mann Judd since 2009 and became a director in 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (accounting) from Macquarie University and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
  • Vanessa Abboud joined HLB Mann Judd in 2008 as a graduate before becoming a director in 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (accounting) from Macquarie University and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
  • Peter Bardos is a tax specialist who joined HLB Mann Judd in 2009. He holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in accounting and finance, with the University of Technology Sydney and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand as well as a chartered tax adviser with The Tax Institute.
  • Matthew Levesque-Hocking has 15 years’ experience in business recovery and insolvency and is a Registered Liquidator. He joined HLB Mann Judd in 2005 and became a director in 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (accounting) from the University of Adelaide and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

HLB Mann Judd Australasian Association chair, Tony Fittler said “The appointment of five partners in Sydney to support our growth is an important milestone. The accounting profession is experiencing a quickly changing environment with all practices becoming more complex. At the same time, we are managing increased technological capability while remaining strong to our core focus of people and clients.”

In Brisbane, Dony Kurniadi has been appointed partner in the audit and assurance division. He has over 20 years’ experience, starting his career in Indonesia before moving to Australia in 2006 and joining HLB Mann Judd in 2015. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (accounting) from Tarumanagara University in Jakarta, a graduate diploma of chartered accounting from the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a graduate certificate in internal auditing from the Institute of Internal Auditors Australia.

HLB Mann Judd also had several director appointments. Earlier this year Jake van der Hoek was promoted to director in the Adelaide corporate advisory division and Christian Oey from Brisbane was promoted to compliance services director.

These promotions follow the recent appointment of Peter Gardiner in Sydney to the newly created role of corporate development executive. Mr Gardiner has over 30 years’ experience in the financial services, accounting, and banking industries in Australia, Asia, and the UK. He first joined HLB Mann Judd Sydney in late 2023 in a business development capacity which has now been formalised into the new role. His main area of focus is driving opportunities in the corporate advisory division as well as providing a framework for best of breed processes within the firm.

HLB Mann Judd is an Australasian association of independent advisory and accounting firms, with member firms in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. 

For more information please contact:

Holly Dixon 
07 3001 8800
hdixon@hlbqld.com.au