Forensic Accounting & Business Valuations 

A boutique firm exclusively providing independent forensic accounting and valuation services.

Profile

Rebecca Brown Associate Director

rebeccab@gowerjones.com.au


Career Summary

  • 2018 – Present
    Associate Director, GowerJones Forensic Accountants Pty Limited
  • 2017 – 2018
    Associate Director, GowerJones & Co Pty Limited
  • 2013 – 2017
    Manager, GowerJones & Co Pty Limited
  • 2012 - 2013
    Analyst, GowerJones & Co Pty Limited
  • 2011 - 2012
    Senior Manager, James Benzie & Co Pty Ltd
  • 2008 - 2011
    Audit Manager, Fleming Moynihan & Kay Pty Ltd
  • 2006 - 2008 
    Audit Senior, Fleming Moynihan & Kay Pty Ltd
  • 2005 - 2006
    Audit Junior/Intermediate Accountant, Fleming Moynihan & Kay Pty Ltd
  • 2004 - 2005
    Intermediate Accountant, Fleming Moynihan & Kay Pty Ltd
  • 2002 - 2004
    Junior Accountant, Fleming Moynihan & Kay Pty Ltd

Experience

Following attainment of her university degree, Rebecca started her career in business services involving the preparation of special purpose financial statements and tax returns and provision of accounting and taxation advice to business and individual clients.

From 2005 to 2011 Rebecca pursued a career in auditing. Rebecca’s audit experience includes managing the audit of consolidated groups, foreign controlled companies, large proprietary companies, FSR licensees, real estate and solicitor trust accounts, charities, companies limited by guarantee, self-managed superannuation funds and incorporated associations operating in the construction, logistics, manufacturing, printing, insurance broking, real estate, registered sporting club, educational training, childcare and charity industries.

During this time Rebecca was also involved in due diligence engagements and other ad hoc assurance engagements.

In 2012 Rebecca moved into the forensic accounting and business valuation space when she joined GowerJones.

From then Rebecca has applied the analytical skills and accounting and auditing experience acquired in her earlier years to progress her career in forensic accounting and business valuation.

Rebecca has been instructed as the independent expert in matters involving a claim for loss of gross profits and misrepresented profitability.

Since joining GowerJones Rebecca has assisted with the:

  • preparation of independent expert reports for commercial litigation and arbitration matters requiring:
      financial analysis
      assessment of going concern/solvency
      the application of Australian Accounting Standards
      the application of Australian Auditing Standards
      quantification of economic loss, including loss of profits and valuation of shares and
        businesses
      critique of other independent expert reports
  • provision of consulting expert services to assist the legal team throughout the litigation process with:
      discovery of relevant financial documents
      drafting particulars for cross claims
      assistance for mediation
      understanding the nature and application of accounting and auditing concepts
      quantifying alternate loss scenarios and testing underlying assumptions
      critique of independent expert reports

In most recent years Rebecca has been involved with litigation matters concerning:

Instructed on:

  • Independent expert report in respect of a claim for loss of gross profits (2018)
  • Independent expert services in respect of a claim against franchisor of misrepresented profitability (2019)

Assisted with:

  • Consulting expert services provided in respect of quantification of loss claimed against the directors of a publicly listed electronic retail group (2017 - 2019)
  • Independent expert report opining on the quantification of loss arising from a claim for loss of opportunity (2018)
  • Independent expert report responding to a claim for overpaid rents (2017)
  • Consulting expert services provided for mediation in respect of a claim against franchisor of misrepresented profitability (2017)
  • Independent expert report responding to a claim for loss of profits (2016)

Assisted with:

  • Independent expert report in respect of the 2004 - 2007 audits of a mortgage lending entity concerning impairment of financial assets and the application of AASB 139 (2018)
  • Independent expert report in respect of the 2009 - 2012 audits of a mortgage lending entity concerning impairment of financial assets and the application of AASB 139 (2017)
  • Consulting expert services provided in respect of the 2012 - 2014 audits of a stock broking firm (2017)
  • Independent expert report in respect of the 2004 - 2014 audits of a Strata Plan (2016)

Assisted with:

  • Consulting expert services in respect of the application of AASB 101, AASB 102, AASB 108, AASB 1031, AASB 134, AASB 139 in the accounts of a publicly listed electronic retail group (2017 - 2019)
  • Independent expert services in respect of the application of Australian Accounting Standards in the 30 June 2009 and 2010 Annual Report of a publicly listed entity operating in the forestry industry and restatement of those accounts (2019)
  • Arbitration report in respect of the application of AASB 116 to costs capitalised in the infrastructure pricing for coal mining companies (2018)
  • Independent expert report opining on the application of Section 286 of the Corporations Act and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in respect to transactions incorrectly recorded in the general ledger of various group entities in the professional services industry and restatement of the profits/losses of those entities (2017)

Assisted with:

  • Fraud investigation tracing flow of client monies through numerous client accounts to the financial planners’ bank accounts, together with determination of financial planner’s use of client monies, restatement of each client’s financial position (2017)
  • Forensic investigation on behalf of the Board of a publicly listed entity in respect to the recording of transactions comprising the entity’s largest asset and recoverability of that asset (2016)

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ)
  • CA Forensic Accounting Specialist
  • CA Business Valuation Specialist
  • Bachelor of Applied Finance with Bachelor of Commerce Accounting, Macquarie University