The TeamSpecialised Audit & Assurance Services

SAAS Firm Structure and Expertise

SAAS is a registered Practice with a corporate structure SAAS Audit Pty Ltd Trading as Specialised Audit and Assurance Services. SAAS Audit Pty Ltd is a registered audit firm (458246) with its two Directors as Registered Company Auditors.

SAAS ensure high quality senior professionals are assigned to each audit engagement as lead auditor. All professional staff are either qualified or working towards a CPA or CA qualification.

SAAS can confidently assure clients that engagements will always be conducted at the highest standard.

The team is as follows:

SAAS Audit - Auditors Brisbane and Sunshine Coast
 

Management Team

SAAS Audit - Auditors Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

James Kenward - Director

Work qualifications: CA, BCom (Accounting) (Hons), Registered Company Auditor 441040 & Registered Superannuation Auditor 100262495

James works with a diverse range of clients across industry sectors. In addition to providing audit and assurance services James is considered the firm’s financial reporting specialist, preparing financial statements for both audit and non-audit clients.

Having obtained a Commerce degree from the University of Birmingham in the UK, James went on to train and qualify as a Chartered Accountant with a three partner firm in South East London which later merged with mid-tier firm, Wilkins Kennedy. As well as working in audit and financial reporting James spent a number of years acting as an outsourced financial controller for several clients. This included being audited rather than being the auditor!

James made the move with his family from the UK to Australia in 2008. He joined a predecessor firm of SAAS working in the role of audit manager. After becoming a registered company auditor, James joined SAAS as a director in 2014.

James’s client base includes many of the firm’s corporate entities, including those holding financial services licenses. He is responsible for solicitors trust account audits conducted by the firm and is also the key contact for clients with reporting requirements to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission.

Irrelevant fact: in the mid-nineties, a time when many clients would still use manual books, James had the realisation that the need to constantly roll up your sleeves to conduct audit work was an inefficient process which could be avoided. He is rarely seen in long sleeves to this day.

 
SAAS Audit - Auditors Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

Gary Smith - Consultant

Work qualifications: B.Bus, MBA, FCPA Registered Company Auditor 222045, Registered Superannuation Auditor 100120161 & SMSF Specialist Auditor (SMSF Association)

Gary has in excess of 25 years audit experience and over of 18 years commercial experience. Gary is a Certified Practising Accountant and holds a public practice certificate with CPA Australia and is an experienced Registered Company Auditor and Superannuation Auditor.

Gary is a former member of the Qld Public Practice Committee of CPA Australia having been involved with that committee for over 5 years and is a former Chair of Queensland Ombudsman’s Audit Committee (5years). Gary holds Bachelor degrees in Accountancy and Public Administration and an MBA acquired in 2003 from the Qld University of Technology.

Hobbies: Gary’s personal interests include Hockey both as a player and administrator and currently holds the position of Treasurer on the Australian Masters Hockey Council. Gary is a keen golfer and likes to play challenging courses when time permits. Gary is happily married ( 44 years) has 2 children and 2 grandchildren, with whom he enjoys spending time when not working, hockeying, or golfing. Time management is essential but needs improvement some day.

 

Ken Beattie - Chairperson 

Work qualifications: B.Econ

Ken has over 40 years management experience across both the public and private sectors including over 5 years as a self-employed contract executive.

Ken is a graduate of the Melbourne University Management Development Program and has a broad administrative background with experience in works and costing, personnel, training and development, financial management and customer sales and service.

With Ken's vast Telecommunication and Queensland Government Career including roles as District Telecom Manager on the Gold Coast and Brisbane, General Manager Telecom Business Services for Queensland and National Manager Sales and Service. He was a Member of the Department of Main Roads Board of Management and the General Manager for the Department of Transport and Main Roads $5 Billion works program and as well as the Property Division.

Ken worked in strategic policy and organisational development and was responsible for staff levels up to 4000 and budgets of several billion.

Hobbies: Ken enjoys most sports and describes himself as a "strong family man, and a bad golfer trying to play a great game."

 

 

Staff

 
SAAS Audit - Auditors Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

Iliaz

Work qualifications: B. Bus, CPA

Iliaz has extensive experience in the specialist area of audit and assurance and is responsible for wide ranging of clients operating in the service industry and government owned corporations. Iliaz also has experience in industries including: building and project management, manufacturing, cattle grazing, commercial fishing and seafood processors and wholesalers. More recently, Iliaz has been involved in the government departmental audit space with the Queensland Audit Office.

Specialities

  • External audits of financial statements
  • System reviews and documentation
  • Data analytics and analysis
  • Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) audits and reviews
  • Investigative audits and due diligence reviews
  • Trust Account Audits for Property Agents and Solicitors

Iliaz spends his spare time juggling between spending quality time with his family and working on his golf handicap.

 
SAAS Audit - Auditors Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

Christina

Christina initially worked in the finance department of SAAS Audit while studying for a degree in Accounting at Central Queensland University. After graduating in 2012 with a distinction she was transferred to the SAAS audit team on a full time basis. Christina brings knowledge acquired from a wide array of fields and passion for her work. She thrives on new challenges and being able to overcome anything thrown her way. Christina has an outgoing personality leading her to her passion in cooking, entertaining family and friends, and is an avid badminton fan, previously having competed at national level for her home country of Seychelles.

Favourite quote: “Opportunity always knocks at the least opportune moments!”

 
SAAS Audit - Auditors Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

Rebekah

Work qualifications: Chartered Accountant; Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Planning and Investments.

Work experience: Extensive experience in not for profits, trust accounts, AFSL’s, outgoings audits and various corporate audits, gained from a mix of mid-tier and suburban firms.

Personal accomplishments: Raising my two boys as a single mum while having a fulfilling career in audit, and gaining my CA membership.

Hobbies: Crafting, Diamond Painting, Historical Research & Fishing.

Irrelevant Fact: The Ulysses butterfly, based in tropical North Queensland (as well as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands), is one of the hardest butterflies to breed in captivity and recently saw a sharp decline in breeding rates. It also has a distinctive blue colour, blue being one of the rarest natural colours in the wild. Rebekah has a special affinity to this particular butterfly, which represents to her both the fragility of life, but that life should be bright and colourful, no matter how dark it can get.

 
 

Amanda 

Amanda joined the SAAS team whilst undertaking her university studies, graduating with a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) in late 2017.

Amanda oversees all matters related to administration, she prides herself on being an efficient and hardworking member of the team.

Amanda also enjoys working at the theatre, reading crime thrillers, live music and travel. She continues to pursue her interests in psychology, counselling and youth work.