2014 Australian Accounting Hall of Fame
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| Ken Wright |
Three pioneers in the field of accounting were recently recognised for their outstanding contribution to this discipline through their induction into the Australian Accounting Hall of Fame.
Emeritus Professor Robert Chenhall, Professor Ken Wright and Dr John Kenley were acknowledged at the 5th Annual Presentation Dinner for Australian Accounting Hall of Fame 2014.
Dr John Kenley (1924 - 2012) was an accounting standards pioneer in the truest sense of the word. As one of Australia’s first standard setters he was proactive, a significant figure in building Australia’s reputation in the accounting standard-setting worldwide. Dr Kenley excelled through his commitment to the development and dissemination of accounting principles and practices which underpinned the development, application and review of accounting standards in Australia.
Guest speaker at the Dinner was Gunther Burghardt - Finance Director ANZ for Kraft Foods. In his address, Mr Burghardt, highlighted the quantum shift in recent years in the public perception of the field of accounting and underscored the importance of recognising those who advance the accounting discipline nationally and contribute to the broader knowledge of this field.
Almost 100 guests attended the Presentation Dinner. The significance of the evening was summed up by Associate Professor Brad Potter, Director of the Centre for Accounting and Industry Partnerships, who commented ‘the evening is a wonderful opportunity to bring together academics and accounting and business professionals from across the country to celebrate the significant achievements of these unique individuals.’
Accounting in Australia has a long and distinguished history. There have been many individuals whose achievements, both alone and in combination with others, have been significant and whose impact on the discipline has been profound. The Australian Accounting Hall of Fame seeks to identify and recognise these individuals and their contributions.
Over an academic career spanning more than forty years, Professor Robert Chenhall made a decisive contribution to management accounting research. He published a substantial number of papers in the premier accounting journals and is known internationally for his innovative and influential work. Rob’s research is highly cited and over the past 20 years he has held many ARC Discovery and Linkage Grants. He has a strong reputation as a mentor of junior management accounting researchers both in Australia and overseas and has been a frequent contributor to a range of doctoral workshops across Europe.
Professor Ken Wright was the first appointment to the Fitzgerald Chair of Accounting at The University of Melbourne in 1977. Further developing his interest in corporate finance he co-authored a finance text, Financial Management and Policy in Australia which became the leading finance text in Australian universities and ran to three editions. A collection of 17 of his works on the general theme of Asset Values and Enterprise Income resulted in the award of The University of Melbourne’s first earned Doctor of Commerce in 1986.