Ian McPhee AO PSM is Distinguished Honorary Professor at the Research School of Accounting at the Australian National University.
Ian McPhee has over 40 years’ experience working in the public sector – the last 10 of those years as the Auditor-General for Australia – a position he held for the maximum term from 2005 to 2015. Prior to that appointment, he was Deputy Secretary, Financial Management Group, Department of Finance.
Ian spent his early years in Queensland. He was born in Toowoomba, completed most of his schooling in Maryborough, before shifting to Rockhampton for his final year of school before entering the Queensland Institute of Technology (Capricornia), subsequently to become Central Queensland University. In his final year of his degree Ian was offered a cadetship to complete his studies and join the Australian Public Service.
He commenced his career in the Australian Public Service as a cadet auditor in 1971 and advanced his career mainly in roles with the Australian National Audit Office and the Department of Finance. In more recent times, Ian has taken on a range of roles including as a Council member of Central Queensland University; chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Audit Quality Advisory Board; chair/member of a number of audit committees; ACT Public Sector Standards Commissioner (part-time) and company director; in addition to his Distinguished Honorary Professor role at ANU.
Ian has had a close involvement with the accounting profession during his career having been Deputy Chair of the Australian Accounting Standards Board (2009- 2014); Chair of the Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (1992-1995); member of the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (1999-2008); a member of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (2002-2008); and a member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (2016-2021),
His review of CPA Australia in 2017 was a clarion call for all professional bodies to improve their level of transparency and member engagement.
Ian graduated with a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) from Central Queensland University in 1972 and a Bachelor of Arts (Computing Studies) from Canberra University in1978. He has received many awards in his distinguished career, most notably the Public Service Medal in 2002; an honorary First Class Medal of Honour by the Government of Indonesia in 2009; an honorary degree of Doctor of the University of Central Queensland University in 2012. Amongst his many professional qualifications Ian is a Fellow and Life Member of CPA Australia.
In 2015, Ian was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public administration, principally in the areas of accountability and policy development.
The Institute of Certified Management Accountants is honoured to induct Ian McPhee to the Global Accounting Hall of Fame® for his services to the profession and the community in Australia by championing auditing, assurance and public sector accounting standards and corporate accountability.