New team brings financial first

The 2018/2019 Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation (AWHI) financial reports will signal a significant first for the organisation as they will have been managed and produced by a dedicated in-house finance team.

But the Finance and Administration team will not just be responsible for reports and balance sheets, according to Finance Manager, Brenton Barker. A strong professional in-house team will also enable the business to react to challenges and seize opportunities with more strategic focus than ever before.

“The benefit of having your finance function within the organisation is that we are so much closer to the coalface,” he says. “We all work with scarce resources on a daily basis but having information at our fingertips enables us to make informed decisions. Our team has its finger firmly on the pulse and by driving technology and people-smart systems we are enabling future goals to be successfully achieved.”

AWHI has worked in partnership with Balance accountants for more than 30 years and the relationship has always been a positive one.

“We really appreciate the work that Balance has done but having an in-house finance function has always been an aspiration for us,” says Andrew Beijeman, CE of the Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation. “It is not only cost-effective but will also bring a better level of service as the team will be living and breathing the business every day. They will be our people, working for the benefit of our whānau.”

Brenton, who hails from Adelaide, brings more than 20 years of experience to the role, having worked extensively across Australia and, memorably, Papua New Guinea. He is passionate about building skills and experience in the community and has recruited the rest of the team locally.

“Providing opportunities for people to develop professionally and gain vital experience as they progress along their chosen career path not only helps them personally but brings valuable skills into the local community.” he says. “This helps the community itself to grow and prosper which is good for everyone.”

The team took over handling all finances on July 1 and have hit the ground running, with Brenton eager to build trust and understanding with all stakeholders involved in the business by getting out from behind the account books and going on to farms to be able to fully understand the challenges managers face.

“Our role here is not to impede the mahi that is being done, but to support and enable it,” says Brenton. “We want to ensure that we can support the Board and management team in their strategic goals by adopting a proactive and forwardthinking approach for all aspects of the business. Customer service is paramount.”