John Askham

Partner – CFO Advisory Services
ESG Reporting Lead

John works with CFOs and finance leaders to solve complex financial accounting, reporting and process challenges and provides strategic insights in a world of rapidly changing compliance requirements, automation and regulatory pressures. Prior to joining Grant Thornton in February 2022, he was a Director at EY in the Financial Accounting Advisory team and previously an external auditor.

With more than 16 years’ experience in advising private and public sector clients across a range of industries on the latest IFRS developments, and more recently, developing robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting strategies, John's experience is cross-sector with a recent focus on energy and infrastructure. John has worked on some of Australia’s highest profile infrastructure projects and corporate transactions and he has been seconded into finance teams working through IPOs, privatisations and restructures.

John is known as a practical, pragmatic advisor with a unique ability to demystify complex requirements and communicate technical concepts in an actionable, user-friendly manner.

Experience

• IFRS financial reporting advisory: regularly advises clients adopting new accounting standards or policies for the first time, often involving the review of complex contractual arrangements to determine the appropriate IFRS accounting treatment and provide practical assistance with implementation.
• Finance process advisory: working with fast-growing companies on the development of new finance processes to ensure efficient and effective close procedures or redesign processes following major changes such as new ERP implementation, as well as supporting clients through the reporting changes involved with IPOs and major fundraising activity.
• Audit readiness: assisting clients preparing for audit or regulatory inspection by improving their documentation of complex positions, developing internal assurance frameworks to provide company directors and boards with oversight of financial and operational performance and providing and implementing recommendations around financial reporting processes.
• Energy and infrastructure: advised Australian State and Federal governments on some of Australia’s highest profile infrastructure projects, covering key statutory, regulatory and ABS/GFS reporting issues. For private sector clients, John has worked for several international consortia and investors on the structuring and development of transport infrastructure, renewable energy facilities and commercial property developments.