Investor Presentaiton

BENJAMIN INGLIS, CPA Lasseters Group Member since 2001 I was two thirds through my Bachelor of Commerce at the University of South Australia, and was a member of the CPA's Passport program. I was interested in becoming a CPA, mainly due to the fact that one of my uncles was a CPA, and I liked the idea of that. As part of the CPA Passport program, they would organize presentations from different organizations and individuals. One of those presentations was centered on the employment prospects for accounting graduates once they finished their study. I do recall thinking that the employment prospects in Adelaide were quite challenging. The State Bank of South Australia had collapsed in 1991, and the fallout was still being felt in the South Australian economy. In 1997, my brother and sister-in-law, who lived in Alice Springs rang me advising me that there was an accounts officer job going at a Hertz Licensee office in Alice Springs where my sister-in-law worked. Thinking back to the challenging work prospects in Adelaide at the time, I thought I should go for it and finish my studies while working. I was successful in getting the job, and moved to Alice Springs in October 1997. After completing the majority of my study in Adelaide, once I started working in the accounting field, I was actually surprised as to how much I still needed to learn. I recall asking how to operate a fax machine on my first day at work. After some time as an Accounts officer, I was promoted to the position of Accountant and finished my Bachelor of Commerce. My boss and Financial Controller of Hertz at the time was Randle Walker, who is a FCPA in Alice Springs. My prospects for further promotion were limited until such time that the Financial Controllers position became vacant. After around 8 ½ years at Hertz, there was a position advertised for an Accountant at Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs. I applied for that position and was successful. About one year after starting at Lasseters, my Financial Controller left for another position within the Lasseters Group. I applied for the Financial Controllers position and was successful in getting that job. I had a lot to learn in my new role as Financial Controller, and enjoyed the challenges surrounding that. I believe one of the great challenges that accountant face is bridging the gap between the financial side of the business and the operational sides of the business. That is one area that I believe is critical to the success of any business. An accountant being able to explain financial concepts that make sense to front line managers is very important, as it being able to adapt to ensure that the back of house accounting requirements and controls are such that allow and encourage the business to operate to the maximum potential. I have just been elected to the NT Branch council in 2015. I believe that the accounting profession has been very good to me and I have never regretted the career path that I have gone down. I feel that we all need to, at some time, contribute to the betterment of the profession, and now is my time. BE HEARD. BE RECOGNISED. CPA AUSTRALIA

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