Harsh Vardhan

Executive summary

Harsh is a Risk Advisory Partner with BDO in our Melbourne office. He has worked extensively in audit, assurance, risk, and compliance management across highly regulated and risk mature sectors including government, health, not-for-profit, and financial services.

Harsh has worked with many well-known organisations across Australia, providing assurance and advice on matters relating to risks, governance, operations, finance, tech transformation, and regulatory matters.

With hands-on experience undertaking senior management roles, including as Chief Risk Officer, Harsh’s strength lies in helping clients with their risk, governance and compliance challenges by developing fit-for-purpose, cost-effective solutions that are highly effective and integrated across the organisation.

With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Harsh recognises that organisations today face challenges that are wide-ranging and multifaceted. He works closely with his clients to understand the connections and overlaps amongst issues and provide advice to ensure the solutions and approach are not siloed but integrated and holistic.

Expertise

• Internal audit and assurance
• Risk management
• Regulatory and compliance audits
• Contract assurance
• Outsourced risk and compliance services
• Program assurance
• Sustainability and climate risk
• Corporate governance

Experience

Audit

• Extensive experience in provision of internal audit services which include operational, compliance, financial and regulatory matters.
• Also led an in-house Internal Audit function at a large financial institution where a three year strategic internal audit plan was developed and executed.

 Enterprise Risk Management

• Significant experience facilitating risk workshops with boards and executive management teams to help identify strategic risks, set risk appetite, and help organisations align their risk and business strategies.
• Provision of outsourced CRO services and other managed risk services. Previously served as CRO at a Superannuation Fund, leading a large legal, risk and compliance team, and also undertook a strategic review of the risk framework.

Change management framework

• Developed a fit for purpose change risk management framework and the underlying tools and methodologies, enabling the business to identify, assess, manage, and accept/reject delivery/delivered risks.

Transformation

• Risk partnering with leading organisations to lead management of the project, program and portfolio risks and governance for large-scale transformation programs, including payments, financial crime, technology, regulatory compliance and core platforms.

Qualifications and affiliations

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Graduate Member, CA ANZ (CA)
• Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)
• Certified in Risk & Information Systems Control (CRISC)
• Member, Institute of Internal Auditors
• Member, Global Association of Risk Professionals
• ITIL v4 Certification
• Scrum Master Certification