James Dixon

Executive summary 

James is an Audit & Assurance Partner with BDO in Melbourne. He specialises in providing solutions for financial services sector clients. James has over 23 years’ professional services experience, including leading BDO's Melbourne Financial Services Group and working across the wealth management industry in Australia. 

He has significant exposure to boards and audit committees. With a deep understanding of the strategic issues his clients face on a day-to-day basis, his services are aimed at resolving directors’ concerns in an approachable, pragmatic, and commercial way. James provides insights across financial reporting, governance, and risk and compliance functions (with a strong focus on enhancing internal control environments). He has a wealth of experience operating in APRA and ASIC regulatory regimes. 

His broader financial services consulting experience includes merger due diligence, APRA comprehensive reviews, AML/CTF independent reviews, and strategic reviews. 

Expertise 

• Leading external audits for financial services entities  

• Fully outsourced and co-sourced internal audit engagements for financial services businesses 

• Internal controls reporting to organisations seeking to strengthen their risk management and compliance frameworks 

• Due diligence and corporate finance for financial services entities

• Consulting to superannuation funds undergoing mergers

Experience 

• Leading external audits over financial reporting and risk and compliance obligations for superannuation funds, trustees and administrators, insurers, registered and unregistered managed investment schemes, responsible entities, investment managers, government departments, and local councils

• Delivering outsourced and co-sourced internal audits for superannuation trustees, administrators, and complex defined benefit funds, general insurers, banks, responsible entities, and investment managers 

• Consulting to financial services clients during superannuation fund mergers, board performance reviews, board remuneration reviews, and administration and custodian tenders during both the tender process and subsequent transition. 

Qualifications and affiliations 

• Bachelor of Science (Geography and Economics; Honours)  

• Certificate of Public Practice, CA ANZ 

• Member, CA ANZ 

• Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland 

• Registered Company Auditor, ASIC 

• Fit and Proper Auditor – Superannuation and life insurance, APRA

Professional engagements and activities  

• Independent Member, Risk & Audit Committee, Austin Medical Research Foundation, January 2024 - Current