Katie Bourne

Executive summary

Katie Bourne is a Director in BDO’s Forensic Services team in Sydney. She is an accomplished investigation professional with more than 25 years of unique experience and is highly experienced in criminal asset confiscation investigations, forensic accounting and financial investigations.

Katie has extensive experience as a senior executive and forensic accountant in investigations, civil asset forfeiture, litigation and tracing the proceeds of crime at both a domestic and international level. Katie also has prior international investigative experience working for United Nations based in The Hague, Beirut and Geneva.

Katie has worked on investigations involving serious and organised crime, fraud, corruption, and international crimes including war crimes and terrorism.

She is a positive and professional leader with extensive operational experience, passion and an ability to transform strategic visions into tangible operational outcomes, especially in fast-paced and dynamic environments.

Sectors

• Government
• Regulatory
• Non-government organisations
• International organisations including United Nations

Expertise

• Forensic accounting and complex financial investigations in the areas of criminal asset confiscation, proceeds of crime, unexplained wealth and money laundering on behalf of the Crown
• Workplace investigations for small to medium sized businesses
• Fraud and corruption investigations for government entities
• Financial analysis and evidence collation for government and international organisations including United Nations
• Case management and litigation support for government and international organisations
• Interviewing complainants and witnesses for government and international organisations
• Negotiation, mediation and stakeholder management for all client types.

Experience

State Government

• Led a team responsible for tracing the proceeds of crime and identifying assets held by, or on behalf of, those suspected of criminal misconduct. This included tracing proceeds and assets that have been subjected to money laundering and other efforts to hide them and, in appropriate cases, taking civil proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW against persons to recover the proceeds of crime. Meticulously reviewed cases, endorsed recommendations for confiscation proceedings, and collaborated with internal and external stakeholders to navigate challenging legal landscapes as part of the Commission’s leadership team.

International organisations

• Developed and led the implementation of an investigative organisation’s financial investigation strategy, including the collection and analysis of financial information and evidence, including:
  • Interviewing witnesses, liaising and coordinating with relevant organisations
  • Preparing investigative and analytical reports and planning and coordinating the work of specialised experts and consultants to support investigative activities
  • Liaison with member states investigative and judicial authorities on investigative activities and judicial proceedings.
• Facilitated the on-going promotion of financial investigation skills and benefits of working towards a comprehensive asset recovery regime in Africa in the capacity of expert consultant. Assistance was also provided on several corruption investigations in relation to forensic accounting and financial investigation methodologies.
• Successfully undertook several missions to Lebanon and achieved investigative outcomes in tight timeframes as a member of the Tactical Investigations Group of an international tribunal, mandated to assist the Lebanese authorities in their investigation of an act of terrorism. Duties as part of a multi-disciplinary investigation team included collecting, collating and synthesising data and evidence from multiple sources and conducting interviews of witnesses.

Qualifications and affiliations

• FCPA
• Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
• 2014 Churchill Trust of Australia Fellow