What happens when an army officer decides to trade his camouflage for a suite? The answer lies in the inspiring life of Graham Richardson who turns 87 this year. His journey could be summed up as ‘a life dedicated to excellence’.
Graham’s story isn’t just about crunching numbers but more about the persistence of excellence and the ability to embrace change. His career journey took an interesting transition from the army barracks to the boardroom and his story is a testimony to what happens when dedication meets opportunity.
Becoming a chartered accountant
Graham’s remarkable journey started to unfold in 1955 right after he matriculated and joined the army in 1956. He was promoted to serve as an army officer after completing the camp’s junior leaders’ course. This experience instilled in him a sense of duty and perseverance and laid the foundation for a life dedicated to excellence and service.
After completing his army service, Graham began his accounting career at Spencer and Shaw, a predecessor of BDO. Despite starting late at Wits University, he quickly caught up with the help of a colleague’s notes. He attributes his career success and continuous support to his late wife of sixty years.
From advertising to mining
Graham’s career took an interesting turn when he entered the advertising industry, thus broadening his skillset. He later moved to J H Vivian & Co, a mining and engineering supply company, where he worked as head of accounting for the Johannesburg office for eight and a half years. His CA(SA) and cost management accounting (CMA) qualifications proved invaluable in this role.
Influenced by Peter Bell (former chief accounting manager at J H Vivian) Graham adopted meticulous record-keeping, maintaining detailed career and personal to-do lists for six decades, humorously noting they even included notes from calls with his late wife. These notes were even accepted as evidence in an income tax case.
Legal pursuits and tax expertise
With him continuously yearning for knowledge, Graham remained unstoppable, which led him to pursue a law degree from Unisa, a journey that was filled with challenges and it was his spirit of tenacity that kept him going. A decisive moment came when he contested to retain his CA(SA) designation while attempting to serve legal articles: at a meeting with the Law Society Graham was informed that he could not both practise both law and be a CA(SA). He contested his case with the support of his then boss, and secured his B Proc degree. However, he did not practise as an attorney but as a tax practitioner.
Graham pursued his studies in tax law at Unisa, which meant he obtained qualifications from both Unisa and Wits. This was a great balance, as one focused more on tax law and the other on tax cases.
His perseverance paid off once more when he chose to do his thesis on the taxation of trusts, a topic that was hardly explored in South Africa. This bold move earned him recognition and a tax partner position at Pim Golby, which later merged with Deloitte. He then took up an appointment at Anglo Vaal as tax manager and obtained a higher diploma in mining tax through Unisa, attaining a joint top student position.
Using his designation to serve
Graham has used his CA(SA) designation to serve others and has played a significant role − from being one of the founders of the tax discussion group (JRA) of tax practitioners back in the nineties to launching the Integritax newsletter back in 1994.
His dedication to community service was later demonstrated by a thirty-year tenure as honorary treasurer (nominated by Pim Golby) and as finance director of a retirement village. Along with others he introduced life rights sales, thus ensuring financial stability for the company and dignified living for aged residents, while navigating complex accounting treatments.
Balancing personal life and a demanding career can be challenging, but Graham found ways to stay involved in his children’s lives by serving on parent-teacher associations and sports committees.
Embracing change and technological advancements
Reflecting on his long-standing association with SAICA, Graham acknowledges the significant evolution of technology within the profession. He reflects on technology evolution in accounting from manual to the AI era, emphasising challenges, opportunities, and the need to adapt and stay relevant.
Commercial experience within the profession
Graham advocates for integrating commercial experience into the CA(SA) qualification to develop essential decision-making skills and a holistic business understanding. ‘You gain this by being employed in commercial undertakings and making real business decisions,’ he says.
Lessons for young aspiring CAs(SA)
Graham’s advice to young, aspiring chartered accountants is rooted in his extensive experience: In the modern world the career part will be filled with challenges, and you have to decide your clear path and get the basics right and navigate. He urges embracing challenges, seeking diverse experiences, and cultivating resilience and continuous learning.
A life dedicated to service
Graham dedicates his free time to church activities and as a CA(SA) was able to mix sand and cement and pass bricks for the building of a Marian shrine in Bedfordview. He also served on the board of St Augustine’s College, a Catholic university, for a decade.
His commitment as a chartered accountant serves as an inspiring legacy for others in the profession. ’I say thank you to SAICA and my professional colleagues for a most fruitful and stimulating career journey,’ he says.
Graham Richardson’s career journey of 63 years demonstrates perseverance, dedication, and lifelong learning. It also demonstrates the profound impact of the CA(SA) designation when combined with excellence and service.
Author
Nthabiseng Dube: Marketing and Brand Manager and Content Writer
