The Accru Felsers Story
The Accru Felsers story begins in 1941. As we celebrate over 75 years in business, we look at key milestones that have shaped our international and niche capabilities.
1941
30 year old Viennese accountant Gerhard Felser establishes ‘Felsers Chartered Accountants’ in Sydney, after narrowly escaping wartime Europe to save his Jewish wife.
1940s – 1960s
Gerhard Felser builds a large clientele of European immigrant businesses and becomes Consul General for Austria. We retain close ties with Advantage Austria (the Austrian Trade Commission) today.
1977
Felsers is a founding member of the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, established in Sydney to support German businesses in Australia. We remain an active participant. Read about Accru Felsers 75 years serving German businesses here.
1984
Felsers Managing Partner, John Westmacott, establishes an Australasian accounting network known as ‘CA Associates Australasia’.
1988
We join the global association CPA Associates International (CPAAI) and start using our international connections to help clients invest, export and manufacture overseas.
1994
German-born partner Michael Kersch builds partnerships with Roedl & Partner, one of the largest accounting firms in Germany, and with Intergest international business outsourcing specialists. He also reinvigorates relationships with the German & Austrian business communities.
1990s
Led by Michael, Felsers builds strong audit expertise for German-speaking, privately-owned multi-nationals with Australian operations. Rebecca Beitzel establishes a successful outsourced accounting division and Glenda Nixon builds our international tax services. We provide a full range of services for global businesses.
1999
Greg Newbury establishes Accru Financial Planning which grows into a high net wealth practice managing over $200 million in client funds.
The 2000s
Our experience with German clients in manufacturing, wholesale and high tech helps develop our strengths for local businesses in these industries. Some of the grandchildren of our original European clients have become lawyers, doctors, dentists and pharmacists leading to a specialisation in the legal and health sectors, led by Greg Newbury.
2004
Glenda Nixon becomes Managing Partner, having built a strong tax practice and industry profile – a progressive move for women in accounting at the time.
2006
The ‘CA Associates’ Australasian network, now a Top 30 firm with over 30 partners and 200 staff, is rebranded ‘Accru Chartered Accountants’. ‘Felsers’ becomes ‘Accru Felsers.’
2007
Brett Cox boosts our tax practice bringing a wealth of tax advisory experience. Rebecca Beitzel leads our early move to utilise software convergence and cloud accounting. Over the last decade, our experience with high-tech clients and love of new technologies has led us to working with venture capitalists and exciting young businesses in digital media, artificial intelligence, fintech and big data.
2010s
Accru Felsers begins working closely with CPAAI partner firms in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia to service clients expanding to those countries. Steven Zabeti leads diverse inbound engagements for Asian businesses, such as stock market listings, agribusiness investments and property ventures.
2016 onwards
With our long-standing international partnerships and high calibre, bilingual accountants, we continue to grow and support clients across the world. Our Sydney team speak German, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay and Tamil. Read more about Accru Felsers multicultural history and multilingual ability in Chartered Accountants ANZ Acuity magazine article “Speaking in Tongues” May 2016 and in CPAAI EMEA region newsletter June 2016.
Successful together
Shaping our past, present and future is a strong belief in diversity, equality and inclusion. We believe in supporting people of different genders, cultures, viewpoints and talents to achieve their greatest potential, professionally and in business. Currently, our team comes from around 14 countries and 40% of our leadership team is women. Our diverse, inclusive environment helps foster greater collaboration, understanding and problem-solving. It has helped to develop many respected accounting and business careers and attract wonderful clients for over 75 years.
If you would like to be part of our journey, please get in touch.