Craig Fisher

Consultant

Craig is a Consultant with RSM specialising in governance, audit and assurance advice, and assisting with restructuring, growing, and developing organisations.  Up until December 2018 he was one of six Audit Partners and was the former Chairman of the RSM New Zealand group.  The RSM New Zealand group tripled in size under Craig’s Chairmanship. Craig has over 28 years of public accountancy experience.

Craig initially joined a 'Big 8' international accountancy firm before spending time working in London and Japan. Craig returned to New Zealand and joined Bowden, Impey & Sage where he was appointed audit partner in 1996.  With a strong interest in management and governance, Craig was a key driver in creating Hayes Knight in New Zealand via a merging of firms in 2001.  Craig then chaired and led the management team of this firm until the restructure to RSM in 2015.

Craig has a significant interest and recognised expertise in not-for-profit and charitable organisations.  He also has considerable audit and assurance experience across a wide variety of clients including commercial clients such as listed companies and issuers, and public sector entities.

Craig’s experience has seen him provide external audit, assurance, and risk management and governance advice across a diverse range of sectors.  He also has experience with high growth organisations and pragmatically assisting clients through the challenges of change and restructures.

Audit and assurance standard setting

Passionate about New Zealand and best practice Craig has a distinguished history involved in national audit and assurance standard setting.  Craig chaired the Professional Standards Board of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (currently CA ANZ) for eight years.  This New Zealand board was responsible for all ethical and professional standards other than the Financial Reporting Standards.  Significantly, Craig led the board through the introduction of International Standards on Auditing into New Zealand.  In this capacity Craig has represented New Zealand in International Assurance Standard Setting matters at International Audit & Assurance Standards Board advisory meetings.

Craig was also appointed by the Minister of Commerce to being a member of the Trans-Tasman Accounting & Audit Standards Advisory Group for two years.

Since its inception in 2011 Craig has been appointed by the New Zealand Government to the NZ Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (NZAuASB) one of the two sub-boards of the External Reporting Board (XRB).  This demonstrates his, and RSM’s desire to remain at the forefront of audit developments and “best practice”, as well as corporate governance matters both nationally and internationally.

A passionate presenter, Craig is involved with many speaking and training opportunities – both for RSM as well as a wide variety of other organisations such as CA ANZ, Governance New Zealand, LegalWise, the New Zealand Law Society amongst others.  

Qualifications

Craig graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce, and has been a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (currently CA ANZ) for over 25 years.  Craig has held a certificate of Public Practice  since 1996.

​Craig is a CA ANZ NFP Special Interest Group Committee member, a member of the Institute of Directors, and also a School of Accountancy Advisory Board member for Massey University.

Craig is a member of the CA ANZ Charities and NFP Advisory Committee.

Awards

Craig is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and was awarded his Fellowship for his services to the profession in 2007 by the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA). Craig is a regular contributor to industry publications and regular presenter of accounting, audit, risk and governance related seminars nationwide.   Craig excels at making the technical understandable.

Personal

Craig is the chairman of the Fred Hollows Foundation and has been a Board member for this worthy cause since 2011. He is a trustee of Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust and an ADLS Council Member - ADLS is an independent membership organisation representing the New Zealand legal profession. It is renowned for its programmes for fostering collegiality, thought leadership and professional development, for the advancement of the profession. He is also a Be. Accessible Fab 50 member.

Craig is married to Anna and has two sons.  With his family, Craig believes in living life to the full with a keen interest in running, surfing, paddle boarding, tramping, cycling, kayaking, badminton, and skiing.  He is also known to enjoy the company of interesting people, good wine, watching rugby, reading, music, movies, theatre, art and travel.