Designing for Diversity and Inclusion in Professional Services Firms
Creativity | Innovation | Leadership

Associate Professor Nick McGuigan

Associate Professor Nick McGuigan works as an Innovator, Instigator and Disruptor in Monash Business School to create future­‐oriented business education programs that focus on innovation, creativity and design thinking. He has a particular passion for accountability where he co-­instigated The Accountability Institute ‐ a progressive platform with an aim of fostering collaborations between art, science, technology and economics, bringing these fields into conversation to create a new language of accountability. He instigated Monash Business School’s newly created Artist-­In-Residence program and conceptually designed the world’s first ever accounting perfume.

Dr. Alessandro Ghio

Thomas Kern

Dr. Alessandro Ghio is a Lecturer in Accounting at Monash Business School. Alessandro’s research interests involve investigating key characteristics of the accounting profession. Alessandro has an in-depth knowledge of LGBTQI issues having published about diversity in the accounting profession. He regularly presents his research in Australia, Europe, and the U.S. He co-organized multiple times for ESSEC Business School (Paris, France) the “LGBTQI Day in Business".

Thomas Kern is co-instigator of The Accountability Institute. He is a speaker, facilitator, permaculture activist, and community event-maker. Thomas co-instigates The Accountability Institute to push forward accounting education in creative and dynamic ways. Thomas has held positions in financial accounting across Australia, New Zealand and Germany. He was Head of the IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) Competence Centre of an international commercial bank based in Hamburg, Germany, and taught at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.

Dr. Lisa Powell

Dr. Lisa Powell is a Lecturer in Accounting at Monash Business School. Lisa incorporates creativity, innovation, and interdisciplinary aspects into accounting education. Lisa’s research interests include empathy and emotional intelligence, psychology, design thinking, and diversity and inclusion in accounting education. Lisa believes in challenging heteronormativity in accounting education to create a more inclusive educational environment for students and faculty.

What could a queer perspective of accounting look like? Can heteronormativity in accounting firms be disrupted? How could one go about queering the spreadsheet? How could Queer theory act as a positive force for change in professional services firms?