As much as we love accountancy, what drives and motivates us is your business growth. All our property, tax, compliance, planning and financial structuring expertise is geared toward making a positive impact on your business, your people, and the lives of you and your family.
It starts with understanding people, and over the last 20 years, we’ve got to know our clients very well; earned their trust and respect, and that has allowed us to expand our firm to a team of over 35.
Come and meet the partners.
Partners
Partner
Mark Withers
I grew up in Warkworth, the son of a respected farm accountant. I’ve been a chartered accountant in public practice my entire career, I founded Withers Tsang with my business partner Stephen Tsang, in 1998.
I’m a regular commentator on property tax matters, and the author of “Property Tax – A NZ investors Guide”, the first book on the subject to be published in New Zealand. I am also a residential and commercial property investor and am a life member of the Auckland Property Investors Association.
Outside of professional life, I enjoy adventures with my two sons. I volunteer as a radio operator for the coast guard and am a keen recreational boatie. I enjoy tag and release game fishing and have twice won the right to compete at the World Billfishing Championships in Costa Rica.
Over my career I have helped countless property investors and developers successfully navigate the tax laws relating to land in NZ and have guided client decision making on property ventures. I am proud of having made a genuine contribution to our clients’ wealth creation strategies.
email: mark@wt.co.nz
phone: +64 9 376 8867
Education
Auckland Technical Institute (now Auckland University of Technology) – National Certificate in Business Studies
Member of Chartered Accountants Australia + New Zealand | Founding member and treasurer - Auckland Property Investors Association (now a Life Member)
Partner
Stephen Tsang
I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and came to New Zealand when I was 17.
After graduating from Otago University I moved to Auckland and developed a thriving client base, explaining trust deeds and legal documents, which at the time very few accountants had the ability to do.
When we started Withers Tsang in 1998 many of my clients followed, and I became a trusted business confidante and liaison for many of them. I still take on diverse roles as advisor and intermediary for my clients, negotiating large lending facilities, undertaking succession planning, advising on new business start-ups, tax/trust related issues, and much more.
I enjoy public speaking and I present seminars for banks and businesses and participate in radio programmes talking about tax matters.
I’m married, with two teenage children and outside of work and family life, I’m a mad keen fisherman who loves to learn about wine and dream about golf!
“Do to others as you would have them do to you”. This underpins my interaction with clients and the whole team. Always work with the utmost respect and integrity and you can’t go wrong.
email: stephen@wt.co.nz
phone: +64 9 376 8868
Education
Bachelor of Commerce, Otago University (accounting and economics)
Member of Chartered Accountants Australia + New Zealand
Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Partner
Carole Pedder
For twenty years I’ve worked as a chartered account and business consultant and my clients appreciate my genuine interest in their businesses. I help my clients to see the big picture and think strategically about the future.
Key to my success are the strong relationships that I’ve built over time with my clients, many of whom have been with me for over 18 years, across all industry sectors from Manufacturing, Real Estate to the Arts. My skills have helped businesses in crisis situations navigate the rough and tumble of the current economic environment. I have a reputation as a straight talker and have at times stood up for the underdog.
Tax law is one of my specialties. I was recently awarded a Master of Professional Business Studies (Taxation) with Distinction from the Auckland University of Technology and was admitted to the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honours Society AUT Chapter. I’m on the executive committee of the Estate and Tax Planning Council of New Zealand.
Since 2009 I’ve been a partner at Withers Tsang and have focused on not only serving the Business sector but also the Arts sector, working with entertainers, performers and related industries. I am chairperson of the Te Taonga Toi O Aotearoa Trust (Artists Open Studios) and a former trustee and chairperson of the New Zealand Comedy Trust.
After hours I enjoy painting, coastal walks and spending time with my husband, Mark, and teenage son, Terence, in our Devonport home.
email: carolep@wt.co.nz
phone: +64 9 376 8864
Education
Bachelor of Business, AUT
Master of Professional Business Studies, AUT, 2015
Member of Chartered Accountants Australia + New Zealand
Partner
Nick Ashford
I’m originally from Paeroa where my parents had their own retail business. During that time I experienced first hand the stress and cash-flow uncertainty caused by GST, PAYE, Income Tax, and the dynamics of a family business. It made me want to help, to become an accountant, and that passion for helping shapes the way I practice today.
I ventured from my small town to Auckland and gained a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting, Commercial Law, Economics) at the University of Auckland. I then began my career at Withers Tsang as a graduate accountant, where the Withers Tsang team provided a pathway to becoming a Chartered Accountant, Advisor and Partner.
Over the years I have been lucky enough to gain a wide range of knowledge from the 30+ Withers Tsang team members and thousands of Withers Tsang clients. I have developed a skill set beyond my original expectations, drawing from Withers Tsang’s core foundation of property knowledge, both the tax and commercial aspects of business ownership, to tax residency and taxation of foreign investments. All of which puts me in front of real people, people that could lose sleep over money, people that I can help.
Outside of work I am a full time Husband and Dad to two girls, and a very part-time Gamer and Golfer (albeit a bad one).
Goals are important, however Happiness is more so. Before you chase what you want, appreciate what you’ve got. Reaching goals is momentary; the journey to reaching goals is infinite.
email: nicka@wt.co.nz
phone: +64 9 376 8862
Education
University of Auckland, Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting, Commercial Law, Economics)
Member of Chartered Accountants Australia + New Zealand
“Many Thanks, Mark & Team
A brief note to say thanks for the excellent job you did on our Tax return and financial statement.”