The Engine Room was established in 2001 to support small-medium sized New Zealand businesses and help them achieve their goals. Over the past decade our business has grown into a vibrant team of accountants and business coaches, based in Pukekohe, South Auckland.
We take pride in providing high-quality Business Coaching, Financial Management & Accounting services in a professional but down-to-earth manner for real New Zealand businesses. We work hard for our clients, using language they can understand, providing information they can use and delivering results they can see.
Meet the Engine Room team
| Margaret Holmes Director Whoever it was that said accountants lacked personality, well, they had certainly never met Margaret. From her sharp dressing to her vibrant Engine-Room-red car and great sense of humour, Margaret stands out from the crowd. She's an experienced accountant and business owner who is as passionate about her clients' businesses as she is about her own. Margaret founded ERCA in 2001 (as Diva Business Solutions)... Read More |
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Philippa O’Mara Director With her strategic mind and extensive experience in accounting and small business consulting, Philippa is an asset to the Engine Room and our clients. She assists businesses in strategic planning and financial management, driving them to grow and improve... Read More |
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Our brilliant team of experienced and qualified accountants:
| Vanessa Jepson Accountant With two children, a passion for horses and for helping her clients, Vanessa is one multi-talented, multi-tasking woman. She has been a part of the Engine Room team since 2005 and has over 15 years of experience in public practice, working with New Zealand businesses of all shapes and sizes. At the Engine Room she works with a small group of clients on a regular basis to keep their growth plans on task. With expertise in bloodstock and livestock accounting, as well and insolvency and tax, she brings a broad knowledge to the team. Vanessa is a stickler for getting things done accurately and on time and says the best part of the job is watching clients’ businesses grow. |
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| Steve Cornwall Accountant Steve’s work philosophy is “Have fun!!” (exclamation marks included) and to that end he always has a smile on his face and a joke up his sleeve. An affinity for numbers and a get it done attitude, also make Steve a hard-working, no-nonsense accountant. As the longest standing Engine Room employee, Steve knows the Engine Room inside & out and takes pride in looking after his clients’ annual accounts and tax compliance work. He has a wealth of accounting experience, having worked in both Australia and New Zealand in commercial and public practice, and as a partner of a practice for 10 years. Another horse-mad member of our team, Steve spends much of his free time in the world of harness racing - as a breeder, owner, trainer & driver. |
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Louise Lauer Accountant Louise is a qualified chartered accountant with over 30 years’ experience. We have been lucky enough to have her in our accounting team since 2007. Her specialisation lies in trusts, as well as spending many years helping small-medium sized businesses with tax, GST and structural issues. Outside of work Louise enjoys spending time with her family (she’s a proud grandmother) and exercising the artistic side of her brain with a spot of photography, scrapbooking or floral design. Although they call Tuakau home, Louise & her husband had 6 weeks in 2012 sampling the sights and sounds of Europe on their “Big OE”– we were all very jealous! |
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| Manon Tait Accounting Support and Xero Consultant Manon started life at the Engine Room as a receptionist and office administrator in April 2008. Since then she has moved into the accounting sphere and is now a skilled assistant to our accountants, tirelessly preparing GST returns and draft financial reports. When not diligently clocking up the hours at 217 King Street, Manon is out & about enjoying the great kiwi outdoors, or spending time with her family. She is a proud parent and during winter can regularly be found on the side line of Franklin’s sports fields. Currently studying accounting and tax through Massey University we don't know how she manages it all. |
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| Pam Shipley Accounting Support and Xero Consultant Pam is originally from Lincolnshire in the UK. She came travelling here with her husband in 2010 and, despite experiencing the Feb 11 earthquake, fell in love with NZ and returned for good in December 2011. She and her husband recently achieved residency so we’re delighted that we now have her here to stay as part of the Engine Room team. A qualified UK Chartered Accountant, Pam is also Xero certified and quickly adding a long list of other software to her repertoire. Lucky for us, Pam is also a skilled baker and regularly turns up to work with something delicious for the office to share! |
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| Stephen Cain Office Manager Stephen is originally from Christchurch but now lives in Papakura with his wife and two “exceptional” (by his own admission) children. He left life as a high-pressured Operations Manager for a (slightly) gentler role as our Business Manager. Capable and reliable, Stephen is our office’s go-to-guy; if you don’t know or can’t find, just ask Stephen. He liaises with clients, manages workflow as well as keeping the team and systems on track. His quirky sense of humour keeps us all on our toes. |
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| Belinda Ford
Reception
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