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Meet Travis Kukura - Principal, Restructuring and Recovery
A liquidator with 24 years’ experience in the corporate and personal insolvency industry, Travis has provided extensive advice to directors, corporations and individuals facing financial hardship and has worked on numerous formal insolvency appointments. Travis has significant exposure to industry sectors including transport, child care, telecommunications and property development.
WHAT DID YOU DO PREVIOUSLY? WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
Before I answered a newspaper job advert for an undergraduate accountant in 1995 (showing my age!), I had worked as a butler servicing corporate boxes at various sporting events at the WACA and the trots at Gloucester Park.
WHAT LED YOU DOWN THIS PARTICULAR CAREER PATH?
Given I was studying accounting at University I thought it would be a good idea to get a job in accounting whilst doing my studies. By chance, I got a job in a large insolvency firm in the mid-1990s and the rest they say is history. One of the main reasons why I like the work I do is that you get to work on appointments that cover so many different types of industry, which means you get to learn about these industries as well as meet so many different people. Also, insolvency work can be quite litigious and I enjoy working together with various legal professionals to pursue a matter even though the legal system can be a bit frustrating at times. Finally, the people I work with and the friendships I have made make it a good reason to go to work each day.
WHAT ARE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BEING A R&R PRINCIPAL?
As an insolvency practitioner I am often referred to as the “Undertaker” or a “Dealer of Death” however, my role is not like that. In reality I work with all stakeholders with a view to achieving the best result possible and at the same time having empathy for the circumstances business owners and individuals face because of the financial and emotional stress they may be facing. One of the enjoyable aspects of my job is in those instances where you see the life of a former business owner change for good once you assist them with taking away the stresses that are associated with running a business.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE?
Before I joined RSM, I had worked at a small insolvency firm for more than 15 years and when you have been at a place for that long it is hard to leave. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed my move to RSM and the opportunities, training and exposure that I have been presented with at RSM has allowed me to enhance and progress my career.
TELL US SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU... YET.
I love my sports and my passions are cricket, the mighty West Coast Eagles in the AFL and Liverpool in the English Premier League.
I played WACA Premier League cricket in Perth for a number of years for Willetton District Cricket Club and now as my son starts his cricket journey I am back involved in the club as coach of the junior district side.
I am a very “passionate” West Coast Eagles supporter and I have been lucky enough to go to two of their previous grand finals. However, I will never forget the 2018 grand final which I watched from a bar in Hawaii…..a great night and an even better result…beating Collingwood by 5 points!!!
IN THIS COVID-19 WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU NEXT LOOKING AT GOING ON A HOLIDAY?
In WA we have been fortunate that we have not had the hard lockdowns as other parts of the country. We have been encouraged to holiday in our own state and in January my family and I travelled to Esperance, which is on the South coast of WA and in April we heading to Exmouth, in the north west of WA for our next holiday. I can’t wait for the snorkelling at Turquoise Bay!!
