Our Managing Partner in Johannesburg received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Field of Accounting at the South African Professional Services Awards on the 30th of October. His acceptance speech was delivered by his daughter as he was out of the country for the Award Ceremony. Below is his speech.

At the offset please allow me to apologise for not being here in person to accept this wonderful award.  Unfortunately a prior international engagement has meant that I have to miss what is undoubtedly one of the highlights in my professional career.

I would like to thank South African Professional Service Awards and the sponsors, PPS and Investec, for bestowing on me this LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE FIELD OF ACCOUNTING.  This is indeed a wonderful accolade and I am very grateful.  I must confess that I am also somewhat concerned as a lifetime award does have a faint pre-retirement or even worse, a pre-orbituary ring, neither of which I hope are imminent.

I have been in the accounting profession for over 40 years.  It is a profession that not only aspires to, but achieves, the highest standards in the world.  South Africa was again ranked number one in the world by the World Economic Forum for the Strength of Auditing and Accounting Standards. A position we have held for 5 years.  There are many wonderful and talented people in our profession, who have made this ranking possible.  I am really grateful that many of them were not recommended for this award as I may then, not have been the recipient.

I have also been incredibly lucky in my professional career which has been with RSM Betty & Dickson since 1973. I have been fortunate to have had many incredible partners and colleagues that have contributed significantly to my success.

Finally, I would like to thank my wife Avis who has supported me through this entire journey.  Thanks also to my lovely and adoring children one of whom has hopefully read this acceptance speech reasonably well.

Thank you