Life Membership is the highest honour bestowed by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). It celebrates senior members of the profession who have made exceptional contributions to the profession and are widely respected by their peers and the broader community.

Awarded rarely, Life Membership acknowledges distinguished members who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and service to both the profession over an extended period. Recipients have shown leadership, commitment and a sustained record of excellence throughout their careers. 

The CA ANZ Council may grant Life Membership to any full member who meets the criteria. However, this recognition is typically reserved for those in the later stages of their careers. Life Members are exempt from membership fees and retain their status for life. The number of CA ANZ Life Members is limited to forty at any one time.

Life Membership reflects the values and standards of CA ANZ, highlighting the importance of dedication, integrity and service within the accounting profession. It serves as an inspiration for all members, encouraging ongoing commitment to excellence and professional growth.

Selection process

Nominees for Life Membership are identified by Regional Council with final approval for the award given by the CA ANZ Council.

Members cannot submit Life Membership nominations directly but may discuss potential candidates for consideration with their Regional Council or CA ANZ Regional Manager.

Current Life Members

• Peter Hays FCA, 1999, Auckland
• Anthony Frankham FCA ,2002, Auckland
• Dr Robert Grice AO FCA, 2003, Queensland
• Prof Donald Trow FCA, 2003, Wellington
• John Hagen FCA, 2005, Auckland
• Warren Allen FCA, 2010, Wellington
• David Macdonald FCA, 2011, Waikanae
• Dr Ian Ball FCA, 2012, Lake Hawea
• Antony Burn FCA, 2013, New Plymouth
• Wynton (Gill) Cox ONZM FCA, 2017, Christchurch
• Richard Allert AO FCA, 2018, South Australia
• Elizabeth Hickey MNZM FCA, 2018, Auckland
• Ian Leggett FCA, 2018, United Kingdom
• Sue Sheldon CNZM FCA CFInstD, 2018, Christchurch
• Murray Jack FCA, 2019, Wellington 
• Ross Ledger AM FCA, 2019, Western Australia
• Lynette Provost CNZM FCA, 2019, Wellington
• Prof Antonius van Zijl FCA, 2019, Wellington
• David Gibbs AM FCA, 2020, Victoria
• Dennis Robertson FCA, 2020, New South Wales
• Eric Tracey FCA, 2020, United Kingdom
• Christopher Welch FCA, 2020, United Kingdom
• Dianne Hill FCA, 2021, New South Wales
• Sir Robert McLeod KNZM FCA, 2021, Auckland
• Sir Brian Roche KNZM FCA, 2021, Wellington 
• Ignatius (Caji) Desouza, 2022, Queensland
• Derek Parkin OAM FCA FAICD, 2022, Western Australia
• John Shewan CNZM FCA, 2022, Wellington
• Jan West AM FCA FAICD, 2022, Victoria
• Jeffrey Lucy AM FCA FCPA FAICD, 2023, South Australia
• Howard (Mike) Blake AM FCA, 2024, Tasmania
• Joanna Perry MNZM FCA (ICAEW) FCA, 2024, Auckland
• Susan Rix AM FCA, 2024, Queensland
• Dr Nives Botica-Redmayne FCA, 2025, Wellington
• Professor Emeritus Dr Ann Tarca FCA, 2025, Western Australia
• Stephen Walker FCA, 2025, Wellington

Past Life Members

• Michael Fenton FCA, 2002-2020, Invercargill
• Richard Hoare FCA, 2011-2020, Auckland
• Prof David Emanuel FCA, 2004 – 2021, Auckland
• Peter McCaw FCA, 1991-2021, Wellington
• Richard Denton AO FCA, 2021, New South Wales
• James Kennedy AO FCA, 2021, Queensland