Noteworthy LGBTQ Individuals in the Accounting Profession
Accounting does not usually get a good review when it comes to choice of profession as it is often seen as mundane and boring. However, these LGBTQ finance professionals beg to differ. They have excelled in their career and are now Chief Financial Officers of large corporations, politicians, activists, and more.
LGBTQ accountants starting off in their own practice provide tax and accounting services to members of the community. As such, they tend to become leaders within their local regions. Indeed, all of the large international accounting firms have been pioneers in advancing workplace equality for the LGBTQ community, and many of the individuals on this list have created and led their Employee Resource Groups. Nevertheless, there remains a hetero-normative bias in the accounting profession, and the study of sexuality in accounting beyond the topic of sexual discrimination and harassment is an ongoing process. Three research trajectories with example research questions include: (1) disrupting heteronormativity; (2) queering accounting organisations; (3) queer allies in accounting contexts (see research link below).
Many accounting and tax issues have been at the core of anti-discrimination activism. Most notable has been the fight to accord same-sex couples the same tax treatment as heterosexual couples, the filing of joint tax returns in such cases, and the fight to treat inheritance taxes in a similar fashion when a member of a same-sex couple passes away. There have been major advances on these fronts in most developed countries, with many thanks to the accounting profession.
Several individuals on this list have been world leaders within the LGBTQ community. Britain's Inga Beale is the first female Chief Executive Officer of Lloyds of London. Australia's Frank Costigan was a founder of the Out In Australia professional mentorship organizations. Isabella Segal has been a role model for the transgender business community.
We have identified the following LGBTQ leaders in the accounting profession. Simply click on their names to read their fascinating biographies.
Australia
- Frank Costigan, Deputy CEO - Youi Insurance
- Louise Daley, Chief Financial Officer - AccorHotels Asia Pacific
- Mark Ledsham, Chief Financial Officer - Ozforex
- Patrick Machado, Chief Financial Officer - Medivation Inc.
- Matthew McCarron, CEO - Lewis Land Group
- Andrew Wood, Consultant - IMF Benton
Canada
- Michael Cherny, Chief of Staff, Audit Public Practice - Deloitte
- Robert Davis, Chair of the Board - KPMG
- Mary Lou Maher, Chief Financial Officer - KPMG
- Alain Mootoo, Chief Operating Officer, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation
France
- Alexandre Maymat, Head of the Inspection and Audit division · Societe Generale
Great Britain
- Inga Beale, Chief Executive Officer - Lloyds of London
- Vincent Francois, Chief Regional Auditor - Societe Generale
- Justine Greening, Member of Parliament
- Robert Hudson, Financial Director - St. Modwen
- Isabella Segal, Accountant - Nyman Libson Paul
Ireland
- John McNamara, Executive Director and CFO, AIB Life; Managing Director - Canada Life International Ireland
Scotland
- Cathryn Wright, Managing Director - Stonewall Scotland
United States
- Ted Acosta, Americas Vice-Chair and Managing Partner Latam South, Ernst & Young
- Martha Michele Burns, Chief Financial Officer - Delta Airlines, Marsh & McLennan, Mirant
- Carlos Campoy, Chief Financial Officer - CytomX Therapeutics
- Thomas Fox, Chief Financial Officer - Angie's List
- Jonte Harrell, Chief Financial & Revenue Officer - ZenLedger
- Tom Johnson, Vice President Finance - The Clorox Company
- Susan Lester, Chief Financial Officer - US Bank
- Rose Marcario, Chief Financial Officer - Patagonia
- Leone Patterson, Chief Financial Officer - Zymeworks, Tenaya Therapeutics, and Adverum Biotechnologies
- Kelly Richmond Pope, Professor - Columbia University
- Jan Siegmund, Chief Financial Officer - ADP
- Rich Waterman, Mayor - Campbell, California
- Tim Van Zandt, Vice President - St. Lukes Health
See Also
- LGBTQ Chief Executive Officers of Business Enterprises
- LGBTQ Chief Information/Technology Officers
- Union Leaders Who Identify as LGBTQ
- LGBTQ Economists
- Marketing Professionals Who Identify as LGBTQ
- LGBTQ Venture Capitalists and Startup Advisors
- Investment and Wealth Management and the LGBTQ Community
- LGBTQ Bankers
- Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Officers Who Identify as LGBTQ
- The LGBTQ Presence in the Insurance Industry
- LGBTQ Chief Legal, Compliance and Risk Officers
- Chief Operating Officers of Business Enterprises Who Are LGBTQ
- Chief of Staff Positions Held by LGBTQ Individuals
- Auto and Transportation Experts Who Identify as LGBTQ
