Our people

Sungesh embodies UHY’s full-circle success story—rising over 30 years from graduate accountant to Managing Partner. His leadership is grounded in a simple but powerful philosophy: genuine care for people. When team members need support, he shows up personally, proving that leadership is as much about presence as it is about vision.

Behind his quiet exterior lies strategic vision and “deep focus”—a drive for constant innovation. “My curiosity to help people out” fuels his approach, transforming technical expertise into meaningful client relationships.

Guided by his ‘bow and arrow’ philosophy, Sungesh draws on past experience, locks into present opportunities, and aims confidently toward future growth while building a legacy of excellence and authentic care. Read more.

Mark brings rare authenticity to rural and small business accounting—he’s “on the coal face” running his own farm and businesses alongside his UHY practice. This real-world experience means he understands cash flow pressures, compliance headaches, and what a thousand-dollar tax saving actually means to his clients.

“I’ve been in business myself, it certainly puts you in the same boat as your clients,” he explains. As a self-described lateral thinker and entrepreneur, Mark constantly seeks new opportunities and different approaches.

After challenging days solving business puzzles, he unwinds by getting on the bike and checking the stock on his South Head farm—it’s a form of relaxation that’s “a completely different environment from what I do eight hours a day at work.” Read more.

Andrew Scott’s career in accounting has always been driven by people. Over twenty-five years, his relationship-first approach has helped build one of UHY’s largest client bases, with connections that span generations. “In understanding what success looks like to a client, you need to understand them as people – what drives them, what motivates them,” he explains.

Managing everything from compliance clients to complex growth strategies, Andrew excels at helping businesses understand what their financial information really means. His ability to go the extra mile for clients and dedication is matched by a genuine drive and enthusiasm to help his clients succeed. A community leader and father of three, Andrew proves that professional excellence and work-life balance aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re complementary strengths.

Erin graduated with a BCom with honours, majoring in accounting and commercial law. Her career path began with her gaining broad industry experience in public practice mid-tier firms and she qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2013. She joined UHY Haines Norton in 2015, and her accounting expertise, industry experience and superior customer service skills have resulted in her appointment first as Associate in 2020 and then Director in 2022.

One of Erin’s strengths is the trusted relationships she develops with her clients, and her ability to add value far beyond standard compliance accounting. She enjoys working closely with clients to understand their financials and assist with planning for the future. She believes that when local business prospers, the whole community prospers. Having worked in both our Kumeu and Helensville offices previously, Erin loves working with local clients who are the lifeblood of the community.

Erin grew up in West Auckland and loves everything that the West and Northwest regions offer. With a young family, her life outside of work is always a busy one! But when she does have spare time, she enjoys baking, walks around home and at Muriwai beach, and of course spending time with her young family and close friends.

Bhavin has over 25 years of audit experience, including 20 years at UHY, where he became a Director in 2016. He transformed the audit department into an efficient team of 25, establishing one of New Zealand’s larger mid-tier audit practices with consistently strong outcomes and positive ratings from the Auditor-General.

“We are here to help, not to tell you what you’ve done wrong,” he explains, treating each engagement as a partnership rather than an inspection. His client-centric approach builds strong relationships while adding value beyond compliance. The practice grows largely through referrals and pragmatic advice—even recommending when audits aren’t required.

Driven by curiosity about business success, Bhavin combines genuine passion with tireless dedication to help clients reach their highest potential.

Emma transforms accounting from compliance tasks into a business partnership. With exceptional relationship skills, she connects with clients facing their biggest business fears, creating safety around financial vulnerability. “I love people—connecting with people is my strength,” she explains.

Her adaptive communication style meets clients where they are, while her confidence in saying “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” builds trust. Emma becomes part of her clients’ teams, helping them focus on their strengths by handling what they shouldn’t be doing themselves.

With 20+ years of accounting experience and client loyalty, she proves that the best accounting relationships are built on understanding, availability, and giving business owners back their most precious resource: time.

Yvonne Wood is the strategic orchestrator who makes complex projects look effortless. As UHY’s Practice Manager and HR Manager, she thrives on organising behind-the-scenes work that enables everyone to be successful. With exceptional communication skills and emotional intelligence, she diffuses conflicts, builds client relationships, and keeps operations running seamlessly.

“I put out fires quickly and get people talking to each other,” she explains. Her greatest satisfaction comes from developing talent, having hired and mentored most of the team. Drawing from 27 years of experience, including a banking background, Yvonne provides the stability and organisational excellence that makes UHY irreplaceable to clients.