William Buck is delighted to announce the appointment of Besa Deda as Chief Economist, making it the first mid-tier accounting and advisory firm in Australia to appoint a Chief Economist. The innovative appointment marks a significant step in enhancing the firm’s capacity to deliver expert economic advice and advisory services tailored to the mid-market sector.
Besa brings a wealth of experience in Australian and international economic policy and market strategy, with over 15 years of experience as a Chief Economist. She was the first female Chief Economist of an Australian bank when she joined St. George Bank in 2008, and following the merger with Westpac, her remit was broadened to include Westpac Business Bank, Bank of Melbourne, BankSA and BT as well as St George Bank.
In addition to being an experienced media commentator, Besa is the Chair of Australian Business Economists, an organisation that fosters debate on key economic issues and policy and she is a member of The Australian National University’s Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis (CAMA) Reserve Bank Shadow Board.
Greg Travers, Chair of William Buck, emphasised the transformative impact of this appointment, with Besa’s broad expertise set to help William Buck strengthen its leadership in the mid-market.
“We are thrilled to have Besa join the William Buck team as our first ever Chief Economist. Her expertise will be a key contributor to our continued growth, enhancing our ability to anticipate market trends and provide tailored solutions for our clients’ success,” said Mr Travers.
“Besa’s expertise and focus on the mid-market adds a new dimension of value we can offer to our clients. The mid-market is hugely important to Australia, but it has unique drivers that not many experts analyse and provide comment on. Besa’s economic perspective, coupled with our technical expertise, will enable us to provide clients with a holistic view that differentiate us from other firms.”
Besa said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Australian economy and her passion for the mid-market aligns perfectly with William Buck’s commitment to serving clients in this segment.
“The policy and regulation landscape can be overwhelming for large organisations, let alone SMEs. My economic commentary will make sense of what’s important to mid-market clients. Together with the integrated advice from other specialisations across William Buck, it will help SMEs, which are the powerhouse of the Australian economy, grow through all stages of the business lifecycle,” said Ms Deda.
“I’m excited about joining William Buck as Chief Economist, and I look forward to giving mid-market clients concise guidance on the economic landscape, allowing them to make informed business decisions.”
