Our People - International Stories: Lewis Porter (Risk, Strategy and Technology)

Q1. What was the motivating factor that made you move over to Australia and what made you choose to move with KPMG originally?

I worked in Australia back in 2011/2012 on a working holiday visa and really enjoyed my time here, and always kept an open mind about returning one day. I previously worked at EY in London for 3 and a half years, starting on their graduate scheme, and was looking for a new opportunity in the world of consulting. It may sound cliché but the people are what make working at KPMG Australia so great, and RS&T is no exception. It’s a diverse team with a vast range of skills and knowledge to learn from, but above all the people are down-to-earth, supportive, and fun to work with.

Q2. From a lifestyle perspective how has the change been ? What are 2 things that you expected and 2 things that you didn’t expect?

Having been to Australia before, I’d already had a taste of what the lifestyle is like, but I’d definitely say I have a more active lifestyle here. I joined a water polo club just over a year ago despite having never played before – it’s a great workout as well as a good way to meet new people. One of the things I was most looking forward to was going to the beach on the weekends, and Sydney has plenty to choose from. I’ve also recently started going camping which has been a fun way to explore more of regional Australia.

Q3. How do you feel your time at KPMG Australia has influenced your career direction?

I’ve worked on a variety of projects since working at KPMG Australia, ranging from remediation, key risk indicators, derivative valuations, and investment strategy reports. I was very surprised to learn that the team has Treasury as a Managed Service offering with whom I’ve been working more closely with them over the past 12 months. It’s an area that interests me and has made me reassess what my long term goals are.

On a broader note, the fact that there are a number of LGBT partners at the firm and specifically in RST has encouraged me to be more open in the workplace and is a testament to the inclusiveness of the firm.

Q4. What has been your most rewarding experience with KPMG and on that note the most challenging experience?

My most rewarding experience was receiving excellent feedback from KPMG managers and the client for two pieces of work I did on Key Risk Indicators. My most challenging experience was adjusting to working from home during lockdown. I’m a big fan of being in the office – I like being able to interact with the team in person, I find it’s a more productive environment, and you get great views (shown above)

Q5. What would your general advice be for anyone abroad that is on the fence or looking to relocate to Australia?

I was really happy with my life in London so it wasn’t an easy decision to move to Australia. Did I really want to give up everything I had in London to have to start again in a new country on the other side of the world where I didn’t have any friends or family. But I recognised what an amazing opportunity it would be to live in Sydney and to work with KPMG and asked myself “what’s the worst that can happen?”. Almost three years later I’m still here with no intention of moving back any time soon.