Meet The Team

Henry Zhao

Partner

Henry is a partner at Fortis and a strong leader when it comes to making decisions around strategic direction and adapting to changes in the industry.

Driven by his motivation to provide the best advice and the highest standards of value to both clients and their businesses, Henry is dedicated to aligning our progress with client success and striving for continuous improvement.

Henry appreciates the evolving nature of the business and financial environments. As a result, he embraces new systems and processes to help our team successfully adjust to new working conditions. His ability to learn quickly and perform in-depth research has allowed Fortis to continually innovate in an ever-changing marketplace.

Henry holds a Masters Degree in Accounting & Taxation and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He has gained extensive experience with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and working together with some of the largest mid-tiered chartered accounting firms in the country. Inspired to provide value to clients from all walks of life, Henry is committed to finding the best solutions, growing Fortis and expanding his knowledge set.

John Kalachian

Partner

As a person who loves learning and is passionate about good numbers, John is unconditionally committed to what he does – and that is achieving his goal of servicing businesses in all of their tax compliance and taxation advice, helping people understand how the tax system works and celebrating the difference Fortis makes every day together with the team. No one adds that perfect blend of human understanding to the accounting practice better than John does.

John is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance graduate, a Certified Financial Planner and a Justice of the Peace.

Building Fortis Accounting Partners from scratch, overcoming all the difficulties and nurturing an excellent team of passionate individuals are all achievements that John is particularly proud of. He is inspired by the clients that the firm has helped with our bespoke service and knowing that the team is learning something new every day.

With his love for his family and local community, John is dedicated to imparting guidance and support to both his clients and team members. Doing this every day drives him to become better and helps pave the way to the growth of the firm.

When John isn’t helping people get the most from their numbers, you’ll find him amongst the waves, on the golfing green or in the fishing boat, enjoying the outdoor life like a champion.

Bernadette Pywell

Client Administration Manager

Bernadette is the friendly face who warmly greets our clients as they enter our office.

As someone who is inspired by smiles and the cause of many herself, Bernadette ensures she is always spreading the joy around to everyone. With her vibrant and friendly personality, she exudes positivity and fosters a caring environment within the team.

Bernadette has gained valuable experience across a wide range of industries, including Coal & Resources Marketing & Husbandry, Building & Construction Marketing as well as Industrial & Commercial Insurance Broking. This allows her to actively contribute and offer her wealth of knowledge to everyone.

Aside from her confidence, computer and organisation skills, Bernadette is known to throw some of the best events to bring the fun factor to all the Fortis gatherings! She is perfectly suited to her role where she can build personal connections and ensure people feel comfortable and well-cared for.

Most important, Bernadette is dedicated to continually improving – and with her determination to get things right every time, she’s always learning.

Rehman Khan

Manager

Rehman is our energetic Manager who is always motivated and focussed on helping clients reach their full potential through optimal planning, forward-thinking and strategic implementation.

With his supportive, dedicated and encouraging nature, combined with an ability think outside of the box, Rehman finds a solution to any problem – which is perfect as Fortis is all about getting results for our clients, no matter what the circumstance.

Rehman is a full member of CPA Australia and has a Masters of Accounting with over 6 years of experience in tax advisory and business services. Because of this, Rehman has developed a deep understanding of financial and taxation modelling, allowing him to assist clients with forecasts, budgets and scenario analysis. This makes him invaluable as, with Rehman by your side, you can always make well-informed decisions.

Inspired by the great opportunities to learn and the value he can contribute to every client’s portfolio, business or individual wealth, Rehman leverages technology, innovation and aptitude for number-crunching to always deliver excellence.

Rehman is an avid traveller, speaks four languages and has lived in three different countries. When you can find him in one place, he us usually filling his weekends playing cricket.

Nicole Yang

Assistant Manager

Nicole is our Assistant Manager, specialising in the numbers behind businesses, profitability, revenue and taxation.

We always know when Nicole is in the room, because everything becomes brighter and everyone instantly feels happier. Nicole has been a valuable part of Fortis over the years and has brought with her so much positivity, not only to her colleagues but also to clients as well. We love this about her as accounting can be quite a serious practice and Nicole’s personality is a welcome balance.  

Being an excellent communicator and incredibly dedicated to learning new things, Nicole speaks several different languages. She is also a Member of CPA Australia, and holds both a Masters of Commerce in Accounting & Finance and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting.

Nicole has over 12 years of accounting experience working within internal auditing, business services and tax firms, and has a real appreciation for customer service from her years in the retail & hotel industries. Since joining Fortis, she has collaborated alongside many different kinds of people and organisations, all of whom inspire her to offer highly bespoke services to reach profitable outcomes for every client.  

Nicole is passionate about getting outdoors to enjoy the beach, golf, various snow sports and travelling, as well as embracing her artistic side with drawing, photography and music.

Green Tidboonlomkij

Intermediate Accountant

Green is a recent recruit to the Fortis Accounting Partners team as an Intermediate Accountant.

She came to Sydney to complete her Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting and brings three years’ experience to the Fortis team. She brings a wealth of knowledge from her background in hospitality management and has been a bookkeeper in various internal and external capacities. She has a particularly keen interest in taxation and its implications. With a strong work ethic and eagerness to learn, she works tirelessly to find creative solutions. Always with a smile and positive attitude, Green is hyper-focused on getting great results for her clients.

When not in the office, Green is likely to be found reading on a beach or spending weekends away exploring new cities and regions.

Rachel Pham

Business Services Accountant

Rachel is an experienced Accountant, specialising in the client matters directly effecting their tax outcomes.

Rachel graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Professional Accounting in 2012 and has developed her core strengths in accounting with numerous roles since that time including as taxation accountant at Chartered Accounting firms.

Rachel also has gained great customer service skills from her years in retail industries. She is honest, reliable with a strong ethic and attention to detail. Rachel is always willing to learn from her peers, her clients and her owns experiences and is passionate about enhancing her knowledge.

Nikki Huang

Accountant

Nikki is approachable, empathic and loves to help people. With her contagious energy and bubbly personality, Nikki effortlessly radiates positive vibes to clients and the whole team.

As a dedicated accounting professional with a solid track record, excellent problem-solving skills, a hardworking attitude, attention to detail, and a touch of perfectionism, Nikki is highly trusted when it comes to any accounting or taxation matters.

Nikki holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Masters of Commerce and Master of Business Administration (MBA). On top of all this, she has quite a considerable amount of experience from working as an assistant and financial administrator at various offices across different industries. This allows her to apply her aptitude to a whole range of different scenarios.

With her ongoing desire to grow as a professional and maximise her potential, Nikki is driven to utilise her knowledge and skills to help clients make well-informed business decisions and achieve their goals. Outside of work, Nikki loves reading, doing yoga and travelling with her family.

Freya Croft

Administration Officer

Working since age 13, Freya has learned the importance of being a reliable and passionate team member, and how a positive environment is crucial for employees and clients.

Whether she is greeting you at the front desk or conversing over the phone, Freya’s kind nature and warming smile will light up your day. Meticulous and organised by nature, Freya enjoys exceeding customer satisfaction and strives to create a positive environment.

In downtime, music, singing and sunrise swims at the beach is where she recharges her batteries. Freya discovered and found a love for travelling at an early age. America, Hawaii, England and New Zealand have been ticked off the bucket list so far!

Freya is motivated to reach new heights, take risks and develop her career by working alongside Bernadette, our Client Administration Manager, and having the opportunity to build her skills.

Emma Qu

Accountant

Emma recently made the exciting decision to relocate to Sydney to explore new opportunities and embrace the vibrant energy of this city. Aside from her professional life, Emma has a profound appreciation for nature and loves immersing herself in its beauty.

One of her greatest joys is experiencing diverse cultures through food. Emma believes that food not only nourishes the body but also brings people together. Emma has been in the Accounting Industry for over 4 years.

She values open communication and teamwork, as they are essential for achieving collective success. She believes this is a field that will offer her continuous learning and professional growth opportunities.

Hannah Pham

Accountant

Hannah is the newest member to our team at Fortis Accounting Partners. With two-years of experience in the field, she has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has dreams to become a Chartered Accountant in the foreseeable future.

She enjoys working with numbers and helping clients with their business daily needs. Outside of work, Hannah enjoys travelling to different places and exploring their culture and cuisine.

With her calm and elegant disposition, the outdoors is where she centres herself. Hannah is always eager to learn new skills and expand her knowledge in accounting and beyond and is very excited to be a part of our amazing team!

Nikka Allyson M. De Belen - Administration Officer

Administration Officer

Nikka is our amazing offshore Administration Officer, from the Philippines. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Financial Management.

Nikka is a passionate individual with 7 years of quality experience as a Professional Administration officer in fields such as accounting, treasury and Human Resource functions.

She is a firm believer in stepping out of your comfort zone, because that’s when you will find the best things in life! In her spare time, she loves spending time with her white cat – Cloudy and relaxing in the sun. If she’s not working, you’ll find her at her desk with her incredible collection of stickers, ephemera, journals, planners and her beloved old typewriter.

Reshika Kumar

Administration Officer

With her kind, caring and approachable nature, Reshika never fails to provide a positive, welcoming experience for our clients, assisting them as they walk in our door or call our office. She understands the power of customer service and is always willing to lend a hand.

With her fun and relaxed personality, Reshika is incredibly creative, especially when it comes to finding solutions for evolving challenges, from financial matters to marketing requirements and beyond. Holding a Masters of Business Administration with a major in Marketing and significant experience in the banking industry, Reshika has a unique combination of skills which makes her a real asset to Fortis.

Reshika is motivated to reach new heights, take risks and develop her career by working alongside Bernadette, our Client Administration Manager, and having the opportunity to learn new things such as new platforms and procedures.

Reshika is passionate about fitness and does not miss an opportunity to take advantage of the gym. Despite Reshika’s relaxed personality it all goes out the door when card or board games are involved!