The New Zealand Bookkeepers Association Incorporated (NZBAI) was born out of a shared vision to provide a strong platform for the bookkeeping profession in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Bookkeepers Association Incorporated was the brainchild of Melanie Morris who back in 2010 found herself in a difficult situation with a client and Inland Revenue.  The situation highlighted to Melanie that there was nowhere to go to for support or advice for Bookkeepers in New Zealand.  

Using the phone book, Melanie arranged for a group of local Bookkeepers to set up a steering group on 11 May 2010 to discuss the options to New Zealand Bookkeepers. 

The individuals present at this meeting were: Melanie Morris; Vivien Cowey; Pip Langford; Tanya Hulme; Craig Hibbert; Steve Lowery and Lloyd Manson.

This group came up with a list of objectives for a newly established bookkeeping association:

• to be the professional body for all Bookkeepers in New Zealand;
• provide legal and compliance resources to members;
• create an NZBAI brand;
• create an entity which will be recognised for our profession to outside agencies; and
• be active in legislative matters and submissions.

They also established several purposes:

• Professional Body - credibility, network and support; and
• Awareness - recognition (promotion); and
• Legislation - lobby the value/worth of a Bookkeeper; and
• Promote and build individual business; and
• Guidance; and
• Quality; and
• Central point for information, resources, tools and relationships.

With the objectives and purpose settled, the Association become official!

The New Zealand Bookkeepers Association Incorporated was incorporated on 15 July 2010 and our Founding Committee formed. 

First things first, now the Association existed, we needed members! 

While today we have over 300 members nationwide, back in 2010 we started with these Foundation Members:

• Melanie Morris, Founding Committee Member
• Vivien Cowey, Founding Committee Member
• Pip Langford, Founding Committee Member
• Tanya Hulme, Founding Committee Member
• Craig Hibbert, Founding Committee Member
• Steve Lowery, Founding Committee Member
• Aimee Wijnstok
• Anja O’Connor
• Bookkeeping Pro & MYOB Services
• Christine Wallace
• Colleen King
• Debbie Meiklejohn
• Glennis Stuckey
• Jackie Ridsdale
• John McDonald
• Leeyan Stephens
• Richard Brown
• Rose Zubova
• SMARTBIZ
• Stephanie Crawford
• Sylvie Eymin

You may have noticed we have called ourselves NZBAI on this page.

The New Zealand Bookkeepers Association Incorporated is our legal entity name but our trading name is the Institute of Certified NZ Bookkeepers - or ICNZB. 

In our early years we were approached by The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, a UK bookkeeping association incorporated on 1 November 1996, to join their global network of Bookkeepers - ICB Global. 

This was considered by the Executive Committee to be a sound strategic decision - the relationship provided us with the benefit of global recognition and an opportunity to collaborate with the countries that make up the ICB Global Network.

In 2017, the Executive Committee presented a proposal to members through a Special General Meeting to enter into a joint venture agreement with ICB Global.  This was passed by members - and so the Institute of Certified NZ Bookkeepers was born!

Today, we enjoy a close working relationship with both ICB UK and our neighbours across the Tasman - ICB Australia.  We hold regular quarterly meetings with both countries with a focus on discussing ways we can continue to promote Bookkeepers worldwide.