About us

Ascend Accounting & Advisory

Ascend is about people and relationships – the numbers are only part of the picture. We love working with people to get them where they want to be in both business and life. We are a port in a storm – we can provide you with the support you need and we’ll be with you every step of the way. We really believe in doing this with you.

We know our stuff! We have over 35 years’ combined experience in financial services; we are qualified experts in our field and we are passionate about what we do. We know how to get the most out of your finances, to help support your dreams.

Our directors

Simone Shannon

Director

Simone loves being with people. Whether that be hanging out with her husband and two young children; helping her parents plan their trips around Australia or having a wine (or two!) with friends. Simone is the kind of person that you meet once and feel like you’ve known her forever. 

She has been working in public practice across retail, trade, manufacturing, property development and medical for over 15 years. Simone says: “I feel so privileged to be a part of someone’s business, the trust that people give to me makes me incredibly proud to do what we do. To be able to go on the journey with people is something pretty special.”

Simone grew up in a family business, which gave her insight into how businesses really run earlier than most people! This also kickstarted her love of business, which is a great advantage for Ascend clients.

Simone is from regional Victoria and loves supporting the Geelong community and all it has to offer.

Simone is a qualified Chartered accountant and has a Commerce and Management degree from the University of Ballarat.

Andrew Clyne

Director

Andrew lives in Geelong with his wife and three young children and can often be found on the sidelines of his children’s sporting clubs, cheering them on. He loves hanging out with his family, catching up with friends, anything sports, and attending live music.

He has almost 20 years’ experience spanning all kinds of companies; from small business to the big guys, and has worked in both industry and public practice. Andrew is modest but his unique perspective and big business experience gives his clients a competitive edge.

Andrew says: “Helping people grow what is often the biggest asset, their business, into something that will hopefully give them the lifestyle they want, is incredibly rewarding.”

Andrew grew up in the Wimmera region of Victoria and holds the country values of community and your word being your bond – it’s a cliché for a reason. 

Andrew is a qualified Certified Practicing Accountant and holds a Commerce degree from Deakin University.

Get in touch; we'd love to hear from you.

What makes Ascend unique

We pride ourselves on our values of great communication, integrity and inclusivity.

Great communication

Not to blow our own horns, we are great communicators. We are here to help and we will keep lines of communication open – no surprises. We are committed to being transparent, honest and empathetic in all of our communication.

We are what we say on the box

Integrity is a key part of who we are; we do what we say we will do. We hold ourselves to a high ethical and professional standard in everything we do. We are open and honest, and we are conscious of the privilege of being invited into the lives and businesses of our clients.

Inclusive

We believe in equality, equity and are committed to creating a welcome, safe and respectful environment for clients, staff and suppliers.

Our promise

We promise that we are genuinely here to help – that we bring our personal values of integrity and great communication to work with us every day. Meeting with us will be a great experience.