Jacqueline Chen

Jacqueline has been in the accounting industry for over a year. Initially, she hadn’t envisioned accounting as her career path; it was more of fate that led her here. Surprisingly, she discovered a passion for the field and knew it was the right direction for her. Although her journey as an accountant is relatively short, it has been both inspiring and fulfilling.

Jacqueline was born in China, raised in Singapore, and came to NZ for university. Upon graduating from Victoria University of Wellington, she worked as an accountant in Christchurch before coming to GS. During her time at her previous firm, she was exposed to different industries and found herself growing quickly as an accountant. Her main jobs included preparing GST returns, annual reports, and tax returns.

Jacqueline cherishes the process of learning and enjoys witnessing others’ growth. She came to GS because she was drawn to the diverse range of services they provide, which set them apart from traditional accounting firms. She knew she wanted to be a part of this dynamic firm and develop herself to become a better accountant. Not to mention that the work culture is great!

“You should never regret anything in life. If it’s good, it’s wonderful; if it’s bad, it’s experience.”

Outside of work, Jacqueline is a laid-back soul who finds joy in baking and trying new foods. She loves to capture the beauty of the world through her lens, always on the lookout for that perfect shot! Her goal is to travel to as many places as she can and make a photo collage of the world.

Friendships mean the world to Jacqueline—she believes that true bonds can last a lifetime, and she cherishes honesty the most in her relationships. To her, all material possessions are fleeting; it is the intangible things that truly hold value, so she believes in cherishing them while they last.

One of Jacqueline’s worst encounters was working extremely hard for a long period of time to prepare for something that she only had one shot at, only to let her body fail her when the time arrived. She describes it as saying, “I didn’t fail because I didn’t work hard, I failed because I worked too hard.” While she believes that hard work is key to success, she now knows the importance of recognising one’s limits and learning to balance things out. This is something Jacqueline learned the hard way and she would always advise others to do the same.