Director at Prosperity Advisers Group, Alex Hardy has secured dual individual honors at the 2026 Australian Accounting Awards in Sydney. Held at The Star before 500 industry practitioners, the annual peer-reviewed program awarded Alex the title of Auditor of the Year before presenting him with the night’s premier individual distinction, the Excellence Award.
The dual recognition positions the newly appointed Newcastle office Principal as the standout individual practitioner across all group and individual assessment streams evaluated by the Accountants Daily judging panel. The accolades celebrate technical assurance delivery, client portfolio optimisation, and innovation frameworks within mid-market and corporate auditing fields.
Alex’s career path within Prosperity Advisers Group began as a high school trainee, progressing through the firm’s Newcastle, Sydney, and Brisbane regional hubs alongside an international secondment with a Leading Edge Alliance (LEA) partner firm based in the Netherlands. In his current capacity, he oversees audit and assurance program pipelines for mid-market commercial operations, family enterprises, government agencies, and non-profit organisations nationwide.
Reflecting on the win, Alex said the recognition belonged to the wider team and the clients he works alongside.
“I’m genuinely humbled by this recognition. Audit is a team sport, and none of this happens without the people I work with every day or the trust our clients place in us,” Alex said.
“Prosperity has given me the opportunity to grow, take on new challenges and work across the country and overseas. I’m proud to lead our Newcastle office and excited about where we can take our audit practice from here.”
The 2026 national awards highlighted a strong period of representation for professional service groups across the Hunter region. Regional firms securing prominent national finalist status included Keeley Gibbons of Beam Bookkeeping in the New Partner of the Year division, Simone Palfreyman of Palfreyman Chartered Accountants in the Mentor of the Year bracket, and Kelly Smith from civil engineering firm Daracon Group in the Accounting Student of the Year category.
CEO of Prosperity Advisers Group, Allan McKeown noted that the double national recognition validates internal career path frameworks designed to scale regional professional talent.
“Alex’s passion and energy are contagious, and his thinking around technology and business development are hallmarks of his success,” Allan said.
“To be recognised as Auditor of the Year by his peers, and then to receive the Excellence Award as the standout individual on the night, is an extraordinary achievement. It’s a credit to Alex and a reflection of the kind of careers that can be forged at Prosperity.”
IMAGE | Prosperity Advisers Group Director secures double national victory at Australian Accounting Awards
