Ian Ball is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Accounting and Commercial Law at Victoria University of Wellington, and until 2021 was Chair of the Audit Committee for the financial statements of the New Zealand Government.

He was Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) (2002-2013). Earlier, as Chairman of the IFAC Public Sector Committee (now the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board) (1995-2000), he initiated and led the development of International Public Sector Accounting Standards.

While with the New Zealand Treasury (1987-1994) he was responsible (as Director of Financial Management Policy and then Central Financial Controller) for the development and implementation of the Public Finance Act 1989, making New Zealand the first country to adopt accrual budgeting, appropriations and accounting . In this episode, he talks about why public accounting matters for any country interested in good governance.