Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants has been a fixture of Wellington's business community since 1940, working from Level 2, 276 Lambton Quay in the heart of Wellington Central. Trading under the motto “Your Business Is Our Business”, the firm has spent more than 75 years helping the city's businesses and individuals get their numbers right — from routine tax returns to the bigger decisions that shape a company's future.
Small to medium businesses are the firm's specialty, but the client base stretches from first-time start-ups and property investors to established companies and individuals. Services cover general and business accounting, tax compliance (income tax, GST, PAYE and FBT — Long + Cowan is a registered tax agent with Inland Revenue), tax planning, budgeting, cash flow forecasting, payroll, business planning and advisory, help starting a business, Foreign Investment Funds (FIF) work, and full accounting and administrative services for body corporates.
The practice is led by principal Ben Stockbridge, a qualified New Zealand Chartered Accountant at the helm since 1999 with nearly five decades of experience spanning public practice, corporate accounting, audit and management accounting. Around him is a team of qualified accountants including director Cong Luong and client advisor Celine Nguyen, who joined through a merger, client advisor Evelyn Peter, and Xero-accredited office manager Leanna Hughes — collectively bringing experience from Big 4 firms, KPMG Vietnam and public-listed company audits.
Long + Cowan is a Gold Partner with Xero and also works with MYOB, and holds membership of professional organisations including ATAINZ, Chartered Accountants ANZ and CGINZ. New relationships start with a free 30-minute, no-obligation consultation, and clients can expect prompt, friendly service, plain-language communication, fast turnaround times and their own personal accounting manager.
On the second floor of 276 Lambton Quay, in the heart of Wellington Central, sits an accounting firm that has been part of the city's business life since 1940. Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants sums up its philosophy in a single line — “Your Business Is Our Business” — and, as the firm likes to put it, “when you need some help with the numbers, we are the number to call.” More than 75 years on, that straightforward promise still shapes how the practice works with the Wellington clients who rely on it.
Long + Cowan has grown into one of the city's most respected accounting practices, built on what the firm describes as integrity, professionalism and accuracy. Its specialty is small to medium businesses — the backbone of Wellington's economy — but its client book stretches further, from first-time start-ups and property investors to established companies and individuals who simply want their tax handled properly. From Lambton Quay, the team serves Wellington Central and surrounding suburbs including Johnsonville, Thorndon, Karori and Te Aro.
The practice is led by Ben Stockbridge, a qualified New Zealand Chartered Accountant who has been Principal since 1999. His career spans nearly five decades across public and corporate practice, audit work and management accounting, and he has a reputation for being solution-focused — the person you want in the room when a business needs to improve performance, strengthen its financial structure or plan for sustainable growth. He is an active member of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and a long-serving trustee of Skylight, a charitable trust supporting people through loss, trauma and grief.
Around him sits a team of qualified accountants who bring genuinely global experience to Lambton Quay. Director Cong Luong — a CPA with Big 4 and billion-dollar-corporate credentials, and a seasoned property investor in his own right — returned to the firm, where he began his career, through a merger, alongside client advisor Celine Nguyen, a CPA Australia member with nine years at KPMG Vietnam behind her. Evelyn Peter, a Certified Accountant with more than fourteen years across taxation and audit, including public-listed companies, joined in 2022, while Office Manager Leanna Hughes keeps the wheels turning with more than 40 years of administrative experience and Xero accreditation to her name.
The service list is broad by design. On the compliance side, Long + Cowan handles financial, statutory and management accounting, and — as a registered tax agent with Inland Revenue — takes care of income tax, GST, PAYE and FBT returns for individuals and companies. Tax planning, budgeting and cash flow forecasting help clients look around corners rather than simply file after the fact.
For business owners, the advisory side covers business planning and guidance for those buying a business or setting one up from scratch — “everything from structure to loans” — plus payroll and Foreign Investment Funds (FIF) work for people with offshore investments. There is also a specialist line many firms don't offer: full accounting and administrative services for body corporates.
Technology is a genuine point of difference. Long + Cowan is a Gold Partner with Xero, using cloud reporting and automation to save clients time and money, and works equally with MYOB for those who prefer it.
Long + Cowan is upfront about how it likes to work: prompt, friendly, personal service; plain language rather than jargon; fast turnaround times; and your own personal accounting manager. Clients also receive complimentary tax and business news, and flexible payment options are available to suit individual circumstances.
Every new relationship starts with a free 30-minute consultation — a no-obligation chat to assess your requirements and discuss how the firm can help. One honest caveat the firm itself makes clear: that first session does not include accounting, tax or other billable professional advice.
The firm's standing is underpinned by membership of professional organisations including ATAINZ, Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand and CGINZ.
Whether you're registering a new company, managing a property portfolio, or simply looking for a Wellington accountant who explains things in plain English, Long + Cowan is easy to reach on 04 915 5966 or at info@longcowan.co.nz.