Queenstown

Lisa Lines

Lisa is a Director at Sidekick Queenstown, helping small to medium business owners understand their numbers, improve cashflow and make confident decisions about what comes next.

With a long-standing career in accounting and business advisory, Lisa brings deep experience, steady guidance and practical insight to the clients she works with. She joined Sidekick in 2018 when the Queenstown and Wanaka offices were established, and works closely with tradies, property clients, property management businesses, Airbnb operators and small to medium businesses. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Commerce, is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Public Practitioner.

Clients often come to Lisa for advisory support, forecasts, budgets and regular quarterly meetings. She helps business owners work through the real questions behind their numbers, from funding a new purchase and understanding poor cashflow, to planning for tax, improving profitability or deciding whether to take the next step.

Lisa’s style is friendly, approachable and supportive, with a practical ability to explain where the cashflow has gone and which levers can be pulled to improve business performance. She enjoys conversations that help clients define what success looks like for them, then work towards it with clear advice, regular communication and a strong sense that Sidekick is in their corner.

Outside work, Lisa enjoys Pilates, strength training, travelling with her family and eating the cakes her daughter makes.

Joy Mulrey

Meet Joy, our brilliant accountant who keeps our finances in top shape. With experience at Fergburger and MedRecruit, plus running her own bookkeeping business, she brings a wealth of knowledge to our team. Joy holds a Law Degree (LLB) and is currently pursuing her Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification. When she’s not crunching numbers, you can find her on the netball court, exploring new travel destinations, or soaking up the beauty of Queenstown, which she proudly calls home.

Linda Owen

Meet Linda – our Client Services Assistant at Sidekick Queenstown. Linda brings over ten years of experience in the fitness industry, having worked as an Operations Manager and Boxing Coach at Industrial Fitness in Queenstown. More recently, she’s been supporting the team while on maternity leave.

Before that, Linda worked in administration at Lifetime Insurance and managed at Peter Alexander. At Sidekick, she’s the friendly face helping keep things ticking behind the scenes.

Outside of work, you’ll find Linda keeping fit with boxing, or being lovingly bossed around by her four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son!

James Swaney

James is a fully qualified Chartered Accountant and studied at Lincoln University to gain a BCom, majoring in Accounting, Finance and Information Technology.

James spent over four years working in the motor vehicle industry in Timaru, before becoming a Chartered Accountant.
Looking at the big picture, setting goals and helping clients plan to achieve those goals are what James enjoys most about his job.

When James is not in the office he is usually spending time with his family, and sometimes out on the squash court or race track. James is also a big rugby, cricket and motor sport fan.

Ric Thorpe

Ric Thorpe is the CEO of Sidekick Chartered Accountants, leading a fast-growing, modern accountancy group focused on helping business owners be more successful.

Ric’s background is in sales and marketing, and he brings a commercial, practical mindset to the accounting profession. He works across the Sidekick network to drive growth, strengthen culture, and ensure clients receive advice that is clear, relevant, and actually makes a difference to their business.

Today, Sidekick is a multi-office group with a strong presence across New Zealand, combining local ownership with national capability. Ric plays a key role in expanding the group through new offices, partnerships, and supporting ambitious accountants who want to build something better, whether that’s growing an existing firm or starting one within the Sidekick model.

A big part of Ric’s focus is developing people. He coaches and facilitates Sidekick Squads, bringing together team members from across the country to improve communication, workflow, leadership, and client outcomes. These sessions are designed to create confident, capable professionals who take ownership and deliver real value.

Ric is also a regular speaker at business and industry events, sharing practical insights on growth, client engagement, and building high-performing teams. Through initiatives like SidekickTV, he helps communicate ideas, stories, and strategies that support both clients and the wider business community.

At his core, Ric is passionate about culture and clarity. He believes that when people understand what success looks like, have the right support around them, and enjoy the environment they work in, great results follow

Helen Pauley

Helen is a Marlburian who has travelled the world and landed back here. Having a varied work life from managing a regional office for a multi-national advertising firm, owning a hospitality business to practice management of a medical practice, Helen brings a bucket load of skills. Communication is her flag ship skill and she enjoys problem solving. Resourceful and fun, pretty much sums her up.

She is married to Gary, who is a Business Advisor and in their spare time they love to travel to family & friends, experience the great outdoors and discovering new recipes and flavours, accompanied by a glass of fine wine.

Steph Holt

Steph is the creative mind behind Sidekick’s brand – making sure everything from marketing campaigns to internal events reflects who we are and what we stand for. With over 15 years of experience in design and strategy, she loves finding fresh, meaningful ways to bring the Sidekick story to life. From shaping how our brand looks and feels to creating moments that connect our team and clients, Steph brings a mix of curiosity, energy, and heart to everything she does.

Outside of work, Steph enjoys spending time with her teenage son, road-tripping in her self-converted campervan and tending to her ever-growing veggie patch – a creative outlet that balances her busy, design-filled days.

Manoli De Silva

Manoli keeps the team running smoothly, making sure all the day-to-day details are taken care of. She has a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of London and a master’s in international relations from the University of Colombo, she has worked across law firms, UN agencies, and the government sector. Her experience in different environments gives her a strong eye for detail and a knack for keeping things organised and on track.

A massive foodie, Manoli loves cooking and trying out new restaurants. She also enjoys running and staying active, and likes to unwind with a good book and a glass of wine. Most of all, she treasures spending time with her husband and their two young daughters. 

Anna Cochrane

Anna brings a wealth of experience in accounting tech, with a strong focus on FYI and Xero. Having worked closely with firms across New Zealand to implement systems and streamline processes, she’s a go-to expert when it comes to getting the most out of your tech stack.
Anna is passionate about solving problems, improving workflows, and helping teams work smarter. Now based in Timaru to be closer to family, Anna supports Sidekick on a range of internal projects—bringing her trademark energy, insight, and practical know-how to every challenge.