He worked for Public Accountants Barr, Burgess and Stewart (now PWC) in Wellington from 1948 to 1952 and was admitted to the New Zealand Society of Accountants in June 1952. Then he moved to Barr Burgess's head office in Dunedin. Returning to the North Island he moved to Wanganui working there for Public Accountant G. K. Campbell for a further year before setting up his own independent practice in that city. He was awarded fellowship of the Society of Accountants in June 1969 before he stood for election to parliament.
