Peni Fukofuka

Peni Fukofuka is an Associate Professor and current Head of Department in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems at the University of Canterbury's UC Business School. Appointed as Associate Professor in January 2023 and promoted to Head of Department in April 2024, he brings extensive professional experience having worked in the corporate sector for nearly a decade across Tonga, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand before transitioning to academia.

Dr. Fukofuka's educational background includes a PhD in Accounting from the Australian National University (2014), a Master of Commerce from the same institution, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. He is also a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) and holds CPA Australia certification.

His research program centers on indigenous accounting practices, particularly examining how Pacific Island cultural frameworks interact with formal accounting systems. Using Bourdieusian theoretical perspectives, he investigates accounting in Seventh Day Adventist churches across the Pacific, tax compliance among indigenous entrepreneurs, and alternative accounting practices in informal housing contexts. His work frequently addresses decolonizing accounting research and integrating indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream accounting discourse.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on postcolonial accounting perspectives, with increasing attention to sustainability reporting, diversity in the accounting profession, and constitutional transformation in relation to indigenous sovereignty. His research demonstrates methodological diversity, employing narrative analysis, case studies, and critical theoretical approaches to examine accounting practices in real-world contexts.

Professor Fukofuka actively contributes to the academic community through service as a peer reviewer for major journals including Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, and Pacific Accounting Review. He serves on multiple committees including the Indigenous Research Cluster and Learning and Teaching Committee at the Business School, and the Advisory Board of the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies.

As a supervisor, he guides research on topics ranging from public sector accounting reform in Solomon Islands to the United Nations' SDGs and accounting practices. He has developed innovative courses including ACCT347: Indigenous Perspective of Accounting and Accountability, reflecting his commitment to integrating indigenous knowledge into accounting education. His professional activities include consulting with the New Zealand Ministry of Education on Pacific educational challenges and organizing academic events such as the Sustainability Accounting Research Network conference.