Prakash Rajandran

Prakash is a seasoned risk and audit professional at Protiviti Australia with over 18 years of experience spanning internal audit, risk management, and technology. He has successfully led complex assurance programs across asset-intensive industries and has led the development of an IT strategy for a major Australian shipping port. Prakash offers deep expertise in integrated risk management, commercial acumen, and assurance delivery within large-scale infrastructure environments.

Major projects and accomplishments

• Major retail property developer – internal controls and risk framework enhancement: As an engagement director for one of Australia’s largest retail property groups, Prakash led a series of targeted reviews across key business functions, strengthening governance and operational integrity across a diverse property portfolio, enhancing financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, and risk resilience. This included:
  • Budgeting, treasury, payroll, vendor selection, leasing, rent relief, car parking, tax risk management, and health and safety
  • Comprehensive assessments of internal controls and accounting processes
• Major energy distributor – contractor management and safety controls uplift: Prakash served as engagement director for a major electricity distribution business, supplying power to over 1.1 million households. He led the implementation of a contractor controls uplift program which improved safety governance, reduced operational risk, and ensured compliance with regulatory standards across critical infrastructure operations. As a part of this, he led:
  • A comprehensive review of contractor management practices from an occupational health and safety perspective
• Major Australian shipping port – IT strategy development and execution: As project lead, Prakash developed a 3-year IT strategy for a major Australian port, which enabled long-term digital transformation, improved operational efficiency, and embedded risk-informed decision making into IT governance. This encompassed:
  • Strategic alignment of IT initiatives with business objectives
  • Integration of robust risk management practices into the strategy framework
  • Ongoing leadership in the implementation phase of the strategy
• Major mining organisation – business process standardisation and controls: Prakash acted as the engagement director, supporting the organisation to enhance process consistency, improve internal control maturity, and position the business for scalable growth and audit readiness by:
  • Standardising core business processes
  • Embedding key control requirements across operational workflows
• Major Australian manufacturer – insurance program review and risk awareness: Prakash led a targeted review of the insurance renewal process for a leading Australian manufacturer, which led to enhanced risk protection, improved commercial decision-making, and increased organisational understanding of insurance as a strategic risk management tool. The review focused on:
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of broker-led processes in optimising policy pricing, coverage, and limits
  • Assessing enterprise-wide awareness of the insurance program
• Major light rail service provider – procurement and contract management optimisation: Prakash led a strategic assessment of procurement and contract management (P&CM) maturity for a major light rail operator which enabled the business to unlock significant financial efficiencies and elevate procurement performance. The engagement included:
  • Development of a detailed spend map to identify high-impact cost optimisation opportunities
  • Recommendations to improve cash flow, consolidate vendor relationships, and enhance value for money
  • Establishment of fit-for-purpose key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive stronger commercial outcomes
• Globally listed packaging manufacturer - SOX 404 compliance and financial controls testing: As the Asia lead for a global packaging manufacturer, Prakash directed the delivery of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX 404) compliance services, which strengthened financial reporting integrity, ensured global compliance, and supported investor confidence through rigorous control assurance. This included:
  • Testing and validation of key financial controls across regional operations
  • Optimising the existing controls by leveraging automation

Area of expertise

• Internal audit
• Risk and compliance management
• Technology consulting

Industry experience

• Energy and utilities
• Manufacturing
• Retail
• Wholesale
• Technology
• Property development

Education

• Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance)

Professional memberships and certifications

• Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand (CA)
• Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD)