Partners
John Galatis
Chartered Accountant with a lifetime of experience in accounting, auditing, and business advisory services.
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, John moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, at the age of six, where he completed his schooling and tertiary education. His entire career has been dedicated to the accounting and auditing profession.
Professional Background
John completed his articles at Glazer Wassyng & Company and spent three years at Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young). He then became a partner at Clothier Poole & Dreyer, a seven-partner firm with 30 staff. After six years, John established Galatis & Company in 1982, practising as a sole proprietor until 2004 when he partnered with his twin brother, Nick, to form Galatis Chartered Accountants.
John has always valued a personalised approach, keeping the practice small, independent, and adaptable to clients’ needs.
Industry Experience
John has worked extensively with small to medium-sized businesses, encountering both standard and unique challenges. Highlights of his career include:
Assisting in the listing of a client on the JSE and facilitating the smooth transition of its audit to a larger firm as the client outgrew the practice.
Managing the accounting and administration of a small casino.
Providing accounting and auditing services to a mushroom farm.
Playing a key role in the successful sale of a client’s business to a publicly listed company.
John’s expertise also extends to share transfer work and managing trusts and body corporates.
Beyond the Office
John is actively involved in the community, serving as a trustee for several trusts and body corporates. He is a past president of the Northcliff Country Club, past chairman of the Wanderers Tennis Club and currently serves as the deputy Chairperson of the Wanderers Club.
In his free time, John enjoys playing tennis and dancing with his wife Teresa, a champion dancer.
Nick Galatis
Chartered Accountant with 36 years of diverse experience in both practice and industry.
Nick brings a wealth of knowledge gained from a career that spans across auditing, financial management, consulting, and entrepreneurship.
Professional Background
Nick completed his articles and progressed to junior partnership at a medium-sized, 7-partner audit firm. He further honed his expertise with three years at Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC), one of the “Big Four” firms, before advancing to junior partnership.
Industry Experience
Nick’s commercial journey includes serving as Financial Manager for South Africa’s largest outdoor advertising company at the time. He also owned and managed a retail liquor store, gaining hands-on retail experience.
As a consultant, Nick worked with the Altron group on foreign creditors and taxation, and managed portfolios for one of the Press brothers of the Edcon group. He has also contributed to franchising, public company listings, and management for brands such as Steers (now Famous Brands) and Creative Coffees (House of Coffees).
Expertise
Nick’s competencies cover all aspects of auditing in commercial, trading, and manufacturing environments. His extensive experience across industries makes him a trusted advisor for businesses of all sizes.