ARITA Member Spotlight
San Koh RITP
26/09/2025
San Koh is an Associate Director in EY-Parthenon's Turnaround and Restructuring Strategy team. She is also Secretary of the Haymarket Chamber of Commerce, a member of the ARITA NSW YP Committee, and a CA ANZ Professional Conduct Committee member. Specialising in corporate insolvency, restructuring, and turnaround, San helps companies strategically navigate challenging transitions to deliver better stakeholder outcomes. This includes board and shareholder restructures, and advice on turnaround strategy, finance optimisation, and stakeholder management. Find out more about San in this edition of the ARITA Member Spotlight.
About you
How did you get into the profession?
I fell into it not knowing what insolvency really entailed. At the interview, they told me it’s quite a bit of report-writing and I thought if that’s true, that’s great.
What do you find the most rewarding or enjoyable aspect of your work?
I enjoy the variety, whether it’s the variety of industries, companies, and even stakeholders that we come across.
What’s the most satisfying appointment or assignment you’ve ever worked on and why?
There are quite a few to choose from, including a VA that became a DOCA which involved a Section 444GA share transfer, a solvent court liquidation which was my first sizeable referral, and some incredibly fascinating IBRs. But if I had to pick one to talk about, it would be the restructure of an iconic restaurant. It’s not every day you see those operations up close (unless you’re in the restaurant business).
What’s the biggest success you’ve had in your career?
Besides organising events that hosted the Prime Minister, receiving an AICD scholarship, and getting published here, it will have to be the mentoring programs I’ve helped to launch or revive over the years, including the ARITA mentoring program (check it out). Mentoring is an important part of our profession so I’m glad to play a small part in that.
Is there anyone who has inspired you along the way, either professionally or personally?
I’ve had great mentors and the opportunity to learn from excellent liquidators and trustees. One of the most inspiring people, however, would be my mum (which is cliché but true). She was an accountant as well, so there’s a chance I wouldn’t have majored in accounting if it weren’t for her. And here I am with an accounting degree working in insolvency. I’m still learning how to be as patient as her though.
What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned in your career?
Some of the biggest lessons I’ve had are to regularly reflect so I can continuously learn and grow, that saying no is as important as saying yes, and to be intentional about choices and commitments. It’s all still a work in progress!
If you could go back to the beginning of your career, is there anything you would do differently?
Being more intentional with career goals might have helped, along with seeking out the right mentors for that. But that’s all in good time.
About the profession
What’s the #1 skill you believe you need to be successful as an IP?
Calmness given the chaos that happens sometimes! It’s good for the team.
What do you think is the biggest opportunity for the profession?
Something called AI. Could be a gamechanger.
What are the greatest challenges you face working in the profession?
The distressed stakeholders that insolvency professionals work with. It helped me learn how to set and maintain good boundaries.
What do you think needs to change in terms of the regulatory environment?
More focus on rescuing and restructuring businesses, and providing the support for that, along with streamlining regulatory processes and making it easier for the general public to understand what we do.
How can IPs shift the negative perception of the profession?
One at a time. It’s up to each IP to uphold professional values when working with stakeholders.
As a member of the 'next generation', where do you see the profession going in the future?
A more streamlined and tech-enabled future so the industry focuses more on value-add, restructures, and turnarounds. Hopefully anyway!
You’re at a BBQ talking to another young person about to embark on their career. How would you sell them on the merits of working in the profession in one sentence?
You learn lots about businesses: how they work, why they struggle, and how they might go through a turnaround. You don’t get that variety of exciting challenges in a lot of places.
Outside of work
What are you passionate about outside of work?
Reading, movies, and ramen.
What items are at the top of your bucket list?
Catching the aurora lights.
What might people who only know you from your professional capacity be surprised to find out about you?
I’m a self-proclaimed introvert despite what MBTI tells me!