Team Spotlight – Bernard Wai

In our Team Spotlight Series, we’re showcasing the talented individuals behind Ascentium Australia. Today, we’re featuring Bernard Wai, Senior Manager – Data Insights & Strategy, Government Incentives.

Ocean-enthusiast Bernard Wai has been with Ascentium Australia since 2016 and is now a Senior Manager. His unconventional path — from marine biology to R&D — has been shaped by a love for exploration, both in work and life. Whether diving with sharks in Komodo or crunching numbers to unlock new efficiencies, Bernard’s unique background and thoughtful approach bring a fresh perspective to the world of data and operational strategy.

You’ve been with CharterNet and now Ascentium Australia for a long time. Can you tell us how you got your start here?

I started in October 2016. I joined from Deloitte, where I finished up as a Consultant. Back then, the GI team was called the R&D team, and it was just a small team of four.

What brought you to the industry in the first place?

It was a mix of personal interest and the lack of opportunities for marine biological science graduates in Australia. Looking back, maybe pursuing a double degree in both commerce and science, with an additional year to pursue an Honours in marine microbiology, wasn’t the smartest move. I think I only loved the subject, but had not considered my job prospects afterward.

Unsurprisingly, after I graduated there weren’t many options, but having studied both business and science turned out to be perfect for R&D work. I had some friends in the Big Four accounting firms at the time and they told me about R&D in tax teams, and I applied and got in.

Marine biology is interesting. What led you into that?

I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean. My first book as a kid was about whales. I thought the ocean was so cool and wanted to learn more about it. That passion got me into scuba diving and eventually led to studying marine biology, even though it wasn’t the most practical degree in Australia.

Can you tell me more about how you got into diving?

I think formative experiences from childhood shape us. One of mine was visiting my extended family in Guam Island. One day, my dad and I joined an underwater experience tour. We put on scuba tanks, weights, and wetsuits and walked down an underwater hill off the beach. I loved it. The guide even fed fish with sausages, and the whole experience just clicked for me. That’s when I fell in love with the underwater world, which continued into my adulthood and really shaped the person I have become.

I know you took an extended sabbatical and that involved a lot of travel. I assume that included diving?

Yes, I left CharterNet in August 2019 for a nine-month career break. Of course, no one knew that COVID was coming at that point, and I was thinking “I’m going to have some fun and then come back.”

During that time, I completed a Divemaster course in Indonesia, which is just one level below a full diving instructor, which is when you’re qualified to teach people independently.

That took about two and a half months. It was on Komodo Island, where the Komodo dragons live. After that, I went to Everest Base Camp as well, and managed to fit all of that in and arrive back in Australia two days before the country closed its borders due to COVID.

How was Everest Base Camp?

It was amazing. I’d never experienced anything like -20°C before — it really was freezing! The hike was beautiful, and it was a great opportunity to see a small snippet of Nepalese culture and the natural world. Most of my hobbies are about getting as far away from day-to-day life as possible and taking the opportunity to see the world for what it actually is.

How did you find coming back to work?

Honestly, I think everyone should take a career break at some point in their life, if they have the chance. It’s a bit of a luxury, especially if you’re a single person and don’t have obligations like a mortgage, but it’s so valuable. For me, it was a chance to reset, step back, and think strategically about life. I mean, I know this is a work article, but it is true that there’s more to life than just working.

When I came back, I felt like my life was more balanced. I was in a better mindset to set boundaries, and that has been ultimately beneficial for both my personal life and my work, as I feel much more “switched on” and positive now.

How did you find coming back to your team after that break?

It felt very natural. When I first came back it was part-time, so the dynamics were a little different, but either way, the company culture is exceptional because we all work with each other—every senior works with every junior, and vice versa.

Our team leader Victoria manages the workflow, and her structures mean that everyone knows everyone. The end-result has been a very unified team. Despite this, I would never diminish the value of being able to work independently in a silo when necessary! Silos can be efficient, but they also limit cohesiveness. Our approach in the long term has helped build a stronger team culture.

How is the Government Incentives business changing? Your title, for example, suggests a shift in priorities and processes.

GI is very niche. There aren’t many other organisations or existing models for us to compare what we do to them and build on that knowledge, so we’re developing a lot of new knowledge as we run. It’s a challenge because we can’t rely on established frameworks — we’re creating and refining our own.

So you’re developing new knowledge in your operations. Almost experimenting in your own right?

Exactly. My role involves testing prototypes of how we operate and refining those processes. It’s about finding ways to make us more efficient and productive.

I imagine data is a part of that?

Absolutely. Previously, we relied on timesheets for data, but we’ve moved away from that. Now, we’re creating our own data, figuring out what’s useful to collect, and designing processes around that. The next step is strategy—using the data to optimise performance. This is something mid-tier firms and even the Big Four don’t typically focus on, so it’s an exciting area to explore.

And finally, it’s a question that we ask each person that we speak to for this feature: If you had $10 million to spend, and a day or so to use it, what would you do?

I’d use it to address misconceptions about the ocean, especially sharks. Movies like Jaws have made people terrified of sharks, but they’re vital to ecosystems and their existence is not for the purpose of hunting humans like how the media paints them to be.

Having gone head-to-head with a few large sharks myself, I can tell you that they are curious and intelligent, and are generally bewildered by our appearance that they know we’re not food. I’d love to have the resources to educate the public about the importance of sharks to the world and to stop the fear-mongering.