Vale Professor Colin Ferguson

Citation

(2014), "Vale Professor Colin Ferguson", Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 29 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/MAJ-05-2014-006

Vale Professor Colin Ferguson

Article Type: Obituary From: Managerial Auditing Journal, Volume 29, Issue 5

It is with sadness we note that Colin Ferguson, a member of the MAJ Editorial Board, passed away on Tuesday 18 March 2014. Colin lost his battle with cancer, aged only 64. He is survived by his wife Yvonne and children Sam, Kate, Joseph and Patrick, and lived just long enough for the arrival of his first grandchild.

Colin graduated with a diploma of business studies from the then Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education, which merged with Deakin University in 1990. He followed this by completing his masters degree and a PhD at Deakin University. He was also a fellow of CPA Australia and The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, serving on many of their committees. He was also active over many years in the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, including serving a term as President.

Colin left Deakin University in 1994 to take up a position at The University of Queensland, becoming a Professor in 2001. He then moved back to the University of Melbourne in 2003, where he remained until his illness last year.

Colin was a prolific and influential researcher in his work as an academic, focussing on research projects that enabled him to engage directly with industry and the profession. He published the results of his research in many of the leading international business, economics and accounting journals.

Colin was particularly influential in the career development of many other academics. He acted as a mentor for many academics and was incredibly effective in including others in his research projects, including Australian Research Council grant applications, enabling them to build up research reputations of their own. Colin will be greatly missed by his colleagues and friends.