About Us
Long + Cowan are your Trusted
Wellington Accountants
for over 75 Years
Our Team is Working for Your Business
Introducing our Dynamic Team in Wellington
Experienced Wellington Chartered Accountants delivering trusted financial, tax, and business advice to individuals and companies across the Wellington region.
Our Story and Commitment
At Long & Cowan Chartered Accountants, we have served the Wellington business community for more than 75 years. Founded on integrity, professionalism, and accuracy, our firm has grown into one of the city’s most respected accounting practices. We take pride in supporting clients through every stage of their financial journey; from start-ups and property investors to established companies seeking clear and effective advice.
Ben Stockbridge
Principal – BCA, CA, ACIS, ACCM, NZDip Bus, Dip Mgmt, ATAINZ
About Ben
Ben Stockbridge leads Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants with a clear focus on precision, professionalism, and lasting client partnerships across Wellington and beyond.
As a qualified New Zealand Chartered Accountant, Ben has been the Principal of Long + Cowan since 1999. With nearly five decades of expertise in accounting and administration, he brings exceptional depth to every aspect of the firm’s operations. His career spans both public and corporate accounting practice, audit work, and management accounting, providing clients with practical insight and strategic clarity.
Throughout his professional journey, Ben has developed a reputation for being solution-focused, guiding businesses to improve performance, strengthen financial structure, and achieve sustainable growth. His leadership combines technical skill with a genuine commitment to the success of his clients and the wider Wellington business community. He is also an active member of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, maintaining strong connections within the region’s commercial sector.
Beyond the office, Ben’s interests reflect his balance of focus and creativity. A lifelong enthusiast of car trailing and classic vehicles, he is a life member of the Harbour Capital Car Club. Away from his accounting work, he enjoys tending to his lifestyle block and contributing to charitable causes. His long-term involvement as a trustee of Skylight, a New Zealand charitable trust supporting people through loss, trauma, and grief, underscores his commitment to helping others.
Ben’s experience, integrity, and leadership continue to shape Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants as one of Wellington’s most trusted and enduring accounting firms.
Leanna Hughes
Office Manager – Xero Accredited
About Leanna
Leanna Hughes brings extensive experience, professionalism, and warmth to her role as Office Manager at Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants, ensuring the firm continues its long tradition of exceptional client service and administrative excellence.
Leanna joined Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants in early 2025 following the retirement of the firm’s previous Office Manager, who had served for over a decade. Her appointment marked a seamless transition and a continuation of the stability and reliability clients have come to expect from the Wellington-based firm.
With more than 40 years’ experience in administration, accounting support, and office management, Leanna brings a wealth of practical knowledge to the team. Her early career began in retail with Farmers Trading before she moved into the banking sector, where she held key roles such as Personal Assistant to the General Manager and front-line customer service. She later joined Hamilton City Council, where she played a vital part in implementing new legislation and was directly involved in the development of the first Land Information Memoranda (LIM) reports.
Her career progressed into senior office managerial positions, including fourteen years with a registered valuers and agricultural consultancy firm in Hamilton, followed by nine years in the wholesale building industry. After moving to Wellington during the COVID period, she worked in accounts receivable, further strengthening her accounting and administrative expertise within a fast-paced commercial environment.
Leanna holds Diplomas in Xero accounting and Animal Care, reflecting both her professional capability and her diverse interests. Outside the office, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and grandchildren, as well as marching with her Wellington team. A long-time dog breeder, exhibitor, and judge, Leanna combines discipline, precision, and enthusiasm, qualities that mirror her approach to her professional role.
Leanna’s leadership, depth of experience, and approachable manner make her an invaluable part of the Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants team, ensuring the smooth running of the firm’s daily operations and the continued delivery of trusted accounting and client services.
Evelyn Peter
Accountant
About Evelyn
Experienced Chartered Accountant strengthening Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants Wellington with expertise in taxation, auditing, and accounting.
Evelyn Peter is a valued member of the Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants team, bringing depth, precision, and warmth to every client relationship.
Since joining Long + Cowan in April 2022, Evelyn has become an integral part of our Wellington practice. Her expertise in taxation, auditing, and accounting has strengthened our capability to deliver reliable, forward-thinking financial services to businesses across the region.
Originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Evelyn is a Chartered Accountant with more than fourteen years of professional experience across multiple audit firms, including work with complex, multi-layered organisations and public-listed companies. This international background gives her a practical understanding of both local and global business environments.
Within the firm, Evelyn is known for her clear communication, meticulous attention to detail, and genuine care for clients. She combines strong technical ability with a commitment to integrity and accuracy, qualities that align perfectly with Long + Cowan’s values of professionalism and trust.
Outside the office, Evelyn is a devoted mother of two energetic boys. When she’s not working with numbers, she enjoys cooking, dancing, and relaxing with her family, often accompanied by a well-earned craft beer.
Her professionalism, experience, and approachable nature continue to make her a key contributor to the ongoing success of Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants.
Experience That Builds Confidence
Our principal, Ben Stockbridge, leads a skilled team with extensive experience in accounting, tax management, and business advisory. Together, we bring a balanced mix of tradition and innovation; using modern systems like Xero and MYOB to deliver efficient, transparent results. Every service is tailored to each client’s situation, ensuring decisions are based on sound financial insight and reliable data.
Dedicated to Wellington Businesses
We are proudly based in Wellington Central and work closely with clients across surrounding suburbs such as Johnsonville, Thorndon, Kelburn, and Miramar. Our long-standing reputation reflects a commitment to the region’s growth, helping local enterprises and individuals manage finances with confidence. At Long & Cowan, we continue to uphold the values that have guided us since 1940; trust, precision, and professional excellence.
Our History
Since its inception, Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants has evolved with one clear purpose: to provide trusted financial guidance supporting businesses across Wellington.
Early Beginnings
Originally, the firm traces its roots to an accounting practice inherited by Hiram Long in 1990. He took over from his colleague Allen Dale and, faced with increased workload, invited Neville Cowan to join the practice as a partner. At that time Neville brought a strong background in public-sector financial administration, having served as treasurer at Wellington City Council. The partnership thus gave rise to the name Long + Cowan.
Transition to New Leadership
Following Hiram’s retirement, Neville Cowan continued operating the firm under the Long + Cowan name until 1999. In that year, Ben Stockbridge purchased the firm and became Principal and Owner. Since then he has led the firm, bringing extensive experience in management accounting, audit work, and business advisory.
Growth and Local Legacy
Under Ben’s leadership, Long + Cowan has deepened its presence in Wellington and the surrounding region. The firm has maintained its office on Lambton Quay in the Wellington central business district, very near the site of its original premises. Over the decades, the firm has established a reputation for being a trusted advisor to small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as individuals, across a wide range of sectors.
Commitment to Today
Today, Long + Cowan Chartered Accountants offers a full suite of services including accounting, tax planning, business advisory, audit, payroll, and cloud-software integration. The firm remains committed to practical business information and helping clients improve performance, reduce costs, and increase productivity. The leadership of Ben Stockbridge ensures continuity of vision and action, built on nearly fifty years of experience in New Zealand and overseas.
A Firm for the Future
Looking forward, Long + Cowan remains focused on combining personal service, specialist expertise, and modern digital tools such as online accounting platforms to deliver value. The firm continues to reflect its heritage while evolving to meet the changing needs of the Wellington business community.
