When he finished high school, Chris Gebhardt joined the army to fly helicopters . . . but fortunately for Oreon (and his clients), a change of circumstances led him to Uni and eventually to a job in accounting. His career quickly took off: He was appointed a director of that accounting firm at 27, and bought the practice two years later. After a later merger and then 15 years as a director in a large mid-tier firm, Chris joined the Oreon Partners team in 2018.
Chris works with many clients in agribusiness and associated services (including transport, manufacturing, retail and wholesale) that sees him regularly on the road in rural areas, but he has a diverse client portfolio across many industries. He enjoys assisting with business development, workflow management and providing commercial advice, and is often found travelling to visit his clients on-site and in person. He greatly enjoys interacting and engaging with his clients, getting to understand their businesses and helping them achieve their goals. Chris believes in long-term client relationships that deliver enjoyable work experiences. He still has several clients from when he first started in the profession, working with many of them for over 15 years.
As a Partner, Chris assists the wider Oreon team in the areas of marketing, operations and finance, as well as serving as a team leader and mentor for other staff. Outside of work, Chris manages his farm, tending to vineyards and cattle, and has some bad habits with sportscars and red wine.