Darwin-based Gaurav says colleagues and clients in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane express surprise when they learn he works from the Northern Territory.

The now Lead Partner of Deloitte’s Government Incentives team nationally, arrived in the company’s Darwin office in 2009 for a “career adventure”.

After graduating with a Business Law degree from Sydney’s Macquarie University Gaurav took up a scholarship at the University of Vienna in 2008.

In 2009 a position became available in Deloitte’s Darwin office and he thought it might offer an opportunity to briefly experience life in the Top End.

His first week in Darwin saw the start of a relationship with then fellow Deloitte employee, Nisita, to whom he is now married. They have two children Gia,7, and four-year-old Ari.

Gaurav did try to break the Territory’s hold in 2012 when he took a job in a law firm in Perth. But it wasn’t long before he contacted Deloitte and asked to return to the Darwin office.

“It took six months until I realised, I loved the Territory and I missed it.”

“That experience has made me more reluctant to move away,” says Gaurav.

“The people here are very welcoming and open minded and there is such cultural diversity. The lifestyle is amazing and the opportunities here are incredible”

He says there are occasions when he phones colleagues or clients, and when he explains he is in Darwin they think he has taken time out from a holiday to talk to them.

“It is a bit of an unusual one, I’m the only one of my colleagues based in a non-mainstream centre. It’s a bit of a case of Collins Street versus Mitchell Street.”

Gaurav became a partner in Deloitte in 2017 and now leads Deloitte’s Government Incentives team nationally as well as NT Government and Public Sector Advisory Business.

Deloitte’s Mitchell Street office on the 11th floor of the TIO Building has more than 60 staff.

“And we’re growing at a fast rate of knots. We’ve been here since the sixties and have a long-term commitment to the Territory.”

The Darwin office provides services in three key areas:

• Audit and Assurance
• Tax and Legal
• Consulting

They do this with a particular focus on infrastructure, energy and resources, climate and sustainability and defence.

Deloitte’s NT vision statement is to make a meaningful difference to the lives of all Territorians.

Coincidentally, one of Gaurav’s personal passions is very much in line with Deloitte’s vision statement and that is his volunteer role with The Y Northern Territory, which has more than 430 staff across their youth services, recreation and aquatics and children’s services.

He took up a board position in 2018 becoming President in 2020. This has led to him joining the organisation’s national board where he chairs the Strategic Oversight and International Committee.

And he is passionate about a number of the Y’s initiatives, including the organisation’s efforts for young people living in remote Indigenous communities.

The Y Northern Territory has developed a remote pools project as a new operating model for swimming pools in remote communities serving more than 6,000 people. The project aims to improve health inequalities for people, particularly young Indigenous people in remote parts of the Territory.

“It’s something we are incredibly proud about.”

The Y has a continued partnership with City of Darwin to manage their community pools, including the newly-redeveloped Casuarina Aquatic and Leisure Centre – a modern family-friendly and inclusive facility for everyone in the community to enjoy.

Gaurav is also enthusiastic about the Northern Territory Youth Parliament, another program managed by The Y. This provides the aspiring leaders of tomorrow, aged 15-25, the opportunity to play out the role of politicians by spending time in the chamber of NT Parliament debating legislation.

“Did you know The Y is the biggest provider of childcare places in Darwin?” he asks.

His role at Deloitte is busy, but he is still able to find time for the important things outside of work like his family and The Y.

Gaurav is incredibly passionate about helping build a better Territory, and sees a very bright future in the north. He might be a long way from his colleagues in Collins Street, but he is very content with Mitchell Street.