Malley began his career working in finance at the
Commonwealth Bank. He quit the job and began working as a finance lecturer first at the
University of Western Sydney, and then as an accounting academic at
Macquarie University from 1993. In 2006, Malley was an associate professor in accounting and was allegedly allowed to resign his position at the university, including his elected position on the university council, under a confidential settlement reached following complaints that he allegedly directed many of his first-year students to undertake paid tutorials through his wife's company, in return for bonus marks in his courses. Following his departure from Macquarie University, in late 2006 Malley was appointed chief executive officer of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand. Malley left this role in late 2009, when he was appointed CEO of
CPA Australia; he remained a director of the Urological Society until November 2015 and on his departure was awarded honorary membership of the society.
CPA Australia In 1998, Malley was elected to the NSW divisional council of the professional accounting body, CPA Australia, and in 2000 unsuccessfully applied to be the NSW division's director. In October 2007 Malley was appointed as the president of CPA Australia. In early 2009, Malley stepped down as president and was succeeded by his former Macquarie University colleague, Professor Richard Petty, and was appointed the CEO of the organisation in July 2009, commencing from 12 October 2009. As CEO of CPA Australia, Malley came under significant criticism in the media and from CPA members in 2017 for his $1.8 million annual salary and for the significant amounts of CPA funds going towards promoting Malley and his personal interests, such as
a paid television show and Malley's book,
The Naked CEO. On 15 June, a further three directors resigned due to the expanding scandal surrounding Malley and the remaining board initiated an independent review of all claims made against CPA and its CEO, to be chaired by former chief of the
Australian Defence Force,
Angus Houston. However, even the decision to create the review came under criticism when it was revealed that Houston had appeared as guest on Malley's TV program and had written a glowing foreword in Malley's book. Houston later resigned his post in favour of former
Commonwealth Auditor-General, Ian McPhee. The subsequent review report released in September 2017 found that the "chief executive was overpaid, [CPA Australia] had lost touch with its members and provided questionable value for money for the services it rendered." In addition to CPA's "over-emphasis on marketing and brand building activities that centred on the former CEO", the review in particular noted the excessive CEO's salary, with its many increases over several years not being justified by organisational growth. In January 2019, following the recommendations of the 2018 AGM, Malley and three previous directors (Penny Egan, Richard Petty, and Graeme Wade) were stripped of their Life Memberships by the Board for their involvement in the controversy.
Australian Chiropractors Association In July 2022, it was revealed that Malley had taken the position of CEO of the
Australian Chiropractors Association, which was based at its headquarters in Melbourne. On his appointment, Joe Aston of the
Australian Financial Review opined: "The ACA has hired someone even more skilled at manipulation than they are", while the
Sydney Morning Herald noted: "Perhaps the back scratchers have short memories ... [Malley is] Proof, if ever, that there’s hope for the cancelled yet." ==References==