Why did you choose accountancy?
My favourite subjects at school were Economics/ Business studies and Maths. I wanted a career that linked in well to these subjects so accountancy was a smart choice for me. I also wanted to qualify as soon as possible and without racking up debt and soon ascertained that this route was the best rather than attending university (one year lighter and thousands of pounds better off).
Where did you train for your work?
Ensors Chartered Accountants in Ipswich – good times!!
What was the best holiday that you have had? Where and why?
Honeymoon in Mauritius – pure luxury!
What car do you currently drive?
BMW 1 Series and a Tank of a Volvo XC90 when transporting the kids!
What car would you like to drive?
BMW X7
What is your favourite sport (spectator)?
Football
What is your favourite sport (participant)?
Golf
Where is your favourite place in Suffolk?
Belstead village – walking my dog through the woodland and across the countryside
What would your best meal look like Starter, Main course and Dessert?
Duck Filo parcels
Steak
Sticky toffee pudding
Best restaurant to eat at?
SaltRock Grill, Indian Shores, Florida
Name two people that have influenced you and why.
My Head of Sixth form at St Joseph’s College Ipswich, Mike Davey – he had a fantastic energy about him – very engaging and extremely bubbly. He had a way of communicating with myself and fellow sixth formers that made sure that everyone felt valued. He was one of the most respected and respectful men that I have ever known – a true gent and ideal role model.
A previous boss during a spell in my career when I began to doubt myself and wonder what I was in this “game” for. I was working for a multinational organisation in a senior finance leadership position, responsible for all of the financial reporting in my part of the business as well as a team of more than 12 accountants and finance ops team members. I hit a crossroads whereby I was concerned that I was going to have make some fundamental changes to my behaviour in order to progress. We got in to some deep and meaningful conversations around what success “looked like” for me and this helped me to better assess where I was in my career at that stage and then how I could take control of my situation in order to ensure that I stayed on the path to the success as defined by myself. This is fundamentally what led me to “go it alone” before joining forces with Louise more than three years ago!!