What has been your career path so far?

Having qualified as a chartered accountant in 1999, I moved into the training world.  I worked for a small business school where I taught cross ICAEW, ACCA and CIMA qualifications.  I taught mainly business and financial management subjects and particularly enjoyed ‘coaching’ students to pass the case study exam.  Many of the students I taught from 2018 onwards were apprentices and I could see the value in that route to qualification, as long as the apprentice and employer invested in the philosophy.  After twenty-three years of training, I needed a different challenge but wanted to remain in an organisation where there was a genuine commitment to training and development.

What attracted you to Sayer Vincent?

Sayer Vincent has a culture that understands the value of training.  The desire of the firm to ensure that the trainees have a fulfilling and enjoyable training experience is obvious and something I was attracted to.  They wanted to launch the apprenticeship scheme for the right reasons – to enable driven individuals to develop into the best possible chartered accountants they can be.  From my previous role, I had seen how valuable the apprenticeship scheme could be if properly resourced and Sayer Vincent shared this view. In addition, their ambition to recruit school leavers from the local community is also exciting and will bring a new dynamic to an already energetic trainee group. 

What do you enjoy about your job?

I have always enjoyed working with people at the start of their career who have an enthusiasm and desire to learn – working with trainees at Sayer Vincent has continued this opportunity.  Every day, I see and hear all my colleagues performing excellent service for the charity and social purpose sector and it is inspiring to be part of an organisation that wants to provide such a valuable service to its clients and society more broadly.  Sayer Vincent has always invested in trainees, many of whom go on to work in the sector. Playing a small part in the process that contributes to the future financial health of charities and social purpose organisations is rewarding.  The firm is not sleeping, it is growing and always looking for ways to provide an even better service – it is exciting to be a part of this next chapter. 

Tell us something people may not know?

I love the sea and the endless ‘free’ recreation it provides, from surfing, snorkelling, and coasteering to simply walking along its edge and watching the sun go down. I want to live by the sea, in the not-too-distant future, and hope it will still be there when that time eventually comes around. 

What do you get up to outside of work?

I enjoy spending time with my family and the good company of friends.  I am a keen sports fan and will watch most sport, but in particular football and cricket.  I am a season ticket holder at Walsall FC, not that the football is enjoyable, but getting to experience the many lows and occasional highs with my two sons continues to be great fun.  Lately, having realised my football career is over, I have taken up golf – a frustrating game that I will probably never master, but I will enjoy the challenge.  I enjoy gardening and also walking, especially when there is a hill with a view at the top.