Moving up…two 
new associates

“Undertaking the training and getting qualified is of great importance but we recognise that our newly qualified personnel have a long career ahead of them and amongst the challenges the practice must recognise is the need to be able to meet their career aspirations, in a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Jeff is pleased to confirm that both Simon Lawrence and Sam Carter have successfully completed the Associate Programme and demonstrated the level of commitment and ability to be formally recognised in this respect.

Simon Lawrence has been with the practice for a number of years, having worked at both Ashdown Hurrey and previously with the McCabe Ford Williams, Hastings office, which merged with the practice in the 1990s. Having qualified, Simon followed a reasonably traditional career development as a General Practitioner but it was changes in the role of audit which led to him establish niche skills. Simon recalls “When I first joined the profession, most limited companies required an audit and as a result, most of us were involved in this function. As time passed, turnover exemptions from audit were significantly raised and nowadays it is only the larger company clients of the practice who are obliged to have an audit and this makes it a much more specialised activity. Five or six years ago, I was offered the opportunity of becoming more specifically involved with the audits and I saw this as an opportunity to develop my own audit knowledge and also to be actively involved at a senior level. I now work with Audit Partner, Stuart Rosling, to organise and undertake the practice’s audits and as this activity is subject to significant regulation, we are kept on our toes ensuring that everything is dealt with correctly.” Jeff comments “Simon has shown real commitment in ensuring that the practice’s auditing function delivers at the highest levels and this commitment from him, together with his other responsibilities, means that the practice is very pleased to welcome him as an Associate, which is our way of recognising the importance of his role.”

Sam Carter has been with the practice for ten years and having obtained first time passes on all his exams, has been keen to make his way through the ranks. Sam enjoys getting out and about and being an active member of the local business community and sees himself as a client-getter as well as having the technical abilities to deliver the service clients demand.

Mark Weeks-Pearson, the partner in charge of Sales & Marketing, says “Sam has shown a real willingness to get involved in promoting the business and really understands the importance of client care. We recognise the need to be visible for the different user groups of accounts and also to be able to demonstrate to potential clients that we have the necessary skills to provide the level of professional service needed. Sam is particularly keen to commit in this direction - he enjoys client contact and, as importantly, liaising with the financial community generally, which we see as an important part of our function.” Sam comments “Whilst the rest of my colleagues and I are always looking to attract new clients to the practice so that it can continue to grow, this is never done to the detriment of existing clients. We always ensure that all clients receive the same level of service which has been supported by taking on no less than six new staff this year”. Sam and his colleagues have found that the best marketing tool has been to do a great job for existing clients, which can lead to recommendations.

The practice is pleased to see home-grown recruits rising to the career opportunities available. It is not just about qualifying and stagnating, careers are long and demanding and it is good to see that another two team members are achieving the highest levels of success within the practice.