Finely grounded

Why did you train as an ACA?

I already knew I wanted to work in finance while at school. I talked to an accountant at a careers fair, who spoke highly of the ACA qualification and recommended it as a good starting point; as well as being a highly reputable qualification, they said it would give me a grounding and the skills for a career in finance.

I studied economics and international finance at Oxford Brookes University. As part of my degree, I spent a year at California State University in Sacramento through the international university exchange. I also undertook a placement at Airbus, where I spent most of my time interpreting financial information for engineers. I tried to make that information a priority, which was a challenge. I decided I would prefer an advisory role, working with a mix of clients and having a direct influence on decision-makers. 

And why Old Mill in the West Country?

Old Mill appealed as it is both an accounting and a wealth management firm, offering company and individual financial advice. I work closely with the wealth management team looking creatively at whether an owner’s business strategy might help them achieve their personal financial goals. It’s a good catalyst for most of my work, which is buy-side.

How did you find ACA study?

It’s no small task, but being able to learn and apply the technical knowledge to day-to-day work made the process so much better. I could have studied accounting at university, but it would have been too far removed from the application of the learning. It is a well-rounded qualification that has stood me in good stead and I draw from all the papers to a greater or lesser extent. I enjoy learning and so I went on to do the ICAEW/CISI diploma in corporate finance, the first person at Old Mill to do so.

How has your role developed?

I trained in audit and when I was close to qualifying, the corporate finance partner invited me to help develop our offering. He sold it well – corporate finance was a complete unknown to me, but sounded fun. We had no processes or outline of training and have built it from the ground up. We are now a team of five and I was promoted to manager in July 2022. 

Primarily, my work is transaction support for owner-managed businesses, whether through sale, management buy-out or employee ownership trusts. I also head up the buy-side work, which includes due diligence and raising finance. We cover a range of sectors, but have some natural specialisms in food and drink, property and construction, manufacturing and IT, with the average deal size between £5m and £10m. The majority of our work is based on our existing client portfolio, but we are proactive in sharing mandates with other corporate finance teams in the South West. We definitely expect to grow our client base.

Any memorable deals? 

Earlier this year I assisted Equity Networks on its private equity investment from Coniston Capital. My role now is on its buy-and-build strategy. Its first acquisition post-investment was completed in April and I have started due diligence on a second target. 

Both targets are IT-managed services providers in the local area. Being able to keep in touch and retain continuity with clients is why I enjoy buy-side transactions so much. 

And future ambitions?

As the team continues to grow, I plan to remain a key part of that growth. I’m particularly keen to understand and incorporate technology into the role, making it efficient and accessible.

Partnership is definitely on my mind, but there are things outside of work – such as sports and volunteering – that are also important to me. I sit on the ICAEW South West network board as a young member. 

We host social and CPD-based events and keep all members updated, including retirees. We encourage them to engage with ICAEW to ensure that they have a voice in regulatory affairs. I really enjoy it and want to continue representing my profession. It’s one of the best ways that I can give back to a qualification that has been great for me.