The Professional Speaks

In this episode I am joined by Ross Stupart who is Regional Managing Partner for Scotland & Northern Ireland AND Regional Head of Tax at RSM - a global audit, tax and consulting professional services firm. Topics discussed include what his steepest learning curves have been, what targets he set himself as a tax leader and what skills the senior tax leaders of tomorrow should have.Outline:00:00-05:02: Intro and background05:03- 07:20: His role as regional Managing Partner for Scotland and Northern Ireland at RSM07:21-18:50: Career journey between professional services and industry18:51-21:31: What is the most important skill a tax advisor should have?21:32-31:15: Learning in times of crisis as a leader31:16-39:00: Managing targets set by a firm and setting personal targets to further help clients, current and new39:01-END: Personal and professional goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lynne Walker is CEO of Johnston Carmichael, which is a UK Accountancy firm of just under 1,000 people. Unlike many CEOs of such a business, she lives in a town of 10,000 people in the north of Scotland.Topics discussed include how she manages work and life whilst leading and driving the business forward, how the role of CEO has evolved over the last 5 years and her advice on opening new doors whilst not closing doors behind you. Timings of episode00:00-02:23: Introduction and background02:24-07:20: The journey from Partner to CEO07:21-10:08: Understanding board-level decisions and challenges of being a CEO 10:09-12:29: How has the CEO role evolved over the last 5 years?12:30-15:25: How does Lynne manage being the CEO of nearly 1,000 people across the UK when she lives in a small town in the north of Scotland? 15:26-18:57: Taking chances and being adaptable to fulfil ambition 18:58-21:53: 90 years of Johnston Carmichael21:54-23:42: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Holloway is a Tax Partner & Head of Equity Rewards & Venture Capital Schemes at Cooper Parry which is a UK-based advisory and accountancy firm, backed by US private equity firm, Lee Equity Partners. Interestingly, he was employee no.1 of the firm in Scotland (which at the time had over 2,000 employees based in England) but that was nearly a year after he had turned down an offer to join them.So, what changed for him? What changed for them? Why did he join with no other colleagues to work alongside in his region? Tune in to hear so much more from this super interesting and honest chat with Andrew. Timings of episode:00:00-04:50: Introduction and background04:50-: 07:35: Why tax?07:35-15:46: Why did you want to specialise in reward tax and what is it?15:47-20:45: Why did Andrew first turn down an offer from Cooper Parry and then why did he join as employee no.1 in Scotland for Cooper Parry?20:46-27:00: How working for a firm with high growth mentality and high risk has been an enormous but fun learning curve. 27:01-31:58: Discussing the different environments of LLP, large mid-tier and PE-backed.31:59-36:40: 'The Rebels of Accountancy’ - who would be a good fit?36:41-38:12: Plans for Cooper Parry in Scotland over the next few years38:13-45:10: What does his voluntary role with Patrick Thistle Football Club’s ‘The Jags Foundation' involve?45:11-48:10: Personal and professional goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melanie and Tom had been working together for years under different companies and then they decided to take their effective working relationship into their own hands and launch their own corporate finance business, Quantify Advisors. In their first year, Quantify advised on 14 completed deals with a cumulative deal value in excess of £150 million. This episode discusses their evolving personal brand journey, the learning curve of being a business owner and how they create added value for their clients.Timings for episode00:00-5:35: Introduction and how they met5:36-7:56: The story so far of Quantify Advisors 7:57-9:11: The learning curve of being business owners and wearing lots of different hats9:12-14:45: Differentiating as a new brand in a competitive market14:46-21:29: Working to strengths and navigating personal branding21:30-23:45: What are Tom and Melanie learning as leaders?23:46-31:19: What AI can and can’t do to add value in corporate finance 31:20-34:29: Commentary on the corporate finance and private equity market in 2026 and deal flow for Quantify34:30-36:06:Being consultative by building relationships with clients36:07-40:15: Personal and professional goals for the next 12 months  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iain Wright decided to launch his own tax consultancy rather than pursue the next career milestone in professional services as a Partner. He was questioned and faced doubters, but he backed himself and launched Claritas Tax in 2012 with a dream of growing it into a larger business. Regarded as the UK’s largest independent tax consultancy, it now has over 70 employees, which will increase after a recent acquisition. This episode covers the journey so far, provides more information about the firm, its culture, and also discusses the importance of hiring and retaining talent for a growing firm. TIMINGS OF EPISODE00:00-03:31: Introduction and background03:32- 06:10: Who are Claritas Tax?06:11-11:06: Why did Iain set up Claritas rather than pursue Partnership for an already established firm?11:07-17:49 The journey of Claritas Tax (the first 1-3 years) and why some of the early hires have been loyal till this day?17:50-19:24: Executing the strategy of growing Claritas Tax in the early days19:25-22:45: Iain’s approach to recruitment and how it has evolved22:46-30:44: Building the culture at Claritas Tax and the process of hiring and retaining talent30:45-32:47: What might surprise people about a boutique firm like Claritas compared to a large established firm? 32:48-END: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamie Grant is Managing Director and Head of Corporate Banking for Scotland at Barclays Bank. He is also a Non-Executive Director (NED) for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. In this episode, we hear how Jamie took an opportunity to be part of growing Barclays in Scotland over 20 years ago, when it barely had a presence in comparison to having 7,000 employees now in Scotland. He discusses how working in professional services can develop you, how to gain clients in a competitive landscape and how he built successful teams. We also touch on Jamie’s first NED role, including the differences between working as an executive versus as a non-executive and advice for others who are seeking their first NED role. TIMINGS OF EPISODE00:00-02:58: Introduction and background02:59-06:55: From Ernst & Young’s mailroom to Trainee Accountant06:56-08:45: Transferring to South Africa with EY to management consulting08:46-10:22: How a career in Professional Services can develop you10:23-17:44: Moving from Bank of Scotland to grow the Barclays brand in Scotland17:45-22:50: How do you successfully gain clients in a competitive market22:51-24:17: Discussion on soft skills and creating a great culture with people with different strengths24:18-29:07: How Jamie built successful teams29:08-34:15: More on his role as Non-Executive Director for the Commonwealth Games for 2026 and advice for those seeking their first NED role34:16-37:12: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine McManus is a Tax Partner and Head of Tax at UK Accounting firm, Wbg, who were backed by private equity firm N4 Partners in 2024. Topics discussed include advice for public speaking at events, her journey to being a female leader and why there needs to be equality at all levels, not just at senior levels. Catherine also discusses the transition from working for an independent company to being private equity owned.OUTLINE OF TIMINGS00:00-08:15: Introduction and career journey08:16-11:15: Insight into winning 40 under 40 ‘one to watch’ by the Tax Journal11:16-16:19: Catherine’s career experience past and present of public speaking and advice for others16:20-21:01: Discussion about a complex tax case that stands out from her career21:31-: Discussion around a recent report that the BIG4 are missing female Partner targets25:13-28:28: Managing a balance between work and life28:29-32:25: How has the transition been with Wbg becoming private equity owned32:26-33:32: Professional and personal goals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Bonehill has a successful podcast dedicated to tax professionals and he also offers tax technical training but this is not his full time job. As well as this, Jack works as an Employment Tax Director for PKF Smith Cooper in their Birmingham office. In this episode, we find out more about how he manages to juggle having a side hustle whilst being a tax advising leader as well as some insight into him previously winning Tolley’s rising star award.Outline of Timings: 00:00-06:57: Introduction and background06:58-10:34: How did you get into employment tax?10:35-12:30: Jack’s approach towards winning work12:31-17:03: Why did Jack start a side hustle and specifically, The Tax Professionals Podcast?17:04-20:57: What Jack learned from trying to earn money from side hustles.20:58-25:29: Is the podcast what Jack hoped it to be? Discussing all the things to learn from doing a side hustle.25:30-28:12: What challenges are there of having a side hustle when working in professional services?28:13-31:05: Winning the Tolley’s rising star award. Why apply and what came from winning it?31:06-35:11: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investment Manager, Duncan Thorburn, discusses his career journey from banking to corporate finance and most recently into private equity, working for Foresight Group which invests up to £15m in companies across all sectors, stages and transaction types.  We cover a lot in this discussion such as the importance of mutual transparency between a company and an investor, the importance of backing people, how Foresight support growing companies and the accessibility to capital in Scotland. TIMINGS OF EPISODE00:00-11:22: Introduction, background and career journey discussion11:23-14:01: Skills learned in corporate finance that helped when making the move into private equity14:02-15:26: What is different about working in private equity than corporate finance?15:27-21:44: How do you practically back senior leadership in a business as a private equity investor?21:45-27:52: What information do companies typically seek from Foresight when it comes to understanding the investor? How crucial is mutual transparency in this process?27:53-34:20: What different ways do Foresight support growing companies in the UK?34:21-39:05: What is the private equity market like in Scotland in regards to access to capital? Duncan provides two recently completed deals as examples.39:06-40:47: How do you see the market for Private Equity in 2025?40:48-42:35: What professional and personal goals do you have for the next 12 months? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Graham Marjoribanks is Head of Audit and Assurance and also Vice-Chair of Johnston Carmichael which is a large UK Accountancy firm. In this discussion, Graham talks about how luck and working hard led to his career progression to Audit Partner and how he wants to encourage others who might not have their career planned out.We also discuss how saying YES to opportunities can really develop you and your career, how to know what to say yes and no to, and how Audit is becoming a more specialised career. OUTLINE OF EPISODE:00:0-02:10: Introduction of episode02:10-10:02: Graham’s background, career journey and experience working across Accountancy firms of different size10:03-12:30 What can be learned by working overseas in professional services12:31-15:14: The journey to Partner and how luck and working hard contributed15:15-17:45: Saying YES to opportunities that can push you to learn and help develop your career17:46-23:20: The importance of building relationships with clients to add value and differentiate yourself from others and learning how to get better at this23:21-31:56: How to know what to say yes and no to and practical ways to help determine this.31:57-35:00: Choosing hobbies that require learning to help mental energy so that you can effectively switch off but that can also help provide clarity on issues35:01-39:00: Discussion on the demand placed on Auditors in regards to increased regulation and quality standards39:01-41:35: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig Morrison is Head of Financial Planning and Analysis at Zonal, a successful technology supplier to UK pubs, restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality businesses. He talks about his career journey from Audit to finance and his goal to reach the C-suite. Other topics discussed include being the first in his family to go to University, his approach as an effective and supportive leader to help develop people and the fortunate experience of being exposed to board-level related work.   OUTLINE OF EPISODE: 00:00-02:04: Introduction 02:05-17:06: Introduction, background and career journey 17:07-18:30: Post-qualified experience. How is work impacted by not having exams to do anymore?18:31-20:26: Working in roles that align to your personality. 20:27-24:30: How balancing work and life has evolved and setting expectations of team members 24:31-29:13: Approach as a senior leader to developing people and the importance of trust 29:14-32:09: Being shaped as a senior leader and learning from working with C-suite leaders 32:10-33:43: Thinking about what C-suite path to take (CFO, COO, Executive)33:44-35:58: Knowing how to take the right path in your career 35:59-39:34: Mentoring young people as a volunteer for Career Ready39:35-41:23: Personal and professional goals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tsvetelina and her husband worked full-time when they co-founded their business, Thankbox, an online card and cash collection service. What started as a small project, developed into a part-time business and they then committed to working on it full-time. Her career started in Audit, training as a CA and moving into finance progressing to Head of Financial Planning & Analysis at Blackcircles.com. It was her time here that developed her the most and where she learnt the importance of being customer-focused and listening to the data that would ultimately influence how she developed Thankbox.In this episode, we also discuss how showing appreciation and thankfulness positively impacts culture and mental health. Outline of episode 00:00-04:27: Introduction and background 04:28-8:53: Moving to Scotland and tapping into ‘the force’ of her personality to break through barriers and prove others wrong 08:54-12:00: learning soft skills when training in professional services and progressing in finance from Accountant to Head of FP&A 12:01-13:44: Career pathway goals shifting from CFO to CEO/Owner route 13:45-:17:47 Creating ‘magic moments’ for customers and making decisions based on data 17:48-25:10: How Thankbox was born and the ups and downs of how it evolved with plenty learned!25:11-27:33: The significant impact that showing appreciation has on culture 27:34-31:35: The growing demand for Thankbox from the angle of showing appreciation to colleagues 31:36-35:33: Fear can be a challenge for a business owner or someone trying to grow a business 35:34-:38:24 Working on her own well-being and mental health. Partnering campaign with Mental Health UK in October.38:25-40:12: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ex-big4 Director, Roger Mayor, joined an independent advisory business earlier this year as a Corporate Finance Partner focusing on lead advisory. His career to date has largely been working in corporate finance and in professional services which we discuss further. Topics discussed include the skill of being commercially curious, corporate finance as a career, some highlights of deal completions he has worked on, and the importance of being invested in your clients and the best outcome for them. Outline of episode00:00-03:59: Introduction and background04:00-07:43: Making the move from Audit to Corporate Finance (CF) and the misconceptions made about working in CF07:44-10:08: What is needed to originate work and succeed in corporate finance? 10:09-12:55: The skill of being commercially curious12:56-20:40: Career journey walkthrough. Making decisions to develop skills and career20:41-25:38: Originating business through a network as a result of building and developing relationships25:39-30:35: Some career highlights from working in deals and being emotionally invested in clients 30:36-32:31: What has been keeping Roger busy in his first 6 months at HNH and what will the next 6 months bring?32:32-36:00: Why are there more successful years of deal completions than others?36:01-40:24: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Edwards decided to quit his job and set up on his own during the 2020 pandemic. Starting from scratch, he had to create the company and find business but he took confidence from the fact that his competitors were also giving tax advice from their house! Now a Tax Director and co-founder, James talks through the journey of launching his own professional services firm and all the ups and downs that go with it as well as being honest about the challenges with family life and health when working 7 days a week at times to grow the business. Other topics include insights around his approach to sales and marketing as well as personal branding. OUTLINE OF TIMINGS00:00-05:00: Introduction and background05:00-06:41: What led to working in personal tax?06:41-08:53: The story of setting up his tax advisory business. The motivation, opportunity and experience.08:53-10:54: Skills that helped James win business when starting from scratch10:54-13:59: What did he learn in the first year of business and having to unplug the phone13:59-15:55: Convincing someone (and their partner) to set up a company with you15:55-17:50: Risk appetite of James and Dean at Anderson & Edwards and hiring strategy17:50-21:16: Working 7 days a week, health suffering and missing children’s bedtime21:16-23:53: Being intentional about balancing work and life across work, family and health23:53-34:51: Approach to sales and marketing and personal branding34:51-36:44: “I’d rather be good than rich!”. Being motivated by finding the right answer is why I’m a tax advisor36:44-38:28: The enjoyment of working in professional services38:28-41:37: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melanie Clark recently joined a new independent Accountancy group backed by private equity as a Corporate Finance Partner. This is not her first time as a Partner and she discusses her career journey, which has always been in corporate finance. Topics discussed include her love and enjoyment of corporate finance and why being emotionally invested in clients means she can’t and doesn’t want to switch off from work. Topics covered also include juggling a career whilst being a Mum and coping with the volatility of corporate finance as a career.  OUTLINE OF TIMINGS00:00-8:44: Introduction and career journey including the power of personal brand08:45-11:32: The advantage of being part of a company brand and being private equity-backed11:33-18:19: Juggling being a working Mum in corporate finance and promoting flexibility at work18:20-20:11: Corporate finance becomes part of your personality and navigating through the volatility of the sector20:12-23:33: The challenge when being emotionally invested in clients and not being able to switch off23:34-26:16: The importance of support, individuals as well as strengths needed to be a successful Partner26:17-28:03: Personal and professional goals over the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stuart Brodie is currently a VAT Partner for a tax consultancy and he possesses a wealth of experience working in professional services across the big4, mid-tier and independent consultancies. As a VAT specialist, Stuart has advised many businesses and he covers some of the positive impacts his advice has had on clients. Topics discussed include his love for moulding the future which is why he has made the career moves he has, his belief that the best performing and balanced teams are those where people’s strengths are sharpened and the benefits of meeting clients face to face.  We also cover the importance of being authentic as an advisor and his niche hobby outside of work.Outline of timings: 00:00-11:14: Intro, background and career journey 11:15-12:29: Assessing whether a change of employer is a risk worth taking12:30-16:23: Making a significant impact on a business by being an advisor 16:24-20:39: Why there is no real substitute for meeting and dealing face-to-face 20:40-23:12: Why should we be authentic at work?23:13-27:19: building balanced and high-performing teams by focusing on each individual's strengths 27:20-28:07: Not needing to be a Partner but taking opportunities to get there 28:08-31:51: Reciting Robert Burns poems across the world 31:52-34:38: Personal and professional goals for the next 12 months  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Craig answers your questions about the podcast, wrapping up season one of The Professional Speaks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Docherty spent 13 years at big4 firm, EY, achieving Audit Partner after 12 years. However, after only a year in post, he left the firm and Audit to pursue an opportunity as a Partner in the global accounting and advisory business, CFGI, as their lead for Scotland and additional UK Partner.We discuss his journey to Partner at EY and CFGI as well as topics such as the stigma around being an ACCA student, appraisals and culture and his mindset when facing challenges and barriers.It was interesting to hear from someone who decided to take a different path so soon after becoming a Partner rather than the common route of being a Partner for a couple of decades and then going into industry as a CFO for example. It just shows how valuable working in Audit and professional services is!OUTLINE OF TIMINGS00:00-6:23: Introduction and how the journey into Audit and Accounting started6:24- 10:37: Training in the big four via the ACCA route and the perceived stigma around being an ACCA student10:38-14:16: His journey to Partner including secondments and opportunities that created loyalty14:16-15:15: What was enjoyable about working in Audit as he progressed in EY15:15-18:07: What helped Chris make that extra step to Partner and why did he stay in Audit rather than go into industry18:08-20:15: How should appraisals be done.20:16-25:08: Making sacrifices whilst working in big4 audit and studying to be an Accountant25:08-30:01: Why did Chris leave EY when he hadn’t been Partner for long?30:02-32:56: What does his current role as Partner at CFGI involve?32:57-35:36: Personal and professional goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce Cartwright is currently the CEO of ICAS and had previously spent 30 years in big4 restructuring with many of those as a Partner. We discuss the importance of ethics, especially as an Accountant and how to respond if faced with pressure to act unethically. Other topics include why and what he enjoyed about working in restructuring and professional services including some interesting stories. This is a really interesting episode filled with lots of stories, insights and advice.OUTLINE OF TIMINGS00:00-6:28:Introduction, upbringing and starting a career in Accounting6:28-12:00: The world of restructuring as a young person and “Cartwright says he HOPES people will get home for Christmas”12:00-17:11: Why did he stay in professional services and restructuring for 30 years? (and some chat about debits and credits!)17:12-19:26: Being the CEO of ICAS.19:27-23:32: “Ethical Leadership since 1854”. The strategy, vision and purpose of ICAS.23:32-26:58: The importance of ethics and trust is vitally important. Should Accountants be TESTED on ethics post-qualifying?26:58-39:10: Pressure on Accountants to act unethically and what to do, including his own experience.39:10-42:06: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As CEO of Entrepreneurial Scotland, Sean discusses his current role and the organisation’s flagship programme designed to find, grow and connect students with the ambition and potential of becoming future leaders for Scotland, called The Saltire Scholar Programme. We discuss his career from Sales and working for the likes of Red Bull to Accounting & Finance where he trained in the big four before moving into industry. Other topics include the challenge of being consumed by a job you are passionate about, managing your career and finding the best leaders of tomorrow. This podcast is for anyone looking to train as a chartered accountant, for anyone keen to hear about life in professional services and for senior leaders of any business.OUTLINE OF TIMINGS 00:00-6:38: Introduction. Sean’s upbringing and early career from Sales to Accounting. 6:39-9:04: Why he moved from sales to studying as a chartered accountant in his early 30’s. 9:05-12:09: How sales have helped his career and how having the chartered accountant status has helped. 12:10-15:39: Motivations for making career moves. What’s important to us should drive our decision-making. 15:40-19:51: What does being a senior leader in professional services require from your life?  19:52-23:53: Actively managing your career with opportunities to learn and develop as a leader.  23:54-31:44: The demands and responsibilities of his current role and how he needs to be better at separating work and personal life. 31:45-33:27: The importance of having a break and rest from work. 33:28-39:28: The Saltire Scholar Scholar Programme – finding the best young talent and tomorrow’s future leaders. 39:29-42:10: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With over 22 years of experience in Tax and a current Tax Partner, Alex talks about how growing up in a family of self-employed entrepreneurial people has helped her enjoy working as a private client tax advisor but also how it has helped her be an effective advisor to clients. Other topics discussed include how some difficult life changes for Alex have impacted her career, making her a better leader and professional to colleagues and clients. This podcast is for anyone looking to improve their advisory skills to clients in any discipline but also for those looking for inspiration on how to respond to difficult changes in life. Outline of timings: 00:00-01:09: TPS Intro 01:55-05:42: Introduction to Alex and her career in private client tax. Differences and similarities between professional services firms. 05:43-07:52: The enjoyment of working as an advisor to clients and the importance of relationships. 07:53-12:03: From Farmer’s daughter to strategic tax advisor. 12:04-15:03: Juggling life and work. Parenthood and being productive with our time. 15:04-17:27: Working in Private Client Tax when the economy is struggling. 17:28-: Being resilient in life and at work. How big changes in life impacted Alex and how she responded to them personally and as a professional. 21:00-25:30: Being authentic at work, to your clients and other tips on being an effective tax advisor. 25:31-28:18: Why it’s never been easier to win new business. 28:19-33:12: Income tax increases in Scotland in April 2024, and the challenge for talent. 33:13-35:22: AI/Tech in professional services but why relationships between people will never die. 35:23-38:11: Personal and professional goals for the next 12 months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allan Dowie is a Partner in the private equity firm he co-founded called N4 Partners. In his career, he has held board positions including CFO and CEO across a variety of sectors and he has also worked in professional services and consulting.  Allan talks about his entrepreneurial ventures, the life plan he set out to achieve early on in his 20s, the opportunity to upskill whilst working in professional services, and how running the Marathon Des Sables - a distance of 6 marathons in 6 days in the Sahara Desert – helps him achieve in business. Other topics discussed include the private equity trend in professional services and what 2024 might look like for businesses in Scotland.OUTLINE OF TIMINGS 00:00-6:45: What type of firms N4 invests in. 6:46-8:39: How does 2024 look for businesses in Scotland. Recruitment challenges in Scotland. 8:40-13:38: Entrepreneurship in Allan’s life through multiple business ventures and applying his mindset to his career.  13:39-17:16: The Art of Thinking Big. Planning out his career from his early 20s to get into senior leadership roles and the sacrifices along the way. 17:17-19:24: The importance of networking and having a network. 19:25-23:02: Choosing to gain experience in professional services to add value to his skillset and knowledge, ultimately helping him in his career. 23:03-25:55: Why running the Marathon Des Sables in the Sahara Desert is the best thing he has ever done for his mental mindset. 25:56-30:01: What makes a good leader? 30:02-32:02: The different paths to work in Private Equity. 32:03-34:52: Why Private Equity investment in professional services will continue. 34:53-37:19: Professional and personal goals for the next 12 months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Taylor is the CFO of Rangers Football Club. His first year at the club has so far included a change of Football Manager and a trophy for the Men’s team with a lot more to play for before the season ends. However in this episode, we explore more off-the-pitch aspects such as his career goal to be a CFO in the world of sport, why finance professionals should understand marketing and commercialism, and the Rangers 2030 strategy centered around the club’s biggest and most important stakeholder group, the supporters. This episode is not only for sports fans but is also for aspiring finance professionals. Enjoy!OUTLINE OF TIMINGS 0:00-6:11: Introduction and family influence on wanting to work in the world of sport. 6:12-12:11: From professional services to Finance. Learning how to communicate financial performance to different audiences. 12:12-16:27: Working in Product control, living in Singapore, and adapting to new surroundings (*apologies for the doors banging in the background but hospitality staff were preparing for the match that evening*) 16:28-18:16: Upskilling in areas of strategy and commercial finance to prepare for working in sport. Learning how to build the revenue line as a finance professional. Successful commercial performance at Rangers in recent years. 18:17-26:45: Taking the leap to that first CFO role and building strong trustworthy relationships with senior leadership including at Rangers. 26:46-28:55: Moving into hospitality and then the world of sport.  28:56-32:24: What aspiring CFO’s should think about upskilling in and gaining experience of. 32:25-37:02: The importance of a culture of honesty and transparency especially with stadiums full of supporters. Working on building a successful winning Rangers. 37:03-39:53: Managing working capital successfully, making Rangers more profitable, and providing the best possible product on and off the football pitch. 39:54-42:18: The excitement of working at Rangers and everything about working in elite-level sport. The impact of the new Men’s Manager (Clement). 42:19-44:34: Momentum. Goals for James and the Finance team to make tangible positive differences to the club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colin has an Internal Audit career of over 20 years across professional services and different industries where he has progressed into senior leadership roles. In this episode, Colin talks about how his external audit training helped him transition into Internal Audit, how important it is to have personal resilience especially when work can feel isolating, and the benefit of being part of a large network such as the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors. Other topics discussed include using his governance skills to help mentor a football club and the challenges the profession is facing.Outline of Timings: 00:00-5:51: Introduction and transitioning from external audit to internal audit 5:52-8:38: Differences between Internal audit in professional services and in industry 8:39-12:02: How to deal with the feeling of isolation in internal audit 12:03-14:28: Having personal resilience and the benefits of being part of a large network such as the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors 14:29-20:50: Added responsibilities of being in a senior leadership role and facing different challenges 20:51-22:23: How to implement change including when there might be resistance  22:24-31:!6: The impact of changes in the internal audit landscape and why internal audit can offer a great career 31:17-41:01: Skills learned from mentoring a football club and mentoring chartered accountants with ICAS and goals for the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As an Audit Partner with over 17 years of experience in external Audit, James discusses what he enjoys about working in the profession that has kept him from exploring non-audit roles after qualifying as a chartered accountant. Other topics discussed include the mindset needed for Partnership or owning your own business, the importance of effective networking, an approach to learning soft skills from senior leaders, and changes in Audit and wider professional services through technology and private equity. This episode is for Auditors, aspiring professionals, and anyone else looking for words of wisdom to help with their career.Outline of timings:0:00-6:00: Introduction and career journey 6:00-8:44: What is enjoyable about working in Audit 8:45-10:28: Learning soft skills alongside technical knowledge and application from senior leaders 10:29-13:06: Knowing that Partnership was where he wanted to get to 13:07-14:45: Professional services is a fantastic industry to gain unique exposure to many senior people to learn from 14:46-20:40: The mindset of being a Partner in professional services or as an owner of a business 20:41-23:51: Support network when making the step into Partnership 23:52-29:01: Balancing work and life in professional services 29:02-32:19: Mental health and the importance of staying fit and healthy 32:20-35:09: Going above and beyond to exceed expectations 35:10-40:14: The importance of effective networking 40:15-44:00: Improving relationships that might not have started in the best way 44:01-48:58: Changes to Audit and professional services through technology and private equity 49:00-51:15: Goals in his work and life over the next 12 months Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Glasgow to New York and New Zealand, Karen discusses her Audit and Finance career and what she has learnt from her experiences. Topics include the importance of having a senior leader who can challenge you for your own development, how we can develop our soft skills and her first experience of being a Non-Executive Director. This episode is for you whether you work in professional services or industry, if you question whether you’re learning enough from senior leaders or if you are a senior leader wondering if you are having enough of a positive impact on people’s development. Outline of timings:2:09-4:29: Career and current role. 4:30-7:04: Calculated risk. Grabbing opportunities that might be perceived as risky but going for them if the risk is worth taking. 7:05-10:22: Developing soft skills. 10:23-15:53: Progressing in her career because of the inner motivation to add value rather than because of sole ambition or being competitive. 15:54-21:30: Being shaped by senior leaders as well as through working in Audit and Professional Services. 21:31-25:11: Why I moved from professional services to industry but what I missed from Audit. 25:12-32:00: Developing yourself without formal CPD and thinking about the bigger picture to do a better job and also positively impact others. 32:01-37:02: What is having a balance between work and life in professional services? 37:03-40:08: Mentorship. Learning from current and past mentors to help your career but also to help others when you are in a senior leader position. 40:09-46:37: What Karen has learnt from her first Non-Executive Director (NED) role and her goals for the next 12 months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Vishal talks about the demands of working in professional services but how and why he has enjoyed working in the sector for over 20 years on his progression to Partnership and as Head of Tax. Vishal covers other topics including what skills and attributes to work on if aiming to be a Partner one day, the importance of having a support network when taking on a senior leadership role and how a leader should support people’s career development by understanding what the right thing for them is, even if it might result in losing top talent from your own team. Whether you are a senior leader in professional services, industry or an aspiring senior leader, this is a must listen to (and watch on YouTube for the fantastic background!). OUTLINE OF TIMINGS 02:09-3:40: Introduction and Autumn statement chat 3.40-6:51: More about his current role as Head of Tax for Scotland. Appetite to be a Partner and the career journey in over 20 years of professional services 6.52-9:35: Risk appetite for making decisions at work and in life and having a support network. 9:36-11:07: Mentorship inside and outside your organisation. 11.08-16:00: The importance of managing his energy and what he enjoys about Professional Services. 16.01-18:55: Approaching difficult situations and learning from them. 18.56-21:11: Professional Services v Industry. Knowing whether to leave practice or stay. Thinking about your career. 21.12-23:58: How to work with other senior direct reports in regards to making decisions. 23.59-25:04: Making a decision as the key decision maker. 25.05-27:36: How to create an inclusive culture as a senior leader. 27.37-30:46: Mental health. How to know your colleagues well enough. 30.47-33:59: What does a Partner look for in someone to join in a senior management capacity role. What should people focus on in their career who aspire to be a senior leader one day. 34.00-38:43: Supporting people’s career development as a leader and how to deal with an important person who resigns. 38.44-40:00: Motivations to consider behind moving to a new company.  40:01-45:06: How to stay mentally strong as a senior leader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Harry talks about the different environments he has worked in ranging from large Accountancy firms to large banks and boutique advisory firms. He talks about being motivated by doing what you enjoy and believe in and he also discusses mental health, effective leadership and emotional intelligence.He also says “As you get older you realise that it’s the not doing things we tend to regret rather than the doing things”. Sound advice for those earlier on in their careers to take good opportunities in their firm or elsewhere. Episode Outline and Highlights: 4.22 – 6.55: Having drive, motivation and resilience. Do something you enjoy and are passionate about to help stay motivated. 7.07 – 8.12: Harry talks about working in smaller environments which give opportunities to have more influence and do something you are more aligned to and believe in. 11.20 – 14.55: Risk appetite and DNA of a person important for culture as well as for making career decisions. As you become more experienced, you tend to regret not doing things than doing things. 14.56 – 17.28: Working in Professional Services and the importance of building good relationships even with competitors. 19.00 – 23:01: You can’t over-communicate. Communication is key. 23.02 – 27.29: Mentorship. Formal mentorship and informal mentorship. 27.30 – 30.35: Introvert but getting comfortable with networking and being authentic when doing so. 30.36 – 36.37: Being aware of our mental health and the importance of having a work and life balance. Share difficult times with people and don’t tackle it alone. 36.38 – 40.49: Effective leadership is matching your authenticity in who you are, to a role you are in. Sometimes the best leaders are the quiet ones in a team! 40.50 – 44.54: Approach to failure or disappointments.To find out more about Craig, click "episode website". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.