Two years ago as part of our 35th anniversary celebrations we met ten high flying accountants under the age of35 and examined their impressive careers. Now, two years, on we take a look at how their careers have progressed
1. Alex Horne, group finance director, FA
Alex Horne’s appointment as the FA’s finance boss was seen as a bold stroke two
years ago. His ability to seek out such challenges hasn’t diminished. He has
been entrusted with the ultimate responsibility – getting Wembley finished.
Horne was appointed as managing director of the Wembley Stadium project at the
end of 2006.His objective is now to get Wembley through the vital final stages
so that it can open later this year.
2. Sean McCallion, partner, KPMG
Sean McCallion was working on secondment at the CBI as an executive assistant to
Sir Digby Jones when we profiled him two years ago. And just as Sir Digby has
returned to practice at Deloitte, so McCallion is back at KPMG. Then a director,
he has since moved up to partner working in the infrastructure and government
department at the firm.
3. Laura Hinton (nee Frazer), partner,
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Now married Laura Hinton, 34, has moved from BDO to PwC, where she heads up the
HR effectiveness practice. ‘I was ready for a new challenge and wanted to push
myself to work with larger clients on more challenging projects in a rapidly
growing team,’ she says.
4. Penny Avis, corporate finance partner, Deloitte
A self-confessed deal junkie and one of the youngest Deloitte partners to lead a
FTSE 100 client relationship, Penny Avis, now 37, has continued in her role as
corporate finance partner. Avis has become a leading spokesperson on corporate
finance at the firm since then and has developed a specialty in advising
companies facing hostile takeovers.
5. Adrian Colman, group financial controller and head of investor
relations, Qinetiq
In September 2004 Adrian Colman, then just 34,was working as the FD of listed
accounting firm Numerica. Colman’s career has been completely transformed since
then. In 2005 a struggling Numerica was sold off but the sale hasn’t stopped
Colman. He has since landed a plum role at FTSE 250 defence company Qinetiq as
financial controller and head of IR.
6. Helen Verney, finance director, Jewish Care
Back in 2004,Helen Verney said that she much preferred the cut and thrust of the
charity sector compared to a profit-orientated world of the private, and she has
stuck to her guns. Verney is currently heading up the finance department at
Jewish Care the UK’s largest healthcare and social charity, caring directly for
nearly 7,000 people a week.
7. Chris Robertson, partner, Deloitte
Robertson has continued to impress those around him following his swift rise to
become partner in 2001. Robertson sits on Deloitte’s CEO advisory group, with
other young partners, who work as a sounding board for chief executive John
Connolly to think about the firm’s current and future strategies. ‘It’s a hugely
prestigious opportunity to have been asked to join,’ Robertson says with pride.
8. Helen Jackson, partner, Jackson Stephen
Helen Jackson joined Jackson Stephen at the age of 32 after having spent three
years in corporate finance at Deloitte. In the last three years she has been
instrumental in the building of a new corporate finance team in the Manchester
office. She’s also worked to help grow the outsourcing department. As she has
developed skills over the years her role has expanded to include marketing, PR
and business strategy.
9. James Hender, tax director, Smith & Williamson
Since we last saw James Hender, he has moved back into the world of private
clients. ‘I wanted to move to what I thought, and still believe, is the
pre-eminent private client firm. Hender was recently promoted to director level.
‘I think this has been due to a combination of hard work and delivering value
for clients. My specialty is in dealing with financial services for hedge fund
clients’ private equity banking.’
10. Joanne Wright, Kroll
A partner at the age of 30, Wright is focused on finding alternatives to formal
insolvency for businesses. Since Accountancy Age last got in touch with her she
has worked on some major cases, including setting up a company voluntary
arrangement for a packaging business and saving them from financial disaster.