ACCOUNTANCY AGE AWARDS - Ready to vote?
The shortlist has been finalised and the big night is getting close.
BOB HEAD[QQ] While many are wondering whether or not to join the ‘second wave’ of e-business, Bob Head is already in his second e-banking job.
Smile’s first chief executive joined the Co-operative Bank’s internet bank in April. He was poached from Prudential’s internet bank egg, where he was co-founder and finance director.
Head has said of his experience at egg that it helped him deal with the vexed case of online security.
And now e-banking is more popular, Head is looking to persuade the public there are ‘compelling reasons’ to bank with smile.
ARTHUR LEVITT
Arthur Levitt, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, has come to be viewed as the enemy.
His crusade to ensure auditors are seen to be independent has caused furore at the Big Five.
Levitt’s actions have also contributed to moves by the big firms to separate their consultancy arms.
But Levitt believes his drive will increase confidence in company reports and boardroom life. If he’s right, in the long run splitting audit from accounting and consultancy will benefit the accounting world as well.
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JOHN MILLETT
When John Millett took over the post of FD at Rover, one of his first jobs was to come up with a credible business plan for the ailing car company.
He said at the time it would be ‘exciting and challenging’ and observers of Rover could only agree that even if it does fail, it will go out with a bang.
Millett is fighting for the company, declaring measures to save Rover would have to be ‘radical’.
He acknowledged Rover’s tight position but made it clear he would come out fighting.
JON MOULTON
When Jon Moulton took his venture capital company, Alchemy he became the most prominent businessman in Britain.
His media persona had him wearing two hats – the man who could save Rover, and the man who would make thousands redundant to do it.
With a steady hand the chartered accountant negotiated his way through countless sessions with BMW.
He made no inflated promises and just stuck to his business plan. In the face of relentless media coverage it was a bravura performance and one which demonstrated accountants have got guts.
ANN REDSTON
There were two notable features about the opposition regarding the IR35 tax rules.
One was the use of the internet in co-ordinating opposition, the other was the co-operation between accountancy, tax and business groups in the protests.
Ann Redston, an Ernst & Young partner who led the Chartered Institute of Taxation’s protests, made a leading contribution to the debate and to the behind-the-scenes discussions.
She earned praise for her approach, and has become a well-established writer on IR35 and other tax issues.
WENDY THOMSON
Wendy Thomson has led from the front in the government’s drive to improve public services. Heading up the Audit Commission’s introduction of Best Value, responsibility for the success of this crucial.
Since 1 April Best Value has asked councils, and police and fire authorities to ask whether services can be improved. Authorities must then carry out a review that is examined by inspectors. Thomson, as national director of inspection, has set up the department and persuaded the public, local government, MPs and a sceptical press of its merits.
SIR DAVID TWEEDIE
The Accounting Standards Board chairman, Sir David Tweedie, has had to don his armour a number of times to show he is determined to eradicate lax standards in financial reporting.
He faces opposition from companies offering employees shares and share options following proposals to force companies to show costs in profit and loss accounts.
His determination has led to his election as board chairman of the IASC.
PETER WYMAN
Peter Wyman is not one to back away from controversy. But he may have been taken aback to find himself slated by Gordon Brown when he spoke out in protest at plans to reform double tax relief.
The PwC partner, however, maintained a dignified silence after the chancellor said his estimates of the cost of the changes should be taken with a ‘pinch of salt’.
Wyman is set to become the institute’s president in 2002 having been elected as vice president in February.
ACCOUNTANCY AGE AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE SHORTLIST Trainee Accountant
– Stephanie Andrieux, PricewaterhouseCoopers
– Stephen Deering, HLB Kidsons
– Helen Lillington, District Audit
Big Five Firm
– Ernst & Young
– KPMG
– PricewaterhouseCoopers
Medium Firm
– HLB Kidsons
– Mazars Neville Russell
– Solomon Hare
Small Firm
– Ford Campbell
– Rabjohns
– Robert James Partnership
– Williams Allan
Annual Report and Accounts
– British Land Company
– Leeds City Council
– Merchant for Trinity Mirror Group
Accounting Technician
– Carol Creeggan, Sussex Careers Service
– Colin Stewart, Jackson Stewart & Co
– Clare Wand, Eltham College
Business Accountant
– Tracey Marshall, Benfield Greig Group plc
– Rita Purewal, Wolverhampton Wanderers
– Lewis Taylor, Global Home Loans
Finance Team
– The Caudwell Group
– The Post Office
– Reed Business Information
Financial Director
– Craig Bennett, The Caudwell Group
– Kevin Greenhalgh, Capital Interactive
– Phil Pacey, Great North Eastern Railway
Public Services Achievement
– David Allcock, Birmingham Heartlands & Solihull NHS Trust
– David Gallagher, Intervention Board
Recruitment Advertisement
– Hays Accountancy Personnel for Department of Trade & Industry
– Legal Services Commission
– Michael Page Finance
Accounting Software – Off-the-Shelf
– Dosh Software for DO$H Cashbook
– PAS for P11D Organiser
– TAS Software for TAS Book-keeper
Accounting Software – Mid-Range
– Access Accounting for Horizons
– Exchequer Software for Enterprise
– Navision Software for Navision Financials
Accounting Software – Enterprise Systems
– Adaytum for e.Planning
– Agresso
– Open Accounts.