Sue elaborated: “At one end of the spectrum we may offer just a compliance role that ensures a client meets their legal obligations; at the other end we can provide a full range of services and act as a client’s financial services backbone.
“We aim to be a trusted adviser to clients, who can easily access our highly-qualified technical experts, many of whom have strong backgrounds working at large international accountancy practices.”
Balancing heritage and innovation
“Our mindset is that the business needs to be rooted in its heritage because that is who we are and how we are, but we also look at what is happening in the accountancy profession and across the wider marketplace,” said Sue. “The firm has significant representation on technical committees at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, so we help influence the direction the profession is going in.”
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Putting something back into the communities where we operate has become more important to us as a firm Alex Peal
Joint Managing Partner
“Communication with our clients is very important to us because this is how we identify opportunties to help them” said Sue. “Effective communication relies on trust. Clients will communicate with you if they feel they can trust you.”
How do you support your colleagues’ career ambitions?
“It’s really important that we understand our colleagues’ career objectives, not just for next year but in the longer term,” Sue noted. “If we understand where they want to get to and what they want to do, then we can help them to develop the right skills. And it’s not just about work skills. Life outside work also has a significant impact on where they want to be.
“We recognise that the people we hire today have changed in what they want from their careers compared with a few years ago, when staying in a single role was more commonplace. Nowadays, we talk about portfolio careers. We have adapted to this way of thinking.”
Looking to the next 100 years
Alex and Sue have been busy preparing the firm for the future. “Over the past year, we have re-evaluated where we are as a firm and formulated our strategy for the next five years. Most things haven’t changed radically but there is now a different emphasis,” said Alex.
Specifically, even greater emphasis is given to the firm’s community roots. “Putting something back into the communities where we operate has become more important to us as a firm. We encourage staff to take time out, for example, by taking advantage of our corporate social responsibility days and supporting charities,” Alex explained. “We are establishing the James Cowper Kreston Foundation that will us help us to support communities more effectively and involve more of our colleagues.”
The firm also recognises the ground-shifting impact of Covid-19 on everyone’s home and work lives. “Where and how we work has changed. We listen carefully to what colleagues want and the past 18 months has proved that working from home can work,” said Alex.
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