Accountant Lisa among top six in UK
A South Staffordshire accountant has been nationally recognised as one of the top six practitioners in the country after delivering significant new business for her firm.
Lisa Emery, who works for the Walsall-based Baldwins accountancy group and is also a local councillor in Cheslyn Hay, has been shortlisted in the British Accountancy Awards for practitioner of the year, which is attended by over 600 guests from practices all around the UK.
The news follows a successful 12 months for Lisa who has set up a new, modern auditing department that is being rolled out across the Baldwin group's offices around the Midlands and has been responsible for attracting 36 new clients – one of which manufactures products for furniture giant DFS.
Lisa has run the firm's Ashby de la Zouch office for eight years. The creation of the audit department alone has also driven an 11 per cent increase in turnover at the Ashby office over the past 12 months versus the same period the previous year – beating the office's turnover target by £50,000.
Lisa said: "We're seeing an increase in audit requests as banks are keen to have them completed before they lend money to businesses, despite changes to the audit threshold earlier this year exempting smaller firms.
"Introducing this new auditing department is all about taking our business to the next level and competing with the national accountancy firms.
"Our teams currently offer a wide range of financial services to clients, but if your sole role is auditing then you become more efficient at it and can provide a better service.
"That's why we have recruited seven new team members from respected firms, such as Deloitte, to come in and share their expertise with existing staff members and clients.
"The majority of business that our Ashby office has won over the past year has been audit-related and has come via referrals from existing clients, which bodes really well for the firm's continued growth.
"It's been a fantastic year setting up this new department and seeing the impact it has had on the business, and being shortlisted in these awards has just topped it off. Winning really would be the icing on the cake for me personally."
The British Accountancy Awards take place on November 29 at The Brewery in London, when Lisa will go up against other five other accountants at the awards from global accountancy firm KPMG and other regional accountancy firms Reid & Co, Infinity Partnership, J F Hornby & Co and Raffingers.
John Baldwin, director at Baldwins, added: "The new audit department was one of Lisa's ideas and we've been really impressed with its impact, and we're incredibly proud to see her success recognised and rubbing shoulders with other global firms at the awards."
Lisa's success has also been applauded by The chairman of South Staffordshire Council, Councillor Bernard Williams, added: "To be considered within the top six of your profession in Great Britain is a huge attainment that must be recognised and applauded.
"She brings her great expertise to the council for the benefit of everyone and is highly appreciated.
"She is a credit to the council she serves so well and especially the residents of Cheslyn Hay who she represents.
"As she is also a school governor at Cheslyn Hay High she stands out as an example for all the pupils to follow when starting their careers."