Celebrating the ACCA champion

Yogesh Patel FCCA has won ACCA UK’s Advocate of the Year award for meeting ACCA’s values of inclusion, integrity and innovation.

Patel, who qualified with ACCA in 2011 and is the owner of London-based firm Telic, is also a founding member of a peer group called The Rebel Accountants. This group of five accountants not only run their own accountancy businesses, they also collaborate to inspire each other and help other firms set up and grow their practice.

Patel has also played an active and supportive role in ACCA’s work over the past five years, speaking at events and acting as vice-chair of its Practitioners’ Network Panel, which helps to shape and support members working in practice. His work with the London School of Economics (LSE) as an adviser shows his interest in working with companies that understand the need to make an impact.

Positive impact

‘Yogesh is a true champion of the accountancy profession,’ says Claire Bennison, head of ACCA UK. ‘He’s passionate about sharing his expertise with others and is a strong believer in making a positive impact for his team, his clients and the wider community.

‘He believes that it’s the million positive little things that we do every day that build to bigger and better outcomes. This led him set up Telic, and also to become an adviser in residence at the LSE’s entrepreneurship programme, which focuses on social entrepreneurship.’

Patel says he’s a strong believer in giving back. ‘There’s an immense sense of fulfilment doing this. I believe that if you give, then quite naturally you get back, and that’s a win-win. Amazingly this has led to opportunities such as speaking on panels and shaping tax policy. Was this the aim? No. Is it a benefit? For sure.’

ACCA announces its national advocacy winners every year between August and September. Patel and the other national winners will be put forward for ACCA’s regional Advocate of the Year awards. The regional winners for 2021 will be announced in early 2022.