My original degree was in architecture, but I fell out of love with the profession. I took a job in sales at BT and while there I attended a talk by the president of CIMA. She was a Black woman and she inspired me to look at a career in accounting – something I had never considered. Seeing a woman of colour as a president made me believe in the possibilities. I always loved problem-solving, and I saw accountancy was more than just maths. I enjoyed the business aspect, too, as I was always the financial planner in my family, who all agreed it was a natural fit for me.
Having started my accounting career in the corporate sector, I was used to a fast-paced environment, with a focus on deadlines and profit margins. It was a big change moving to Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), a small, non-profit organisation. I had to adapt my terminology, using contribution instead of gross profit, and surplus instead of EBITDA. I found it a challenge adjusting to a different pace, but it has allowed me to understand the organisation better. Spending time on detail is something I missed in the corporate environment, where pushing to deliver the numbers meant you could fail to see smaller items that sometimes make a big difference.
The duty of care for employees in a non-profit surpasses the corporate world
I have also found the duty of care for employees in a non-profit surpasses the corporate world. Senior leadership take care of the staff, which was a cultural shift for me. I hadn’t worked in an environment where work-life balance was actually championed and not just a phrase thrown around.
One principle I abide by is ‘Life is a marathon, not a sprint; don’t be afraid of making mistakes along the way.’ Failures are lessons to learn from, to push yourself further towards your goal.
If I had law-making powers, all primary school children would be taught about the development of emotional intelligence. I believe developing this from an early age would change our behaviours, as we understand ourselves better and have empathy for others.
I like having a foot in both the executive and operational worlds
What I enjoy about my job is the variety of my role, which is both operational and strategic. The finance function is working on providing pricing models on the course delivery and ensuring a profitable output. We have developed our KPIs, and our forecasts help us to meet CIOT’s needs. I also work with all our senior management, write papers for committees and present at meetings. I like having a foot in both the executive and operational worlds.
Apart from my two sons, my biggest achievement is qualifying as an ACCA accountant. It took me nearly seven years, due to breaking my studies to get married and have children; indeed, sometimes I thought I would never finish!
In my spare time, I enjoy running, baking and watching live bands. I also love travelling to countries to see the architecture of palaces and country houses and their gardens. One of my favourites is the Palace of Versailles, which is magnificent! Next on my list is the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.
