VALUED COLLEAGUES. Jenny Cull and Alan Rolfe have received personalised bottles of champagne to mark their years of service at Hampshire accountants HWB.
Long-service awards have been presented to a pair of senior manager colleagues at a leading Hampshire accountancy and business advice firm.
HWB has recognised Senior Tax Manager Alan Rolfe and Audit Senior Jenny Cull for 20 and ten years’ service respectively.
Reflecting on his two decades at the Chandler’s Ford-based firm, Alan said the world of tax had steadily become more complicated.
“You used to be able to fit all the legislation about tax into two official books,” he said. “Now you need seven. That’s a reflection of the complexity introduced by government changes over the years.
“At the same time, some measures have gone in and out of legislation, and then come in again, so you can see things recurring if you stay around long enough.”
Alan started his accountancy career at a firm in his home city of Winchester in 1988. When he joined HWB in 2002, his main focus was on personal taxation but he swiftly moved more into the business arena, developing skills and knowledge in VAT, Corporation Tax and other taxes facing company clients.
As well as ever more complex legislation, he cites the impact of Brexit and digitalisation as major factors in his work today, saying: “Brexit is a significant issue. It has introduced massive changes affecting VAT that impact on both importers and exporters seeking to do business in Europe.
“Helping companies here to set up operations in Europe has become a big part of my workload. There is a lot of advice required over that.
“I have also seen a huge shift in digitalisation. When I started, everything you worked on was prompted by mail coming through the letter box in the main door.
“Now it’s all about digital record keeping, Making Tax Digital and submitting real-time payroll information electronically every month to HMRC. There has been a constant move towards digital record keeping in line with wider business practices.”
Alan, who lives in Winchester with his wife Sarah and son Tom, praised HWB as a great firm to work for, explaining: “At HWB you are not part of a big accountancy practice where you have little scope to make your own decisions.
“Here you have more direct contact with clients, the opportunity to decide things for yourself and a better, more interesting working environment spanning more types of tax.
“I hope to stay at HWB for as long as I can. When you find something that suits you, you should stay with it.”
Jenny joined HWB’s accounts and audit department as an 18-year-old trainee straight from Barton Peveril College in 2012.
“It was scary,” she recalled. “I was the youngest person in the company and it was my first proper job.”
From going out on audits as the ‘junior’, Jenny has worked her way up to become the senior audit manager leading the team.
With support from HWB, she completed her AAT apprenticeship studies in-house and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2017.
She now works with clients in sectors including manufacturing, the motor trade, hospitality, logistics, the film industry and academy schools.
Jenny, who was born in Southampton and lives in Bishopstoke with partner Daniel, said: “I have also been able to take on more responsibility for the training of juniors. I am really happy with my role and am always keen to help less experienced members of staff.”
After Alan and Jenny were presented with personalised bottles of champagne, HWB Managing Director Tracy Jenkins said: “In the time they have spent with us, both Jenny and Alan have developed first class skills and expertise. They are much valued members of the HWB family and play essential roles in our ongoing success and growth.”
HWB is one of the region’s leading firms of chartered accountants and businesses advisers. For more information see www.hwb-accountants.com
ENDS
Image caption [longservice] –
VALUED COLLEAGUES. Jenny Cull and Alan Rolfe have received personalised bottles of champagne to mark their years of service at Hampshire accountants HWB.
NOTES TO REPORTERS
HWB Chartered Accountants
Highland House, Mayflower Close, Chandler’s Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4AR http://www.hwb-accountants.com, 023 8046 1200, admin@hwb-accountants.com Twitter: @HWB_Accountants, LinkedIn: hwb-accountants, Facebook: @hwbaccountants
HWB Chartered Accountants was founded in 1985 as Hopper Williams & Bell and is based near Southampton. The firm provides accounting, tax and business advisory services to organisations across Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset & West Sussex and beyond. As one of the leading firms of chartered accountants and business and tax advisers in the region, HWB offers the depth of resource and specialist skills of a national practice but remains dedicated to the personal approach. Services include: accounting services, audit and assurance, auto enrolment, business strategy & planning, corporate finance, HMRC enquiry fee protection, human resources, international services, IT services and solutions, online accounting, payroll services, personal tax services, probate & estate administration, specialist tax and financial planning. Specialisms include: education sector and academies, architects, charities, FCA accountants, healthcare, legal, logistics, property accountants, recruitment and travel. HWB’s motto is Experience the difference. The firm produces a series of guides and tax cards and has a resources centre on its website, as well as staging seminars and events on a regular basis. The HWBulletin is published bi-annually. HWB is registered to carry on audit work in the UK and regulated for a range of investment business activities by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). For media enquiries please contact Scott Sinclair on 07500 796666.
