Partner Article

Two new hires for Leonard Curtis as it strengthens support for accountants

To help provide more support in difficult times for accountants and their clients Leonard Curtis Business Solutions Group has appointed Joanne Tipper and Sarah Gaskin as Business Development Managers.

Jo has 20 years’ experience in the hotel and hospitality industry and Sarah has spent the last five years working in event management, while studying for a psychology and neuroscience degree.

Both will be tasked with developing the profile of the professional services group - and its Lifecycle network - amongst accountants in the North West - Joanne covering Chester and North Wales and Sarah working across Manchester city centre and as far South as Warrington and Stoke.

They will be based at the firm’s newly launched Chester office and Manchester city centre UK HQ respectively, part of a 19-strong Leonard Curtis office network that spans the UK and Channel Islands.

Both are already determining how the services provided by Leonard Curtis Business Solutions Group can support accountancy practices - filling skills gaps and extending their client capabilities with its non-core, highly specialised skills.

Also, within their remit is outreach to accountants who have not signed up to Lifecycle - now a 3000-strong UK community - which is free to join and offers many benefits. These include free specialist CPD seminars with some of the UK’s leading experts on tax and accounting practice, access to offshore capabilities, a heads up service on clients experiencing financial difficulties, My-MVL for simple streamlined solvent liquidations and legal advice.

When asked about her appointment, Joanne said: “This is a change of direction for me, and I am excited about combining my 20 years in business with outreach to accountants in Chester and North Wales. Obviously I have much to bring to a hospitality sector in serious distress at the moment and will draw on my experience, listening carefully and connecting accountants to the right advisory service to help them steer their clients through to recovery.”

Sarah added: “I am also looking forward to getting started at Leonard Curtis. I come from a family who run an accountancy business, so have been around the industry all my life, but this is my first real role in it. It is a very tough time for businesses at the moment and I will be doing the same as Jo, getting to know people and problem solving where we can.”

Dan Booth, Leonard Curtis Director, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jo and Sarah to the team. They have some fantastic sector experience and great energy to bring at a time of considerable economic strain for business owners. Both know how to build meaningful relationships with people, which is at the heart of this role, and we wish them every success.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Souter .