35 Under 35 2018: 1-5 revealed!

In the final day of our 35 Under 35 2018 reveal, here are the individuals who have made positions 1-5 on this year’s list.

5. Sophie Falcon, Case Manager, Professional Standards

After nine years at PwC, Falcon joined the ICAEW, becoming part of the Professional Standards team nearly four years ago, and it has been her role to review tax work undertaken by Chartered Accountants and form a view on their conduct. She was asked to become involved in work by the ICAEW and other professional bodies to respond to the government’s challenge to the profession in 2015, the result of which has been revisions made to the Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation (PCRT), which has been in force since 1 March 2017.

Falcon led discussions with HMRC on behalf of all seven PCRT member bodies once the new Standards for Tax Planning had been drafted in order to look at tax planning case studies, explore what kinds of tax planning would be acceptable under the new standards and what would be deemed as unacceptable conduct. The result was HMRC agreeing that only highly contrived or highly artificial planning is prohibited under the new PCRT.

Falcon’s work on this initiative has led to her appointment as one of two staff members who sit on the ICAEW Executive Committee for 2018.

4. Shabbir Somani, Senior Manager, EY

Somani joined EY London from EY Dubai after qualifying in 2012. He has risen through the ranks to senior manager and has been nominated to participate in a number of EY’s leadership programmes focussed on high performing leadership talent.

Somani was part of Sir John Parker’s steering committee representing EY in assessing the ethnic diversity of UK Boards within the FTSE 100. He has a varied portfolio of US SEC registrants, UK main market plc, and high profile privately equity backed or privately owned entrepreneurial businesses across a number of sectors.

Outside of audit, Somani has been involved in several initiatives, including training and mentoring of colleagues.

3. Kirsty Mitchell, Markets Director, KPMG UK

Mitchell joined KPMG in Cambridge as a school leaver in 2008 and reached director in October 2017. As markets director, she leads and supports a number of programmes aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and fast growing SMEs within the UK.

Mitchell represents KPMG on the UK “35 under 35” committee of the Confederation of British Business, which seeks to harness the views of key emerging leaders across the UK. She has designed and implemented an initiative to house teams of KPMG people within third party co-working spaces in the UK to help and support SMEs, and ensure that individuals can learn first-hand the challenges these businesses face and where KPMG needs to define ways to support them.

Mitchell leads on the firm’s integrated growth strategy nationally and has day-to-day responsibility for a number of initiatives, including KPMG’s role in the Mayor’s International Business Program, Entrepreneurial Spark, the Oil and Gas Technology Centre, and Enterprise Nation.

2. George Daniel, Valuations Executive, EY

Daniel pioneered accounting for cryptocurrency and other crypto-assets at EY and with a colleague co-authored the firm’s first external publication on the topic. The work has found a global audience and was disseminated among IASB stafff and featured on EY’s stand at HM Treasury’s International FinTech Conference 2018.

Daniel has presented on accounting for crypto-assets at a number of public venues, and has presented on distributed ledger technology to EY’s Global IFRS Policy Committee. His work has formed the starting point for the firm’s US GAAP efforts on the topic.

Daniel has previously spent three years auditing the flagship funds of one the world’s top ten private equity firms with responsibility for up to 22 unquoted investment valuations worth $50bn+ in enterprise value. Beyond his work, he volunteers as a mentor to Czech high school students through the Yoda Mentorship Programme, and is preparing to lead a finance course at the Discover Summer Academy in 2018.

1. Alicia Crisp, Partner, MHA MacIntyre Hudson

Crisp completed her training contract in 2010 and quick rose to manager and then director before being promoted to partnership. She has a strong client base, and runs a varied client portfolio of owner-managed businesses, specialising in working with entrepreneurs through the life cycle of their business.

Crisp has also been heavily involved in staff development at MHA MacIntyre Hudson, encouraging young people into the profession and showcasing accountancy as a “people” job. As an employee, she developed and led the employee forum, encouraging staff from across the firm to explore ways to align the offices and implement a number of projects. She has worked with HR to create a careers advice course for colleagues in the last six months of their training contract and to arrange career meetings with third year trainees in her office.

Crisp works with Academy Schools and has built a strong following in North London, working closely with clients to support them through financial and regularity compliance.