35 Under 35 2019: 18 - 11 revealed!

The Accountancy Age 35 Under 35 rankings seek to highlight the rising stars of the accountancy profession, featuring those who have made great professional contributions to the field and their individual firms.

Each day this week, we will be releasing the next batch of 35 Under 35 rankings, culminating in the top five being announced on 20 December, 2019.

Today, we present the third wave of noteworthy professionals who made the Accountancy Age 35 Under 35 rankings.

18. Tom Wilson, Partner, Haysmacintyre LLP

While Wilson now leads the firm’s sports practice and is responsible for maintaining the firm’s market position in that sector, he originally joined onto haysmacintyre as a trainee in 2008. Having built his client portfolio to £1m in annual fees within two years of being awarded partner status, he has become a respected figure in the sports sector, working with several lauded brands and organisations.

In addition to his daily responsibilities, Wilson acts as the curator and chair of the firm’s annual sports conference and as a regular presenter at other events within the sector. Within the firm, he also leads advisory projects across several sectors, and led the project which converted haysmacintyre to LLP status from April 2019.

17. Nimesh Patel, Tax Manager, Grunberg & Co

With a varied role and experience to match, Patel is able to advise clients from varying backgrounds and businesses, using his background in both personal and transaction tax. At Grunberg & Co, he has taken the lead on some of the firm’s largest clients, including fast-growing businesses aiming to raise over £2m in funds, and continually demonstrates his tax knowledge while assisting clients.

Alongside his work at the firm, Patel writes articles on tax law and changes within the sector, furthering the industry’s reach and informing those within it.

16. Robert Young, Principal Manager, EQ Accountants LLP

Young originally joined EQ Accountants LLP as part of the firm’s school leaver programme in 2004 with no previous accountancy experience, but has committed to the firm and the profession in the years since. Gaining his ACCA qualification in 2013, he quickly moved up the firm’s ranks to become Principal Manager in 2019 and establish himself within the EQ Agriculture team.

Alongside his work on a farm-focused client portfolio, Young also heads up the firm’s Private Client Tax team and is a part of the Property Tax team. Within the firm, he also supports junior colleagues with training in the Forfar office, and is heavily involved in the firm’s charity work.

15. Nicholas Parton, Partner – Head of Forensic Accounting, Opus Pear Tree

Following a forensic accounting career at PwC and smaller accounting firms, Parton founded Pear Tree Forensic Accounting in 2015, offering the full range of available services and seeking out ways to shake up the industry. After the company found success, it merged with Opus Business Services Group in 2018 to become Opus Pear Tree, creating a well-rounded firm that showcased Parton’s experience.

Following the merger, Parton became the youngest equity partner to lead a London forensic accounting team, and continually commits to the sector with innovative ideas and collaborations. Additionally, he is currently leading the UK’s first cross-border investigation into a €35m Bitcoin hack, utilising new methodology and proprietary software.

14. Ben Powell, Partner, Ballards LLP

Having joined Ballards LLP in 2010 directly out of university, Powell has committed himself to bettering his community and profession. He leads the firm’s cloud offering and is a champion for automation, seeking out new ways to rejuvenate the practice with multiple system implementations.

In 2018, Powell was appointed to the firm’s Board as its Chief Technical Officer, and in 2019, he was made a partner within the firm. Described as having “experience beyond his years,” Powell also acts as a career mentor to the firm’s trainees while juggling his own client portfolio.

13. Rachael Stewart, Assistant Manager, Mazars

Stewart’s ongoing commitment to Mazars’ digital transformation showcases a drive for positive change and innovation. After joining the firm in 2015, she assisted throughout the years with introducing cloud technology throughout the firm’s 13 offices and championing new SME offerings, leading to a promotion to Global SME Project Manager across 89 countries.

In that role, she led high-profile business relationships and supported the firm’s first digital marketing campaign for its international payroll offerings before transferring back to a position in Financial Outsourcing. In her current roll, Stewart co-manages and mentors a team of 25, focusing on driving the team forward in their career at Mazars.

12. Dan Sayers, Director, MJ Bushell Limited

While parenting two very young children, Sayers has established a client base worth £300k at MJ Bushell and made significant contributions to the firm. With the support of his fellow directors, Sayers worked to digitise the practice and support clients’ transition to using cloud-based accounting and software ahead of HMRC legislation, and has taken the lead with introducing R&D tax credit services to the firm.

Additionally, Sayers established ‘The Circle’, a networking event which brings 30 to 40 businesspeople from the local community together, helping to raise his own profile and that of the practice.

11. Michael Murad, Head of Finance, Pi Labs

Recruited at the beginning of 2019 to set up and run a full in-house finance function at Pi Labs, Murad has quickly established himself at the practice, moving from Finance Manager to Head of Finance in just seven months. Additionally, Murad was promoted to sit in on the firm’s board meetings, allowing him to directly contribute to the future of the firm.

He has a number of responsibilities within Pi Labs, including tracking and analysing the firm’s portfolio, to compliance-related tasks and budget planning. Described by the firm as having a “strong moral compass” and a passion for both diversity and equality, Murad also supports the practice’s young graduates in their development and success within the team.

View our 2018 rankings here.