35 under 35 2024: Final winners announced!

The Accountancy Age 35 under 35 seeks 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 have unveiled a batch of winners who made the final cut. Today, we present the final five professionals who made the Accountancy Age 35 under 35.

The official Accountancy Age 35 Under 35 2024 ranking page is available to view here.

Alex Westbury, Managing Director, AW Chartered Accountants

Alex trained to become a Chartered Accountant at Saffrey in Manchester before returning home to West Wales to join a growing local practice. His work ethic and aptitude for delivering high-quality service led to his rapid recognition, and he was appointed as a director at the age of 28, just three and a half years after joining the firm.

In the last year, Alex transitioned from his director role to take on the new challenge of setting up his own independent firm, AW Chartered Accountants. Through this new venture, Alex focuses intently on his clients, working closely with them to achieve their unique goals, whether that is increasing profitability, scaling, or enhancing business efficiency. His forward-thinking approach is driven by cloud-based software, enabling clients to make informed, up-to-date decisions.

In just a few months, AW Chartered Accountants has experienced remarkable growth, rapidly expanding to over 60 clients. The firm’s success has already been recognized with a nomination for a Welsh Business Growth Award, highlighting its rapid growth and commitment to customer excellence.

Alex and AW Chartered Accountants provide services to clients across various industries, but they have also been recognized as specialist accounting advisors to the UK tourism industry. Thanks to Alex’s experience and understanding of the industry, the firm is one of only two Welsh accounting firms accepted as associate members of the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA), the leading trade body for the UK holiday park industry.

Alex’s dedication to client-focused service, innovative use of technology, and industry-specific expertise have positioned AW Chartered Accountants as a rapidly growing and highly respected firm in the region.

Naomi Wells, Partner, Azets

Naomi qualified at a small firm in Surrey and joined Azets’ London office as a tax senior in June 2015. She achieved prizewinning results in all three of her professional qualifications and was awarded prizes in the ICAEW Tax Faculty’s essay competition in 2014 and 2015. Progressing quickly, Naomi was promoted to partner just over six years later, in October 2021, at the age of 30.

Naomi now heads up Azets’ private client tax team in London and is an active member and contributor to the firm’s national private client hub. She manages a portfolio of some of the firm’s most complex private clients, including non-doms, non-residents, and offshore trusts. Known as a technical specialist across the firm, Naomi is frequently called upon to assist colleagues in other offices with technical queries on niche private client issues.

Throughout her time with Azets, Naomi has led the production of external communications on various topical issues, including the Requirement to Correct, the Trust Registration Service, the 60-day capital gains tax reporting process, and most recently, updates on the proposed non-dom changes. She has also written for Taxation and Tax Adviser magazines, jointly presented at an ICAEW webinar on the Trust Registration Service, and presented internally at the firm’s online tax conference during Covid.

Given her international client base and focus, Naomi travels to build her network and meet with clients abroad, including trips to Hong Kong and the Channel Islands. Through Azets’ membership of Allinial, an international association, and her network of professional advisers in key jurisdictions, she collaborates with like-minded professionals globally to provide clients with comprehensive tax and other professional support.

Naomi is passionate about working with her team to deliver excellent client service in routine compliance work, complex technical advisory projects, and supporting clients through HMRC enquiries and disclosures. She strives for clear presentation and communication and works closely with colleagues in other teams at Azets to provide clients with a comprehensive service in areas outside her expertise. Currently, she is focused on reassuring and supporting affected clients through the uncertainty surrounding the expected non-dom changes.

Naomi’s dedication to her clients, technical expertise, and leadership within the firm have made her an invaluable asset to Azets and a respected professional in her field.

Damon Tunnicliffe, Payroll Director, Duncan & Toplis

Damon Tunnicliffe is a rising star at Duncan & Toplis. Earlier this year, he was promoted to Head of Payroll after 15 years of impeccable performance. His tireless drive and ambitious work ethic have seen him progress from working in payroll processing to payroll manager, payroll Associate Director, and now as Payroll Director. In this role, he oversees one of the group’s largest service lines at a critical time as Duncan & Toplis embarks on its biggest period of growth in its nearly 100-year history.

Damon has been absolutely integral to the success and mounting momentum of the growing team, which has expanded from 6 to 26 dedicated payroll staff across the UK under his leadership. He manages a robust client portfolio of over 1,300 companies, ensuring seamless payroll operations and overseeing the processing of more than 24,000 payslips each month.

As Head of Payroll at one of the largest independent accounting and business advisers in the East Midlands, Damon is a passionate payroll professional dedicated to delivering exceptional service across various sectors. Adept in business development, he drives efficiencies and innovative solutions, enhancing client experiences. Importantly, he is a proud member of the Sage client advisory group, the Kreston Global Payroll Group, and the Association of Bureau Managers.

Damon Brain, Chief Executive Officer at Duncan & Toplis, remarked, “It’s fantastic to see Damon progress to the head of payroll, and I welcome the expertise he brings to this specialist position. We have ambitious plans for the coming years, and I’m absolutely certain that Damon will play a key role in driving these forward.”

Damon’s commitment to continuous improvement extends to enhancing systems and finding ever more effective ways of working within the team to develop payroll services and the company’s flourishing client offering. He has a particular interest in the NHS Pension Scheme, supporting clients with its complex administration requirements and ensuring they understand the scheme and its many nuances.

Beyond the office, Damon serves as the Finance Director at Sleaford Town Football Club and holds the position of Chairman at the South Lincs and Borders Cricket League.

Karen Allan, Director, haysmacintyre

Karen joined haysmacintyre as a trainee in 2012, qualified in 2016, and was promoted to Director in 2020 after progressing swiftly through her managerial career. She now serves as Co-Head of haysmacintyre’s Financial Services team.

Karen’s extensive knowledge of the Financial Services industry equips her with a unique skill set that adds significant value to her clients in an advisory capacity. She is known for building strong client relationships and has been described as very responsive and reliable, facilitating the meeting of incredibly tight deadlines. Her robust network of complementary sector service providers allows her to deliver a holistic approach to client service.

While Karen primarily focuses on audit in her role as Director, she has also assumed vital leadership responsibilities within the firm. She has played a crucial role in reshaping the audit department and fostering a strong team culture within the Financial Services team. As a Team Leader and a member of the Audit Operations Committee, Karen has contributed significantly to staff development, training, and career progression. She established the mentorship programme within the team and mentors several colleagues across the firm, supporting and encouraging them in their careers and empowering them to take control of their future.

Karen spearheaded the setup of haysmacintyre’s second-ever office and trading subsidiary overseas in South Africa—the first in the firm’s 100+ year history. This significant undertaking showcased Karen’s entrepreneurial mindset, persistence, and dedication, as she completed the project within nine months with all employees onboarded. This was an opportunity to create a better working environment for remote colleagues by ensuring the right people were in the right roles, regardless of location.

Having successfully opened the doors of the new Cape Town office, Karen continues to lead the expansion of this core team. Her tenacity, drive, and agility were instrumental in the project’s successful launch, seamlessly integrating the firm’s new South African team members. Karen continues to build impressive cross-border relationships, maintaining the approach, methodology, and culture developed in the London office.

Dan Drury, Commercial Finance Director, Stagecoach Group

Dan is a modern finance leader with an exceptional track record and wide-ranging experience gained from leading international corporate groups over the last 12 years. His notable achievements include playing a pivotal role in navigating the sale of Stagecoach Group Plc to new private equity ownership, and shaping and securing government funding schemes and management actions to ensure the survival of the business and the wider sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a natural leader, Dan empowers and develops his team to deliver outstanding work and is an unwavering ally to diversity and inclusion efforts. His commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace and developing high-performing talent has made a significant impact within his organization.

Outside of his professional day-to-day role, Dan devotes a significant amount of time to The Change Foundation, where he serves as a Board Trustee, Treasurer, and Chair of its Resource & Governance Committee. In these roles, he has had a substantial impact on the financial strength of the charity and its ongoing success in changing the lives of marginalized young people around the world. Dan’s dedication to both his professional and charitable endeavors highlights his commitment to excellence and positive social impact.