Corporate Accountants

[batmanreturns]

I'm looking to change my current accountants, nothing wrong with them but they are in a small town and not as cutting edge as i want and need them to be going forward.

I'm therefore looking for suggestions for corporate accountants. Why? Well as the next 5 years roll in we will be looking to grow significantly and having access to the right people/advisers/funding etc will be essential for us. If anyone has any good names they can suggest please let me know. (Ideally anywhere along the M4 corridor but happy to travel for the right firm).
thanks

[akirk]

you might need to give a bit more information - are you a one man band looking to bring in several more staff - or already 20 people looking to move to 200?! Also - do you need to consider splitting the more strategic financial work from the book-keeping and accounting elements? If so, do you need to consider whether you need someone internal in an FD role / a firm just sorting out your accounts / a firm giving funding advice / a firm giving tax advice / etc. - they might all be different companies...

[batmanreturns]

We are 32 strong at the moment and will be at around 80 within 5 years if that helps. thanks

[KevinCamaroSS]

akirk said:

you might need to give a bit more information - are you a one man band looking to bring in several more staff - or already 20 people looking to move to 200?! Also - do you need to consider splitting the more strategic financial work from the book-keeping and accounting elements? If so, do you need to consider whether you need someone internal in an FD role / a firm just sorting out your accounts / a firm giving funding advice / a firm giving tax advice / etc. - they might all be different companies...

What he said.

[akirk]

batmanreturns said:

We are 32 strong at the moment and will be at around 80 within 5 years if that helps. thanks

In which case I would be looking at getting at least some of the skill set internally...
someone embedded in the business will be best placed for advising on the strategic financial side
outsource the mechanics (book-keeping / annual accounts), but build the strategic internally - even if you initially use others to help grow that skill

look at either using internal resource, or preferably bringing in a NED with financial experience in having done already what you are trying to do now - i.e. helped grow a business in your sector / similar sector through similar stages... it may on the surface seem to cost more, but you will save a lot of financial mistakes, so should be cheaper in the long run...

but separate the mechanics (book-keeping & accounts) from the strategy (tax / financial planning / access to funds / etc.)