UK Enterprise 2017

WORLDWIDE BUSINESS REVIEW / UK Enterprise Awards 2017 93 , Building on over 20 years’ specialist experience in Accountancy Recruitment and Executive Search in the PracticeMarket. Founder of Lochead Sandford Recruitment, Deborah Lochead, discusses the committed force in the Accountancy Profession. Tailoring Service to Clients’ Needs Now in our eighth year, Lochead Sandford Recruitment was created to be a specialist, committed force in the Accountancy Profession. Based in Glasgow, the company was founded by Deborah Lochead, a graduate of Strathclyde University and Fellow of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals. Building on an unrivalled market knowledge, reputation and track record within the Accountancy Practice market in Scotland, the dedicated team of consultants ensure a personal, tailored and consultative approach working in partnership with both client and candidate alike. As Deborah explains. “With our extensive range of contacts, including the major accountancy bodies, our clients range from sole practitioners, through to medium/large independents to Big4/Top 20 firms of Chartered Accountants, as well as specialist boutique firms, throughout Scotland and Overseas. Adhering to the REC strict code of professional ethics and highest standards, we treat each client and candidate with the due care, trust and integrity we believe they should expect, offering innovative solutions for today’s ever changing and sometimes demanding recruitment market. At Lochead Sandford Recruitment, we recruit at all levels covering; audit, business services/advisory, tax, corporate recovery /insolvency, corporate finance, payroll/ book keeping and general practice from Assistant to Director and Partner levels. Deborah commenced her career in management consultancy, previously working for two global financial recruitment consultancies ‘Heading’ both the practice and the accountancy finance industry/ commerce teams throughout Scotland. In addition, she has successfully assisted both Top 20 and Independent firms of Chartered Accountants on highly confidential assignments to acquire/sell blocks of fees or merge their practices. “My success, I believe, has always been based on fully understanding the practice market and its merits and opportunities. By truly knowing your clients and candidates and their specific requirements, you can best represent them and market them to each other ensuring a good match not only in experience, but in personality and culture.” Recently, Lochead Sandford Recruitment were awarded the accolade ‘Best Accountancy Recruitment Consultancy – Scotland’. Speaking of the success, Deborah praises and thanks the team at Lochead Sandford Recruitment, as well as acknowledging her own recent accolade. “As for the team at Lochead Sandford Recruitment, I would like to thank them for their continued efforts, professionalism and desire to deliver high quality service to all our candidates and clients. “On a personal note, I am also thrilled to have been personally awarded ‘Most Influential Woman in Recruitment Solutions – Scotland’. I set up Lochead Sandford Recruitment to focus solely on the practice market, enabling us to give the kind of service to our candidates and clients which is unencumbered by the commercial pressures which I noticed were so prevalent in other consultancies, which were multi-disciplined. “There is little point in taking Accountancy career advice from a firm who were dealing with Engineers that same morning. It is often too tempting for such firms to advise candidates to leave Practice and enter industry/ commerce, where salaries can be initially higher at newly qualified level, just to make an easier and higher fee. Sadly, some Accountants after taking poor advice, find out later that the change back to practice and its diverse work load and greater client focus, is not easily done.” Going forward, the Accountancy Practice market continues to be extremely candidate driven both in Scotland and the UK, with tough competition to attract the same good people, particularly in audit and tax, requiring Firms therefore to ‘up their game’ to better sell themselves and their roles over one and other, Deborah concludes. “All research and data from the REC and other professional bodies show this trend is set to continue given near full employment figures. As we currently operate in a more uncertain time, with Brexit looming over us and ongoing issues relating to possible Scottish independence again being raised, it is understandably for some a more difficult time to invest in significant expansion. However, from speaking to most of our independent Accountancy Firm clients in Scotland, they feel these changes will have little impact on their businesses. Most are doing well, generally looking forward to a more stable period for the UK economy, leading to a long period of sustained expansion of both firms and the wider economy. Our larger firm clients, who are national or internationally based, again report doing well in Scotland. Although, they feel they are more likely to be impacted by Brexit uncertainty, given their broader geographic reach, and have raised some worries over attitudes and concerns highlighted by some of their more international workforce working on visas in the UK. “Our philosophy is to listen, understand, advise and act with honesty and integrity- tailoring our service to our clients’ needs. “We know that moving to a new job or recruiting new individuals can be a stressful and time consuming process. We ensure that process runs as smoothly as possible, keeping you up to date and allowing you to focus on what you do best, by making sure we do what we do best. “Lochead Sandford Recruitment is here to add value, with competitive fees and a professional service. We hope our tailored service continues to distinguish our Firm from our competition.”