Name: Will Taylor

Age: 26

Degree: Mathematics with Engineering, The University of Nottingham

Job title: Corporate Finance Executive (BDO Stoy Hayward LLP, Manchester)

What is it you actually do?

I work at BDO Stoy Hayward in the Corporate Finance department. At present I work with both lead advisory and transactions services teams.

Transaction services essentially entails due diligence work normally with a client requiring independent assurances over the financial and commercial aspects of a potential target business.

Due diligence looks at reliability of information available from the target business. This involves a review of sustainable earnings, potential synergies, tax consequences and a substantial amount of commercial awareness relating to the sector. We work with our clients to understand their strategy and investment rationale and agree the right approach on each and every deal.This role involves a high level of client contact and some fairly intense onsite work prior to the production of a report to present to our client on which they decide whether to proceed with the deal.

In lead advisory our team advises businesses looking to grow through acquisitions or sell, for example due to retirement. This may involve research on and identification of suitable targets (purchasers or vendors), prior to approaching them and negotiating a deal. Our work involves the preparation of information memorandum, negotiations and completion of the deal.

As I progress, I intend to focus my career in the lead advisory sector as I feel more suited to this style of work.

Were you always interested in finance/accountancy as a career?

I have always been interested in money, be it counting or earning it… and accountancy seemed to be an obvious progression from my money counting days as a child!

Having taken a mathematically based degree I was under the impression that accountancy would be one of the few career paths open to me. However when I found the appropriate time to research my career options I found that virtually all careers were open to almost every graduate.

Currently where almost half of the population in their early 20’s have a degree I quickly realised that to set myself apart in the job market I may need further qualifications in order to progress. A qualification such as the ACA, which is run by an independent body, being available whilst I worked seemed the perfect solution.

How did you find out about this particular career/job?

My current job came about through the internal networks at BDO Stoy Hayward. I knew I didn’t want to pursue a career in audit following my final ACA exams; however I also knew I wanted to stay with BDO Stoy Hayward given my experience during training. I began thinking about other departments in the company and whether I would like to work in a different area of professional services.

Through a colleague I found that the Corporate Finance department were recruiting at executive level (newly qualified staff) and after a couple of informal interviews, a brief secondment, and some discussion at partner level I was asked to join the Corporate Finance team in Manchester.

Would you undertake further study in order to gain promotion?

I am always looking to broaden my horizons through study at work, and within my department in Manchester further study is encouraged. Several members of our team have already taken, or are currently taking, the CF qualification run by the ICAEW, and I intend to begin studying for this when I have sufficient experience.

The CF qualification will hopefully give me the opportunity to further my knowledge providing me with a constructive theoretical grounding for advisory work, particularly with regard to company valuations and deal structuring – something which, at present, I am not overly familiar.

What do you like most about your job?

I enjoy most aspects of my job, the team with which I work, the work itself and the clients.

I am lucky to work with relaxed, professional and driven colleagues in Manchester, and with their support and knowledge I appreciate that I am in an excellent position to further my career and develop professionally.

The role also allows me to build a network of contacts in the North West, which gives me the opportunity to socialise and make contacts with other young professionals, which will prove useful during every day work.

Are there any downsides to what you do?

There aren’t many! The work I do can sometimes be technical and fairly time pressured, but there are times when the pressure is not so intense which makes up for such periods.

Understanding client needs and being able to work with them as a team sharing both stresses and results is important to me, and here the positives outweigh the negatives easily. I understood the vast majority of the ‘downsides’ before I took the job, and very few if any have come to light nearly a year into my role.

What do you think are the most important skills/strengths you need to make a success of what you do?

As well as being academically strong you also have to be personable, reliable and honest. A commitment to providing an excellent service to our clients and a passion for working with them are vital in this job. In addition, you have to be well organised - the role can involve having to manage a project which may involve teams of solicitors, banks, advisors and clients sometimes in excess of 30 people.

What would be your best piece of advice for graduates wishing to come into this sector?

Initially I would advise graduates wishing to work in Corporate Finance to gain an understanding of business and accounting principles through audit or a similar stream before moving to Corporate Finance. I believe that a sound business basis on which to build is essential to work in this sector and this can only come from experience.