Armstrong Watson has expanded its offering with the launch of two specialist propositions – a Financial Reporting Team and a Fractional FD/CFO Service.
Together, the enhanced services provide clients with deeper technical reporting expertise and flexible, senior finance leadership.
The Financial Reporting Team, led by Anna Pickup, will help businesses faced with the growing complexities of financial reporting regulations and stringent compliance requirements.
This new service formalises and extends Armstrong Watson’s financial reporting compliance offering and also offers expert advisory support in this area.
Paul Dickson, Armstrong Watson’s chief executive and managing partner, said: “We are constantly looking for ways to enhance our client proposition.
“As financial reporting becomes more intricate, driven by evolving accounting frameworks, many businesses are struggling to keep pace.
“Our Financial Reporting Team supports clients with accounting for acquisitions, group reorganisations, share-based payments, complex financial instruments and where clients are transitioning between different accounting frameworks.
“This team will be of great value as many UK Companies are also addressing significant changes in the areas of revenue recognition and lease accounting.
“Anna has a wealth of experience working in this area and is well-placed to lead and develop our new service proposition.”
Anna joined the business in September, after three years at RSM delivering financial reporting compliance and advisory work.
Before that, she spent 11 years at Big Four firm Ernst and Young, including five years in its Financial Reporting Group.
She has worked with companies of all sizes and ownership structures, with a particular focus on large corporate and private equity-backed businesses.
She leads a 13-strong team who support and advise new and existing clients alongside other teams within the business when it comes to compliance, transactions and accounting for other matters which arise.
The team prepares high-quality financial statements for both Armstrong Watson’s audit and non-audit clients, as well as providing wider financial reporting advice on complex accounting transactions.
Anna said: “I’m very excited to have joined Armstrong Watson at a time of considerable growth and to contribute to this with the establishment of a financial reporting compliance and advisory team.
“As a very proud Northerner, I’m thrilled to be part of an independent firm with roots firmly in the North of England and with a growing presence across Scotland.
“The Armstrong Watson team are highly regarded in the market, work with interesting and varied clients across a range of sectors and foster a people-focused culture, all of which are hugely important to me.”
Armstrong Watson’s new Fractional FD/CFO Service, spearheaded by Richard Coram, provides flexible access to senior finance leadership, enabling businesses to maintain control of their financial operations and make confident decisions when key finance staff leave or are unexpectedly out of the business for an extended period.
The service can also be used on a more permanent basis and offers mentoring support for financial controllers transitioning to the role of finance director.
Richard joined Armstrong Watson in October after serving as finance director for a financial services group supporting multiple business units, where he developed reporting structures that gave owners clear insight into the financial impact of their decisions, enabling agile, confident choices.
Before that, he was director of finance and operations at Leeds Culture Trust, delivering the city’s 2023 Year of Culture.
He also has more than a decade of experience as a chartered accountant, and now back in practice, he is focused on partnering with business owners to strengthen financial foundations, improve decision-making and achieve sustainable success.
“Working with SMEs is incredibly rewarding; you see the impact of decisions and can adapt quickly,” said Richard.
“Leading the Fractional FD service at Armstrong Watson gives me the chance to work with a diverse portfolio of businesses and leverage the expertise of a growing team with a fantastic attitude. I’m excited to help our clients achieve their ambitions, even when they are left without key finance staff.”
Paul added: “Our new propositions will ensure our clients can access the right expertise at the right time – whether that’s navigating complex accounting issues or bringing in flexible senior finance leadership to support growth – and all the while our teams will provide seamless collaboration across Business Services, Audit, Tax and Corporate Finance, ensuring compliance and transactions are supported end-to-end.”
