Practice News
Young accountant nominated for prestigious industry award
ACCOUNTANCY sometimes has a reputation as an old- fashioned profession.
But a young Hull accountant is making progress in shattering this dusty image.
David Marshall, who runs Marshall & Co Accountants, has been shortlisted for an industry award recognising progressive practices.
As reported in the Mail, the 32-year-old set up the firm in March, branding himself as "a new accountant for a new decade".
Now his modern ethos appears to have paid off with a nomination for AccountingWEB's Progressive Practice 2010 Award.
Mr Marshall said: "I am keen to move the profession well and truly into the 21st century and actively promote the use of IT and cloud computing in clients' controls and systems.
"Our practice uses ICT to minimise administration costs, identify added value work, create a transparent pricing structure and increase the quality of communication with clients."
A leading online business community for accountancy professionals, AccountingWEB aims to reward the UK's most innovative firms.
Marshall & Co was recognised for its advanced use of IT systems.
Mr Marshall has created tailored Excel software to calculate pricing for clients, who can see a breakdown of how the sum is reached to maintain transparency.
He also uses cloud computing methods to access clients' accounts and stay up-to-date with their needs.
Marshall & Co was chosen from more than 50 accountancy practices across the UK to make the final five.
Mr Marshall said: "I am really pleased. To have got to the final five at only six months old is pretty good."
Hull-born Mr Marshall's nomination is the most recent in a series of achievements.
Earlier this year, he became the youngest ever president of Humberside & District Society Of Chartered Accountants after spending two years as chair of the Humberside & District Student Society.
In 2007, he won the Humberside Young Accountant Of The Year award.
Mr Marshall is now working hard to build up his fledgling firm, based in Hessle Road, west Hull.
He said: "It is going really well, I am absolutely inundated with work.
"I am thinking about recruiting as I am going to be working at weekends and into the nights."
AccountingWEB will announce the winner of their Progressive Practice Award 2010 on Friday
I'm giving old-fashioned accountancy a modern makeover
A 31-YEAR-OLD Hull accountant has set up his own firm offering a "new accountant for a new decade".
David Marshall has set up Marshall & Co Chartered Accountants, hoping to offer a more modern service to clients.
Prior to setting up his company, Mr Marshall spent several years working for accountancy firms in the area, including Atkinsons and Graybrowne.
He aims to create a firm that capitalises on advances in technology, allowing faster and better communications.
Mr Marshall said: "Accountancy is quite an old-fashioned profession.
"I want to take it forward, to get a more pro-active and communicative way of working. With computers, we can get all the admin done quicker and can spend more time giving clients the accountancy services they want."
He aims to cut back on paperwork by providing more information for clients in a digital format which can be easily stored and updated when necessary. He said: "We want to make the most of the communications advances that have taken place."
This modern twist is what Mr Marshall hopes will make his company a success.
He said: "There's room for more pro-active, up-to-date, and technologically savvy accountants.
"If you want a traditional accountant, there's loads."
The new firm will make use of techniques such as video conferencing and remote desktopping, which allows them access to a client's computer to sort out problems from any location.
Mr Marshall claims this will save clients time and, therefore, money.
He said: "By working remotely, I can just sort out a problem while talking to a client on the phone and it will only take about 30 minutes."
He has already enlisted a number of interested companies and claims that with modern communications he can access work across the UK from his Hull base.
He said: "Most people now keep their records on Sage or web-based packages and I can produce their accounts from anywhere."
Mr Marshall was also recently nominated president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for Yorkshire and Humberside.
