No matter your role, everyone can be a leader

Tom started his journey at PwC in 2004 after joining as an Audit Executive in our Newcastle office. Since then, he’s had a successful and varied career and progressed to Audit Partner in July 2018. Tom shares his career highlights and what makes him proud to work in Audit. Here’s his story….

Tell us about your journey at PwC?

Prior to joining PwC, I worked at a smaller firm for 5 years, who were based in London. A life change meant I moved from London to Newcastle and I joined the PwC Northern Audit team in 2004. My journey since has seen me progress from Manager to Audit Partner, as well as a relocation to Leeds. I went to university in Sheffield, so I feel as though I am doing a tour of the major UK cities! My career so far has been full of opportunities to learn and develop and one of the key reasons I’ve stayed at PwC for the last 17 years has been the variety of work I’ve been able to do.

What does a day in your life look like?

I’m a father to two children, both of school age, so my day usually starts by dropping them off at school. It sounds cliche, but no two days in audit are ever the same. My day can include meeting with clients, presenting at audit committees, coaching junior members of the team or pitching for new work. My day is always varied - the different people you meet and the different businesses you get to work with keeps you mentally stimulated. 

How would you describe the culture of the Northern Audit team?

I would describe the culture of the team as energetic and vibrant. There are 7 office locations that make up Northern Audit and there is a real affinity between all of the locations. We’re a supportive and people focused team - the team genuinely look after each other. The team knows what it wants to achieve and everyone wants to work together and collaborate. I recently attended an Audit Partner and Director meeting in Manchester and the energy in the room was fantastic. There was definitely a feeling of positive momentum and I see a lot of success in the team’s future. 

What makes you proud to work in Audit?

That one is easy - the people. The people in my team are high performing and vibrant. It’s great to see the people in the team who view Audit as their career, rather than just a job and I enjoy working in a culture that offers support and development.

I’m proud when I see the development of others - when you see members of your team put feedback into practice, achieve promotion goals and go the extra mile - that’s a wonderful thing to be a part of. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of the role I have.

What are the key highlights in your career so far?

As a Senior Manager, I had the opportunity to work on the audit for a FTSE 100 company (and the most high profile client in the Newcastle office). This opportunity taught me a lot - I was able to develop technical knowledge I didn’t have prior and it built my confidence and professional impact as I had the opportunity to present to FTSE 100 boards and Audit Committees. During this audit, I also worked alongside a very experienced Partner, and I learnt a lot from his experience and style. I believe this experience was fundamental for me to develop the attributes I needed to progress to Partner. My message to anyone would be to take opportunities, even if at first they look quite daunting. From any experience you will either win or you will learn and it’s a fantastic way to develop and learn about yourself.

I was also lucky enough to be part of PwC’s global leadership development programme called Genesis Park. As part of this I spent 6 weeks in Colorado, taking part in a global strategic project with global colleagues from the US, Australia, Poland, France and Hong Kong SAR. I learnt so much about different cultures, ways of communicating and upskilling from a knowledge perspective. Being a part of this was a real highlight for me.