January 2024
Meet Dominic Noakes, a young accountant who is making waves in corporate accountancy.
Dominic Noakes of Haysmacintyre was an avid reader of PQ magazine when he was studying.
He has moved onwards and upwards since then and was recently interviewed by ACCA’s Pat Delibridge. Here’s what he had to say.
“After studying accounting and finance at UEA, I enrolled with ACCA, which appealed to me as I saw it as industry and internationally focused. ACCA enabled me to self-study and gave me continued direction and purpose post-formal education.
I joined a small local accounting practice and worked across many areas of accounting, which was great for starting my career. I gained a solid grounding in the basics of accounting, tax, company secretarial and payroll. After qualifying within three years and working up to a Finance Manager level, I decided to continue my development and move to central London, as well as a much bigger practice – I joined Haysmacintyre LLP in 2016.
At Haysmacintyre, I have worked my way through manager levels and I’m currently a director in a team of 35-plus London-based accountants, from graduates to trainees to experienced managers. I also manage a diverse and often challenging portfolio comprising predominantly small and fast- growing companies, and I’m heavily involved with several strategic firm projects too.
Last year I was personally nominated in Accountancy Age’s Top 35 Under 35, highlighting young talent in the accountancy sector. Haysmacintyre’s outsourcing team has also won several awards and we won the Large Firm of the Year award at this year’s Accounting Excellence Awards.
Haysmacintyre is a very open and collaborative place to work. Whilst there is emphasis on technology and process, it is people that ultimately make a business. We strive to offer the best possible environment for our teams, knowing that clients will be in good hands if we do.
Our development is as focused on soft ‘human’ skills as they are on technical – this has never been more important than now in the age of technology and AI. It’s the most topical subject for a reason. Still, I don’t think most people have fully grasped how deeply the explosion in AI will disrupt almost every facet of our lives.
Technological advances have historically impacted so-called ‘low-skill’ and easily automated tasks, but AI-based technology is on an exponential curve and will impact professional services like never before. We must be cautious about privacy, security, and data accuracy risks. However, practitioners and companies that can move with pace and adapt the fastest can thrive.
Beyond numbers, accountants are unsung heroes that ensure compliance with UK financial regulations, build investor trust, and empower businesses to allocate resources efficiently and fuel growth. Overall, no mean feat!
Although I’m now more specialised in my area of accountancy, every day has a new client challenge or opportunity. I love the fast pace and strong relationships I have forged and the client-facing aspect, where I have become a trusted advisor to many growing businesses.”
- Pat Delibridge is ACCA sectors and communities manager. This article first appeared on ACCA UK’s practitioner profiles section.
