 Cardiff accountant and face of St David’s Shopping Centre becomes UK icon
A corporate finance executive from the Cardiff office of PKF Accountants & business advisers is celebrating victory over hundreds of nominees from across the UK.
Joanne Baker, 26 from Pontprennau in Cardiff, who is also one of the faces of St David’s Shopping Centre, is officially Accountancy Icon 2007, winning £7,000 prize money.
Joanne, who has worked at PKF since 2005, was the only Welsh competitor to make it to the finals of the competition run by PASS Magazine and Reed Accounting. Joanne’s commercial awareness, her knowledge of issues facing businesses and her innovative presentation gave her the edge over the other four finalists.
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 | Joanne said, “I really wasn’t expecting to win! Pass Magazine is a well-read industry publication, so I just decided to give it my best. It was a complete surprise when the announcement came, but I’m really chuffed with winning the title and to be representing the profession!” |
Joanne impressed the judges so much that she was offered the opportunity to speak at an event for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) students which will take place in Cardiff this month. Sponsors of the award, Reed Accountancy, has also mentioned the possibility of Joanne making a speech at their annual dinner.
Competitors had to make it through three rounds. In the first they had to give three reasons why they should win. Joanne said she wanted to “challenge the perception of accountancy being grey and boring”, that she enjoyed facing a challenge and had good exam success to date.
The second round involved a written challenge in which Joanne had to write 200 words on how she would reduce carbon emissions in business. The final round was a 20-minute presentation to the panel, based on her written piece.
The panel was made up of judges from PASS magazine, Reed Accountancy and the Icon winner from last year. Judge Tristran Bullworthy said, “She showed awareness of commercial aspects and maturity in presenting the information. She had that ‘X factor’”.
To celebrate her victory, Joanne is planning to spend her prize money on a new television, a washing machine for her step mum, and a well-deserved holiday!
In 2006, Joanne was chosen as one of the faces of St David’s Shopping Centre in Cardiff. Beating competition from more than 150 people, she is one of the 13 who have appeared in advertising and marketing campaigns across the Welsh capital.
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For further media information, please contact:
Jason Gowar, PR Manager, 020 7065 0573, jason.gowar@uk.pkf.com
Jane Murray, PR Executive, 020 7065 0135, jane.murray@uk.pkf.com
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Notes to Editors:
- PKF is a leading firm of accountants and business advisers with more than 1,800 partners and staff operating in 23 offices in the UK mainland firm, a wholly-owned financial planning company and associated offshore practices. The firm specialises in advising growing and entrepreneurial/owner-managed businesses, AIM and fully listed companies, and also has extensive experience in the public and not-for-profit sectors. Principal services include assurance and advisory; taxation; consultancy; corporate recovery and insolvency; corporate finance and forensic. The firm has particular expertise in advising sectors such as hotels and leisure; mining and resource; public sector; real estate and construction; professional practices; not-for-profit; and medical. The firm’s web site is www.pkf.co.uk.
- PKF (UK) LLP also offers financial services through its FSA authorised company, PKF Financial Planning Limited. PKF (Isle of Man) LLC is a limited liability company registered in the Isle of Man. PKF (Guernsey) Limited is incorporated in Guernsey.
- PKF (UK) LLP is a member of PKF International which is an association of legally independent firms with more than 14,650 people operating in 119 countries around the world.
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