May 14th 2012 is the day Alastair began his path to Director at Kendons. As a 21-year-old graduate, walking through the Kendons doors looks slightly different from what it looks like now. But while there may be fewer filing cabinets in every corner of the office and a few new faces as the team has expanded, the underlying appreciation for family and the drive for clients to succeed has stayed the same.
With a drive to help people, Alastair quickly found his place at Kendons, striving to exceed client expectations. Working across different areas of accounting, Alastair finds himself with a full business advisory “tool-box” having worked in a variety of roles and across many teams at Kendons.
“Looking back, it’s been interesting to compare my journey and experience at Kendons to others who went to the big four and chose to specialise. It doesn’t even compare to my journey at Kendons – being treated like family from day one and the opportunities to work across multiple areas of accounting.”
At 26, Alastair was the youngest ever Team Leader at Kendons, a massive achievement for everyone. It started Kendons’ evolution and broke the traditional mould of accounting firms. As a young, driven individual fronting that change, Alastair continued this growth to where we are today, announcing him as a Director of the firm and the first-ever Director at Kendons to have started with us as a graduate.
While there are many highlights to Alastair’s career, his achieving moments and seeing client satisfaction and appreciation is something that will always carry with him.
In the early stages of his career, a highlight for Alastair was working with a client who needed support through the transition of selling a business and seeing the relief and appreciation that the client had once it was done.
“It was great to be involved with the client’s journey and be part of the process to support her through a transition that was emotionally and mentally challenging for her.”
The ability to sit down with a client and offer guidance, direction and confidence is a rewarding part of the job for Alastair, which can be attributed to the dynamic environment of Kendons and the nature of supporting businesses to help them thrive.
“I live by a motto. If your customer is happy, then you’re doing your job well. Our role is to make sure we are achieving results for our clients and to focus on how we can help their business decision making easier.”
Alastair joins a team of Directors; with Susan Robertson, Steve Graves and Michael Markham.
Thinking about the last ten years at Kendons, Alastair can look back and be exceptionally proud of his journey and growth. He is an exemplar for future graduates showcasing the opportunity and growth potential of working for a smaller firm.
“Kendons has been an exceptional journey. Personally, it’s a massive achievement that I’m incredibly proud of. Becoming a Director was a goal I set myself five or six years ago. It’s gratifying to achieve it and to celebrate it with the Kendons team that helped made it possible.”
Client success gets our team out of bed in the morning, and seeing businesses thrive is our motivation.