As part of a new interview series Emma Peterson, Director of Recruit121 and Finance Awards Wales, talks to a whole host of professionals in and around Wales’ thriving Finance Sector. This week Emma caught up Rhian Owen, Audit Partner of Grant Thornton UK LLP
Tell me a bit about (your business)
At Grant Thornton we work with dynamic businesses to help them achieve their maximum potential for growth.
What are your future plans for the business?
Our clients highly rate our added value approach, so we will continue to work with vibrant organisations and build our offering according to their needs. We have over recent years significantly grown our offering in the South Wales market and our intention is to continue delivering sustainable growth in our Cardiff office.
What are the advantages of doing business in Wales?
Our connectivity is of key importance. Our regional network is strong and adept, allowing us to make essential connections, not only across our own team and office but from our external relationships too.
What was it about the Finance Awards Wales that made you want to get involved?
We believe recognising and rewarding talent is an important aspect of running a successful business. The ethos of the Finance Awards epitomises this and was a key factor in our decision to be part of the event.
Why are the awards important to Wales?
Wales has a wealth of skill and expertise and the awards provide an opportunity to ‘make some noise’ about individuals and teams. Such recognition is a powerful motivational tool and provides a means for organisations to reap the benefits of what this can mean to their business.
What was the standard of the applications and nominations? (of the category you sponsored)
I was highly impressed with the 2018 applications and feedback from the judges endorsed my views. We interviewed a number of accomplished and inspiring individuals who ably demonstrated how they were making a highly effective contribution to their organisation’s success.
How important is it for Welsh businesses to nurture future talent?
Despite these uncertain times, any business with a growth agenda, needs to continue to attract and retain quality personnel and invest in their future within the organisation. Training, development and upskilling of staff are crucial to the survival of any successful organisation. Today’s market requires companies to offer staff the potential to learn and grow, thereby creating opportunities for them to make a valuable contribution to the organisation’s success.
What would your advice be to someone looking to enter the industry?
My advice is to be open minded when entering the industry. Finance has a broad spectrum of opportunities and having the desire to embrace as many experiences as possible is vital for success.
