...From Small Beginnings
Oakes Accounting specialises in providing tailor made accounting services, including bookkeeping, VAT and self assessment to small businesses.
Chris Oakes
Chris was raised and educated in Heswall, Wirral. He was brought up in an accountancy environment as his Father was a Senior Partner in Guild Appleton & Co Chartered Accountants in Liverpool, specialising in small businesses. As a young man Chris worked in the school holidays for his Father. This introduction started his initial interest in accountancy, and it soon became clear to him what an important role Accountants play in order for a business to be successful.
Chris attended the Metropolitan College where he passed the B-TEC National Certificate in Business and Finance with Distinction. This spring boarded him to study the renound AAT accountancy qualifications at Sandwell Business College in the West Midlands. His success in these examinations enabled him to extend his studies to the formal ACCA Professional Accountancy Examinations at John Moores University in Liverpool.
Chris started his career working initially for Guild Appleton & co., liaising with the clients and collating their business accounts. Having gained an invaluable amount of experience within the small business industry Chris moved on to work for KPMG Accountants in their Liverpool office. During his time there he extended his working knowledge to include insolvency. With this additional field of experience he followed promotion to Price, Waterhouse, Coopers, where he was responsible for managing a team of staff and leading the Insolvency Unit. It gave Chris an invaluable insight into some of the pitfalls that small businesses may encounter, and could draw on his many years of experience of how to avoid this unsatisfactory and distressing conclusion to a business.
With the small business trader focusing Chris’ attention he decided to gain direct experience within that field, and accepted a job working as Financial Controller for a restaurant chain. Whilst there, Chris and his team worked hard to expand the business rapidly, and eventually it was sold to a London based PLC which is still trading today. Chris feels privileged to have been part of this success story, and of how his input was so valued by his employers.
Prior to making the leap to becoming self- employed in 2010, Chris worked as the Financial Controller for a service and repair business in Knutsford. Under his guidance the company soon raised its profile, and the annual audit results were greatly improved.
All of the above experience has resulted in a unique wealth of knowledge in all aspects of the finance field, and in many varying business types. Chris can use his talents and easily adapt his skills to either the setting up of a new business, or be instrumental in the smooth running of an existing business.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Fiona Oakes
After leaving West Kirby Grammar School, Wirral, Fiona attended Liverpool Business College where she attained a Business Management HND.
This led Fiona into working within the financial services industry for 22 years, and she moved around the region chasing promotions within the customer services and direct sales areas. Successfully passed the Financial Services Compliance and Banking examinations demonstrating her commitment to the companies that she worked for. Her ability to relate to people and always be customer focused makes her popular with clients, and consequently successful in her field of expertise. She will greet you with a friendly and sunny welcome.
Fiona left the Financial Services industry and studied Accountancy at The Wirral Metropolitan and Carlett Park Colleges, leaving with the AAT National Vocational Qualification in Accounting. In addition she also passed the OCR Certificate in Bookkeeping for both manual and computerised records.
Fiona ran her own business for seventeen years, so she is used to small businesses and how essential a good Accountant is in order to make the business grow and develop.
We now welcome Fiona into Oakes Accounting as our Client Services Director. She works on a full-time basis, and she looks forward to receiving your call.
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