Meet the 35 Under 35 winners: Hannah Van Ross

We talk to Hannah Van Ross ACA, Audit Partner at Shipleys LLP and 2024 winner of the 35 Under 35 awards. With a passion for ESG initiatives and internal wellbeing, Hannah’s career at a mid-tier firm has given her exposure to a range of experiences and opportunities.

Hannah is an Audit Partner at Shipleys LLP and specialises in the entrepreneurial and financial services sectors. Hannah works predominantly with tech clients, VC funds, regulated firms and in particular PSR/EMI institutions; ?industries which are fast-paced and constantly evolving, which she thrives on. In terms of size, her clients range from startups to owner-managed businesses and large international Groups.

Career journey

I have always enjoyed working with numbers and solving problems, so accounting seemed like the best career choice where I could make a tangible impact on businesses. When I was younger, my dad used to say, “everyone always needs an accountant, doctor or lawyer, so I went with the first!”. My career began at a reputable firm on the south coast, which I joined straight from college and started on my ACA journey. I qualified in 2014, for which I gained just over a year PQE, before the bright lights of London started calling me.

Before joining Shipleys, my audit experience had been quite limited. I didn't want to go to a ‘big 4’ firm because I wanted to ensure I experienced, from the outset, partner engagement and to be exposed to various service offerings across varying industries. I found that being at a mid-tier firm like Shipleys would give a range of experiences and commercial exposure across different aspects of compliance and advisory, whilst allowing a work-life balance. It has and continues to give just that!

In 2016 I joined Shipley's as an audit supervisor, working my way up the ladder to become Partner in May 2021.

‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions and technical audit

The ‘Lunch & Learn’ sessions took a new form when I was a manager, because we noticed recurring issues among the staff. While Shipleys provided regular external courses, our aim was to also focus on day-to-day issues that people may encounter, and to do this through more informal internal get-togethers. The resulting lunchtime sessions share areas of improvement, best practice and tips to help colleagues develop their knowledge, understanding and skills. The sessions are very informal, inclusive and discussive and often cover advice on career progression too. I really enjoy promoting a strong training and mentoring environment for colleagues across all levels. It’s so rewarding to see colleagues develop and achieve their goals. ‘Lunch & Learns’ continue to be popular learning events in the firm.

Expanding client portfolio and contacts

Over the last 4 years, my client portfolio has quadrupled in size. I have achieved this namely by investing time to understand the needs of my clients, colleagues and contacts so that I am aware of their goals and how best to assist them. This has enabled me to build relationships and expand my contact base. I'm also part of some incredible membership networks, in particular ‘Private Client Global Elite (ALM)’, which I have the privilege to be able to be part of this exclusive community of like-minded people who I can learn from, develop my international network and build Shipleys’ profile.

Membership groups have really helped me make connections in spaces I wouldn’t have considered. I often acquire work and expand on my portfolio through these communities. Being part of them has enabled me to build many trusted relationships, which I greatly value.

Challenges facing audit today

1.?????? One of the biggest challenges is managing the diverse needs and expectations of clients and colleagues. Each client has unique pressures, so ensuring the highest level of service is quite demanding.

2.?????? New compliance requirements are something I didn't fully appreciate early on in my career.

The continually evolving landscape and regulatory environment definitely keeps us on our toes. The amount of work to do for an audit, for example, has increased dramatically too and rightly so to ensure trust and credibility in our sector is maintained.

3.?????? AI has had a huge impact on how we operate. We are seeing rapid progression with AI and automation, and it is transforming many aspects of accounting, from data entry and reconciliation to more complex tasks like forecasting and risk assessment. There are huge benefits to adopting new technologies, for instance they can handle routine tasks more efficiently, freeing up time for more strategic activities. They also enable more accurate and timely insights, which can greatly enhance decision-making processes for our clients. That said we do need to ensure we fully understand the technology to avoid errors and risk slipping in. ?Embracing these tools is essential to stay competitive but there still needs to be a balance with human interaction in order to deliver the best service possible.

ESG committee membership

As regulation and mindsets change, now more than ever, there is need to adopt more sustainable practices. As a firm we aim to uphold our responsibilities to both the micro and macro environments. This is something I feel quite passionate about and I’m proud that my colleague and I have enabled Shipleys to achieve carbon neutral status.

We're continually working on ways to reduce our footprint and adopt sustainable practices. Understanding and adopting these changes allows us to share our experiences with clients to both support them in their own sustainability journeys, and help them meet their regulatory disclosure requirements.

Finding career fulfilment at a mid-tier firm

Shipleys has an incredibly diverse team , the talent from which enables us to offer a range of services, spanning multiple industries. We're very much partner led, and our growth largely ?comes from recommendations and referrals, which speaks for itself. I'm very fortunate to be at firm like Shipleys, where new ideas are encouraged, tailored to the needs of our colleagues and clients, and implemented efficiently and effectively.

Advice on how to approach your career

Grasp your career with both hands and enjoy it. It's not easy, but you won’t realise what you're capable of until it's in front of you.

Accountancy is a fast-paced industry, where you’re exposed to new challenges every day. It’s exciting how much you learn and how quickly you develop. Above all, listen to people and their needs. This has been a big part of helping me get to where I am.?

Hannah was speaking to Ryan Green , Senior Recruitment Consultant at AJ Chambers. Ryan specialises in recruiting for Audit and Accounts professionals in London. He has 14 years of recruitment experience, covering Europe, USA and the UK. If you would like to know more, please email: [email protected]