Rob Young

I hate surprises. So, everything I do is to make sure that my clients never have to encounter a nasty surprise. I believe that it’s my role to think ahead and plan for the future of my clients’ businesses. This means that I do everything I can to ensure that they have all the information they need to deal effectively with whatever is around the corner. I spend time with my clients to talk through all the possible scenarios, identify new opportunities and to put systems and processes in place to help plan for the future. I know this means that they worry less, sleep better and can focus on what is most important to them.

I see myself as being so much more than an ‘accountant’. I look after a variety of different owner managed businesses and I have experience of working across a number of sectors - particularly in relation to planning for business growth, disposal and acquisitions. I am particularly interested in how we use technology in accounting. People often don’t have the right systems, which means that they don’t have the right information. But, with the right information, my clients know how their business is doing in real time, which helps them to look ahead and make better business decisions.

A bit about my background
I began my career with the Liverpool Office of Gruber Levinson Franks which became part of BDO Stoy Hayward. Whilst there, I worked with a wide array of SMEs with a particular emphasis on the retail and the legal sectors. I joined SB&P in 2003 as an Audit Manager. I then transitioned to special projects and corporate finance in 2006 and I became a Partner in 2008.  

What is the most exciting thing on your bucket list?
I would like to buy and restore a classic car, maybe an MGB or even an Aston Martin DB5. My father had an MG when I was younger and one of my first cars was an MGTF, so it would be a lovely trip down memory lane to restore one of these magnificent cars to its former glory.

What advice would you give your 10-year-old self?
I would say hard work and preparation always pay off. There are no short cuts and things change all the time, but if you are prepared and dedicated you can cope with anything that life throws at you.

If you could have dinner with anyone who would it be?
Sir Timothy Berners-Lee. I would love to hear first-hand about the beginnings of the World Wide Web. I have always been interested in IT, I built my first computer when I was just 14 and I clearly remember the birth of the internet, so I would love to hear more of its founder’s inspiring story.