Right advice 'crucial'

What was your first job and what did your responsibilities include?

Packing pizzas for Marks & Spencer. The main perk was free pizza! I joined Critchleys as a trainee in 1988, in what was then our Thame office.

How much was in your first pay packet and what did you spend it on?

I seem to remember it was about £400 net, which seemed a fortune when I was still living at home. Not sure what I spent it on - beer would have been a large part.

Describe how your career has developed to the present day.

I qualified in 1991. In 1993 I was appointed manager of the firm's Abingdon office and then the Oxford branch in 1995, specialising in charities. In 1999 I became a partner and in 2006 I was elected managing partner. I have been fortunate to spend my working life in one organisation with the stability that has bought, but also I have worked in varying roles and locations and this has kept the work fresh.

What are the key responsibilities in your position?

As managing partner I am responsible for all day-to-day operational issues and the strategic direction in which the firm is heading. I also head up our multi-disciplinary charity team.

Describe a typical day.

I am not an early morning person and I normally arrive about 9am with a cup of coffee in hand. I will have internal meetings, for example, with our marketing or human resources managers and carry out client work. I have a large charity client base and I am spending a lot of time helping two clients with key recruitments. I will meet with clients to discuss their affairs and will probably end the day with some sort of business-focused social event, which I tell my wife is marketing!

Who/what have been the biggest influences on your career?

My grandfather was an entrepreneur - he started with a milk churn and a pony and cart and ended up with two farms. I have always wanted to emulate that spirit of building something.

What has been your best decision?

Employing professionals in HR, marketing, IT and finance - having dedicated people in these fields enables the partners to develop, rather than manage, the business and allows for a different perspective in these areas.

And your worst?

Buying a race horse to celebrate our centenary in 2006. Sadly, despite a good start, it took the same approach to exercise as me.

What is the best advice you can give to someone starting out in your business?

Take the right advice. It is one of my pleasures to see someone start a business and for it to develop and become successful. The right advice is crucial in achieving this. We recently advised a company on its sale for £2.5m, which came to us as a start up with two ladies wanting to form a recruitment agency aimed at the publishing sector.

What is the secret of good management?

Ensuring managers have the tools to do their jobs and that there are clear lines of responsibility. Listening, respect and teamwork are important, as are encouraging them in their initiatives. Avoid meetings and committees at all costs.

Do you have a good work/life balance?

I believe I do. I am able to spend time with my wife Alison and children Charlotte, five, and three-year-old Edward, as I do not have a long commute. We live just outside Oxford and, as a result, I am home in time for bedtime stories most nights.

What hobbies/interests do you enjoy in your spare time?

I am a keen golfer and skier which I try to squeeze in whenever I can. I have had a number of voluntary roles, including being treasurer of an appeal for Dorchester Abbey which raised more than £4m. I am part of the steering committee for the establishment of Charity Centre Oxford, which will be on the Cowley Road, and will be a hub for voluntary sector organisations to work in. Also, I have recently become a member of the audit committee of Oxford Brookes University.

Is there anything in business that really irritates you?

E-mails, too many e-mails.

How do you see your firm developing over the next five years?

I firmly believe there is a place for a regional independent practice of our size. Audit, accounts and the tax service are the mainstay of Critchleys' business. We also provide services which are growing fast and provide a large part of the firm's income, such as financial planning, corporate finance and outsourced services like payroll, management services and company secretarial. We will also develop new businesses.

What has been your most satisfying moment?

Being elected managing partner. For my colleagues to place that trust in me was a great honour.

Do you believe there is enough help and support from government and agencies for growing businesses?

I am afraid I don't think government can help greatly, but it can hinder. We are seeing too much legislation, a lot of which is not thought through and then professionals have to try and keep clients on the right side of it.

What is your attitude to the environment and do you have any green policies in place?

Critchleys is committed to becoming a more environmentally-aware practice and we are looking, in consultation with our staff, to introduce a series of measures across the firm. I can often be seen cycling to work, weather permitting.

What is the secret of a happy workforce?

Staff need to be respected, consulted and given responsibility.

Is there any other job you would like to have done and why?

I often thought I'd like to be a farmer -like my grandfather - but now realise that would have been far too much hard work for me.

What would you like to do when you retire?

I would love to travel. There are many parts of the world that fascinate me and we would spend our time slowly crossing them off the list. I think India would be first choice.