Finance directors, unsung business heroes

Sarah Turvey, finance director at Simply Biz, which offers compliance and business support to directly regulated financial advisers and workplace benefits professionals, said that it was great to have awards that recognise the contribution of finance directors.

Ms Turvey, who won the Best Finance Director of an SME Award in 2009, told The Yorkshire Post: “It was a very big honour and it was great to be recognised for the work that we do. I think quite often finance directors are unsung heroes.”

Ms Turvey said that flexibility was key to being a good finance director as there is a need to ensure that finances don’t restrict growth of a business.

“You need attention to detail, you need good commercial acumen as well,” she added.

Ms Turvey, who started her career at an accountancy practice, wanted to get more involved with the mechanics of business and that’s what led to her becoming a finance director.

She said: “I always enjoyed working with numbers. My early career was in a small accountancy practice and so I did my training in practice and really enjoyed it.

“I enjoyed dealing with the clients but always felt there was more that I could offer. I liked being close to the nuts and bolts of the business, seeing what makes it successful and helping in that.

“So when I had the opportunity to actually get into industry rather than practice I was over the moon.”

Prior to joining Huddersfield-based Simply Biz in 2002, Ms Turvey also headed the finance team at Huddersfield Giants Rugby League club and she was part of the management team that dealt with the negotiations and implementation of the Giants merger with Sheffield.

There are seven categories at this year’s FD Awards: Best Finance Director of a Ltd company (up to £35m); Best Finance Director of Ltd company (£35m-plus); Best Finance Director of a Plc; Best Finance Director of a Private Equity Company; Young Finance Director of the Year (up to 40 years of age); Best Finance Director – Public Sector; and the Outstanding Achievement Award.

To enter or nominate, visit www.fdawards.co.uk/yorkshirenominations.html and follow the simple instructions. For more information contact Nina Butterfield via email [email protected] or 0113 242 1200.

The awards are in partnership with The Yorkshire Post.

Past winners include Andy Finneran of R&R Ice Cream, Jane Madeley of Leeds University, Darren Bryant of Card Factory and Tony Quinlan, formerly of Drax Group.