Three team members celebrate a milestone at Simpkins Edwards

Simpkins Edwards is proud to congratulate not just one but three team members as they celebrate a decade working at the firm.

Fern Leach, Nick Feeney and Rosie Feeney joined the Exeter office straight from college back in 2012. Their time at Simpkins Edwards has seen each of them progress into managerial roles – and they have also forged a strong bond outside of work, as Nick and Rosie are now married with a daughter, while Fern is the godmother!

From their first steps on the career ladder to their current roles, the colleagues’ experiences over the last ten years highlight that there are several different paths to building a career in accounting. Nick and Rosie began their AAT studies with Simpkins Edwards following A-levels. They were then both promoted to client managers, advising a range of businesses and individuals, enjoying the opportunity to tackle projects of different sizes and complexity.

Nick went on to complete his ACA and is now Business Services Group Manager, supporting a team of ten colleagues. He says: “I like talking with clients and helping them to understand their numbers so that they can thrive.”

Rosie moved away from client-facing work on her return from maternity leave in 2020, taking an internal finance role. She enjoys working closely with colleagues, providing support to them as needed. She says: “Both Nick and I love the culture at Simpkins Edwards – the friendships, the work environment and the way the firm operates.”

Fern started with Simpkins Edwards as an apprentice, a route the firm has always been keen to support, as it provides people with the opportunity to further their education whilst earning and gaining workplace experience. She is now Finance Manager, preparing management accounts and financial statements for Simpkins Edwards. She finds the role to be varied, commenting: “Every day is different. But it’s the people that really make the difference – everyone is so friendly.”

The celebration of the three colleagues’ careers at Simpkins Edwards is particularly timely, following the firm’s recent win at Exeter College’s Outstanding Apprentice Employer Awards for the second year running, in the medium-sized employer category.
Simpkins Edwards has participated in the College’s apprenticeship programme for over 20 years, supporting people like Fern, Rosie and Nick as they venture into the world of accounting.

Mary Jane Campbell, Managing Partner at Simpkins Edwards, said: “Congratulations to Fern, Rosie and Nick on this special milestone. It’s been wonderful to watch them progress with us. They are real assets to the firm and we wish them every continued success in their careers. Their achievements are also a good reminder of how important it is to invest in our young people as they take their first steps into accounting – as we can see, they become the managers of tomorrow!”