Ambitious accountants appoint new partner as it continues to grow

An ambitious Devon based accountants has appointed a second partner as the firm continues to grow.

Laura Waycott has joined founder Misty Nickells at Griffin Chartered Accountants.

The business, which has three offices in Devon, was set up in 2015 to provide accountancy and auditing services to a range of businesses, academies and charities.

The appointment comes after Griffin grew by 20 per cent in 2022, following the firm’s stable trajectory over the past seven years, with 80 per cent of new business coming via referrals.

Nickells said: “After yet another strong performance it became clear that it was no longer feasible for me to continue as sole partner. But it was critical to find the right person who fits with our ongoing plans as well as our company ethos.

“Laura’s approach and her specialisms are exactly what’s needed to free up my time to concentrate on supporting our business clients, ultimately allowing Griffin to take the next steps in its development.

“Importantly, Laura is as excited about the future as the rest of the team. She fits perfectly within the culture of our business; fairly unusual in its unstuffy, informal and non-hierarchical approach which is encouraged in our open plan office structure and team-orientated attitude.”

Waycott spent more than 13 years at PFK Francis Clark where she trained and rose through the ranks to become an audit manager specialising in the not-for-profit sector.

For the past two years she has been head of finance for Children’s Hospice South West.

“I’m delighted to be joining Griffin, a firm perfectly in tune with my own experience with academies and charities,” she said. “This move for me is career fulfilling, a goal I have been aiming towards for a while.

“I see lots of opportunities ahead to work with Misty to build up the business even further. I particularly like the style of the business; it’s extremely inclusive and respectful of staff whatever level they are at.”