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ACCA’s Sectors and Communities team brings you conversations with members from across the profession, exploring career journeys, trends, and insights shaping finance today.

  1. Journey to CFO in partnership with BDO: Sinéad McCormack FCCA

    1d ago

    Journey to CFO in partnership with BDO: Sinéad McCormack FCCA

    Welcome to ACCA's Journey to CFO, in partnership with BDO, the podcast exploring the real stories behind finance leadership. Hosted by Rachel Shorter, each episode features candid conversations with leading CFOs and finance leaders, uncovering the successes, challenges and lessons that have shaped their careers. In this episode, Rachel is joined by Sinéad McCormack, Chief Financial Officer at Medicines Discovery Catapult. A qualified accountant with more than 23 years of experience across financial services, central banking and higher education, Sinéad shares insights from her journey to CFO, including her leadership roles at Barclays, the Bank of England and the University of Manchester. She discusses the lessons she's learned throughout her career, the value of bringing together experience from both the public and private sectors, and how she is helping to drive Medicines Discovery Catapult's vision of reshaping drug discovery for patient benefit. Watch the Vodcast Find out more about BDO Find out more about Sinéad Find out more about Rachael

    34 min
  2. Journey to CFO in partnership with BDO: Cécile Parker FCCA

    5d ago

    Journey to CFO in partnership with BDO: Cécile Parker FCCA

    Welcome to ACCA's Journey to CFO, in partnership with BDO, the podcast exploring the real stories behind finance leadership. Hosted by Rachel Shorter, each episode features candid conversations with leading CFOs and Finance leaders, uncovering the successes, challenges and lessons that have shaped their careers. In this episode, Rachel is joined by Cécile Parker, Group CFO at Vital Energi. With more than 25 years of global board-level experience and a two-time Industrial Engineering CFO of the Year award winner, Cécile shares insights from her journey to CFO, including leading strategic transformation, driving financial impact, and helping secure Vital Energi's landmark £175m Nordic bond raise. Watch the Vodcast Find out more about BDO Find out more about Cecile Find out more about Rachael

    35 min
  3. At the 4 Front: Breaking barriers, taking risks and leading with purpose with Bano Sheikh FCCA

    Jun 2

    At the 4 Front: Breaking barriers, taking risks and leading with purpose with Bano Sheikh FCCA

    In this episode, Bano candidly speaks about her inspiring journey through the accounting profession and the lessons she has learned along the way.   She reflects on discovering ACCA in Lahore, at a time when very few women were studying ACCA or working in the Big Four outside of administrative roles, and how she made the decision to challenge expectations and help open the door for others.   Bano shares how mentorship from her father helped navigate risk, self doubt and major career decisions, as well as the importance of curiosity, embracing opportunities and staying aligned to your personal values.

As one of the first few Muslim partners at KPMG and leader of the KPMG Muslim Network, she offers powerful insights into what meaningful inclusion looks like in practice and why having a voice at the table matters.   Whether you're starting your ACCA journey, building your career in professional services, or stepping into leadership, this episode offers honest reflections and practical advice on confidence, resilience and owning your success.   Catch up on all episodes of At the 4 Front: ACCA Voices from the Big 4.    Visit our ACCA Big 4 and Mid-Tier Hub for helpful resources, articles and tools to support your career journey.

    17 min
  4. The Resilient Accountant: Veena Patel FCCA - resilience born from a desire to seize opportunities

    Jun 2

    The Resilient Accountant: Veena Patel FCCA - resilience born from a desire to seize opportunities

    Donna Beddis FCCA speaks to Veena Patel FCCA, Director of Finance at the UK’s leading accident prevention charity RoSPA. Veena shares her journey across sectors to arrive at a place that feels like home, with a clear mission and people working together to bring in around 10 million in grants and membership, training, and consultancy, combining commercial thinking with real purpose.

    15 min
  5. The Resilient Accountant: Leading through a determination to drive change

    May 8

    The Resilient Accountant: Leading through a determination to drive change

    Hear Owen Davies FCCA, Head of Finance at Transport for Wales and secondee at Pullman Rail, talk to Donna Beddis FCCA about finding resilience in leading through a determination to drive change. As well as being an advocate for the public sector, Owen is also a crusader for being brave and embracing the commercial sector, hunting out value in commercial opportunities to improve the value proposition for the people of Wales. Hear about his determination to extend the remit of Transport for Wales - a course of action which has given him opportunities to create new ideas and procedures - all whilst earning the trust of the Welsh Government and the wellbeing of his teams to deliver the changes.

    21 min
  6. Finance redefined: Risk management and controls with Jane Walde

    Apr 16

    Finance redefined: Risk management and controls with Jane Walde

    Are your finance and business decisions fully protected against the risks quietly building in your organisation? In this episode, we show how finance teams can work smarter with risk and audit functions to stay ahead. We break down what an effective controls framework really looks like, with practical examples of proportionate controls and insights into the common risks that often slip under the radar. From strengthening risk awareness to discovering tools and techniques that make controls more effective, this episode equips accountants in business with actionable strategies they can implement immediately. If you’re looking to move beyond compliance and play a central role in safeguarding your organisation’s success, this conversation is essential listening. Jane is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and is a member of ACCA's Global Forum for Governance, Risk and Performance. She is an Associate of Satarla and specialises in Enterprise Risk Management. Find her on LinkedIn. To access a workshop that covers the requirements of provision 29 of the 2024 UK Corporate Governance Code, contact and enquire about the Effective Risk Governance and Material Controls Workshop. There is also free guidance on how to do a bow-tie risk assessment on the Satarla site.

    21 min
  7. The Resilient Accountant: Making space for the future even though the present is busy

    Apr 1

    The Resilient Accountant: Making space for the future even though the present is busy

    Donna Bedis interviews Veer Parmar, the 2025 UK Public Sector Advocate of the Year, about his work in the NHS. Veer, a finance business partner at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, has been instrumental in promoting innovation, particularly in AI in healthcare, and developing a finance graduate scheme across nine NHS Trusts. He emphasizes the importance of consistency, collaboration, and integrity in his work. Balancing ambition and empathy is key. People are stretched, change can feel overwhelming, the best approach is to listen, understand concerns and move at a pace that feels safe. Veer discusses the challenges of balancing immediate pressures with long-term transformation and the significance of small steps in driving change – “making space for the future even though the present is busy”. He also highlights the role of financial insight in improving patient and staff outcomes and advocates for using one's experience to support colleagues and the community.   Since this podcast was recorded, Veer has become the Chair of the Health Sector Panel and is working on leading AI-based activities for the network.   Connect with Veer on LinkedIn

    10 min
  8. At the 4Front: Clients and career growth with Freddie Winter

    Mar 27

    At the 4Front: Clients and career growth with Freddie Winter

    Bridget Foley sits down with Freddie Winter, Senior Finance Consultant at EY, to explore the realities of pursuing the ACCA qualification while working in a Big Four firm.   Freddie shares what sparked his interest in finance and accounting, and how that curiosity evolved into a career at EY.   He brings the qualification to life with a practical example of applying audit and assurance knowledge directly to client work - highlighting the immediate value of ACCA learning in a consulting environment.   Freddie speaks candidly about the challenges of managing work, study, and personal life, including the sacrifices required during busy periods. He emphasises the importance of staying connected to your “why” and protecting non-negotiable wellbeing priorities.   Whether you're considering ACCA, applying to a Big Four firm, or currently juggling study and work, this episode offers honest insights and practical advice to help you succeed. Visit our ACCA Big 4 and Mid-Tier Hub for helpful resources, articles and tools to support your career journey.

    13 min
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ACCA’s Sectors and Communities team brings you conversations with members from across the profession, exploring career journeys, trends, and insights shaping finance today.

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  • Creator
    ACCA
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    UK Sectors