Meet the team – Helen Luxford

Name

Helen Luxford

Job title

Senior Audit Manager

How long have you been at Cowgills?

11 years here and 5 years at Waring’s or CHW as it is now known.

Ok so what exactly do you do?

I manage all of Stuart’s and Nilesh’s property and construction clients which is a task in itself due to our recent client growth. My job is quite varied and no day is the same. The work varies from overseeing annual statutory accounts and audits to cash flow forecasts to assess the viability of building projects. The property and construction industry is a complicated beast in terms of VAT, tax, funding etc. and many of my clients require a number of different services from Cowgills. Part of my role is to collate all the ongoing projects for my clients from the different departments and communicate that to the client in a monthly professional services update (PSU). This update summarises exactly where projects are up to and what information we or they require to get things moving – communication is key to maintaining client relationships.

Give us some highlights

Getting to know my clients and the projects they are involved in, is essential in order for me to understand and foresee any potential problems they may face and also any opportunities they could benefit from.

Due to our extensive network of clients, external professional advisors and the knowledge of our other team members we are able to find solutions for our clients to overcome these problems which not only adds value to the client but is also very satisfying from a personal perspective.

What challenges do you find clients are experiencing at the moment, and how are you helping them to overcome them?

The main challenge my clients are currently facing are understanding the longer term cash flows and how this will fluctuate in the coming years. Having enough cash to sustain a long term building project from start to finish is essential and therefore forecasting the cash flows over the next x amount of years will help ensure the project is viable and also identify where funding may be required. If there is a shortfall in funding, ‘Yoda Dave’ will be called upon!

Any tips?

No one knows everything! Being inquisitive and asking questions no matter how simple they appear to you, will only help enhance your knowledge. Never feel stupid asking questions!!!