MHA Larking Gowen has welcomed Mark Hewitson as a new partner, dealing with Business and Private clients, based in their Fakenham and Holt offices.
Mark, who was previously working at a national firm in Esher, south London, is familiar with the region having been brought up in Suffolk. He attended Ipswich School and played football for Ipswich Town at YTS level before realising his future lay in accountancy.
He qualified as an accountant at a firm in Ipswich before moving to London where he has worked for the past 20 years.
As Mark begins his new role, one of his main focusses will be getting to know clients and tapping into his fellow partners’ knowledge of the local area.
“As far as my clients are concerned, my role is to become the trusted advisor,” said Mark. “You have to be interested in a person, get to know them and their families and learn about their goals and aspirations, both for business and individuals.
“You become an essential part of their business, taking the role of an FD where one doesn’t already exist within the organisation, and I’ve found that has accelerated over the last year. With the growing reliance on remote working, and Zoom or Teams, has come the ability to attend meetings more regularly.
“I think some of these changes to working practices will stick because they are effective touch points,” he continued.
What does Mark think the effects of the economic climate will be on the business over the coming year?
“I’ve been through two economic crises and what I’ve found is that clients need more help from their advisors than ever.
“It’s not just looking at tax optimisation, it’s looking at the wider aspects. For example, working with financial advisors and planners. I like to have the financial advisors on my side, it’s good to bring your thoughts together and present them to the client,” he explained.
“I am very pleased to working with the team at MHA Larking Gowen who have a strong presence in the region and an excellent reputation among their clients. The supportive working environment is an impressive part of the way the business operates, and I look forward to working with our many clients.”
Mark has relocated to north Norfolk with his wife, Johanna, who is a journalist and author, and his two children.
www.larking-gowen.co.uk