My Accountancy Career

At the age of seventeen I left school to join a firm of chartered accountants as an articled clerk. The firm, Attlee Edge and Lambert, had five partners at the time, and carried out a wide range of accounting, auditing and taxation services.

There were two major clients that provided some 50% of their income. The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society and Horizon Midlands Ltd., a Birmingham travel agent that was eventually bought by Thompson Holidays.

In 1974 I qualified as a chartered accountant and became an associate member (ACA); five years later I became a fellow member (FCA).

In 1978 I was invited to become a full partner, which I did. This is about the time my interest in micro computers and how they could be used to provide computer sevices to clients began.

Unfortunately, because of the large age difference between my fellow parters and myself I lost the battle to convince them that this was the way ahead. In the event I resigned and used the settlement I received to set up my own company providing such services.