BRIGHT
FUTURE
Growing accountancy firm buoyant about city ’ s future
A
leading accountancy firm is facing the future with optimism amid ambitious regeneration plans in Sunderland .
Certax Accounting is very much open for business after the Covid pandemic and has welcomed the ongoing transformation of the city , where it takes pride in working with local clients .
Director Mike Hendy , who is from Sunderland and is a season ticket holder at the Stadium of Light , is excited about the multi-million pound regeneration projects breathing new life into his home city .
Mike said : “ I think we have all had a couple of rotten years but I am quite optimistic for the future . There are a lot of opportunities out there for businesses and for Sunderland .
“ We are keen to be part of that development . It is an opportunity now to move forward and put the last couple of years behind us .”
With its headquarters in Chesterfield , Derbyshire , Certax has a national network including branches in Durham , Teesside and Sunderland .
Mike , 55 , who has been in the business for more than 30 years , said : “ We have grown gradually in the six years we have been here and we are very much looking to expand the business .
“ I think we are encouraged by the number of new start-ups we see and the fact that after the pandemic many businesses are ripe for taking stock .
“ This city is undergoing an awful lot of regeneration at the moment . There ’ s the Vaux Brewery site , the new railway station and the redevelopment of historic properties on the High Street . This is driving new businesses . It is quite an exciting place to be .”
The popular image of accountancy , often mocked for being dull and uninteresting , isn ’ t a true reflection of a changing profession in a changing world , says Mike .
“ I think that is the traditional image of accountancy , that it is boring and not very exciting ,” he added .
“ I think our role is rather different to that . We now see ourselves as very much business partners to our clients . It is about helping them to grow their businesses . That kind of trusted friend role is very much the way it is going forward . I think that gives us a much broader role .
“ Accountants come in all shapes and sizes . There is an opportunity to work with a wide variety of clients .”
The pandemic obviously presented its own challenges to the six staff at Centax ’ s Sunderland office , based in Foyle Street , with home working and online meetings becoming the new normal .
Mike said : “ I think for us it has been a disruption , rather than having a critical impact . Like every other business there have been challenges , such as working from home .
“ We are back face-to-face , but we do use Zoom and Teams more than we used to . We have been welcoming people back into the
Accountant – Mike Hendy has been running the Certax Sunderland team since its launch six years ago .
WORDS : ANDY PASSANT PICTURE : TOM BANKS
office for a while now .
“ It is a changing environment . People are innovative and will always find new ways of doing the things they want to do .”
There has been a lot of talk recently about levelling up the regions and Mike agrees this is crucial for the North-East economy , with measures including improved transport links and better internet connectivity helping to deliver more investment and jobs .
“ I think this region has been Cinderella for such a long time . It is very important that this is corrected ," he said .
“ In the past a lot of people have gone to London . I think what we are finding now is that a lot of those jobs they can actually do working from home . It could just as easily be done in the North-East .”
And Mike , a married man and avid Sunderland supporter who went to his first match at Roker Park as a child in 1972 , believes it ’ s important to give something back to the local area .
He added : “ We are involved with the Foundation of Light , which works with a lot of young people to give them opportunities . I am also a member of Sunderland City Rotary Club .
“ It is not just about providing a service , then submitting our bill . It ’ s about being part of the wider community .”
For more info visit certaxsunderland . com .
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