PROFILE
TEES UP !
Name
: Joanne Regan Age : 51 Born : Hartlepool Lives : Hartlepool
Organisation ( s ) & Job title ( s ): Regional managing partner at Azets
When I was at school , I wanted to be … a ballerina or an accountant , how sad is that ! But at the prime age of eight , when I realised I was very good at and enjoyed maths , I set my sights on becoming an accountant . It helped that I had great maths teachers who retained my interest . If only someone had told me that you don ’ t necessarily need to have great maths skills who knows were I could have ended up .
The best business decision I ever made was … taking on the role of regional managing partner for the North-East at Azets . I have never sought out promotions , rather my progression just came naturally and at a manageable pace . However , moving from managing our Wynyard office with 60 staff to managing the North-East with 160 staff ( as it was at that point ) was very daunting . I have been pleasantly surprised at the calibre of people we have in the region and their ‘ can do ’ attitude made the transition very easy for me . I am very proud to be leading them as we build an accountancy practice that is fit to serve our local SME market for the future .
The worst business decision I ever made was … probably lots over my career to date , and no doubt many more to come . I believe you learn from the bad decisions so you make better ones in the future .
The best part of my job is … people . Whether I am encouraging and watching my teams develop into great advisers and team players , helping clients achieve their goals and making their lives less stressful or building my network . At the end of the day , strong relationships are the key to success in a people-led , service industry . I love to see people doing well and I have a natural instinct to help everyone .
The biggest downside of my working life is … like most , work does creep into my own time , and I have to remind myself to stop at times . This is partly down to my need to help everyone , but I am lucky to be surrounded by a strong team who support me well and remind me that I am allowed to step away at times .
If I could change one thing to help my organisation it would be … speed up the brand awareness that comes from being a new name in the profession . The Azets brand has only been around for two years in the UK and our teams are doing a great job in promoting us already .
Four words to describe me are … hard working , caring , inclusive , honest and open ( is that five ?!).
My business mantra is … surround yourself with clever people . The best ideas come from the team . And learn from mistakes … we have no blame culture here !
My greatest achievement is … getting to a point where I have a happy home life which balances well ( mostly ) with my work life . I also qualified as a chartered accountant at the young age of 23 at a time when the profession was very male dominated .
The advice I ’ d give to business start-ups is … surround yourself with the best advisers you can afford and build your network quickly . If you have a great business idea supporters will help you make it a reality .
The biggest character on the Tees business scene is … there are so many . From Ben Houchen and Andy Preston who fly the flag for Teesside , to the many inspirational business leaders of organisations both large and small who are determined every day to make a difference to our area and people . We have many admirable characters who are not afraid to take a risk .
Teesside ’ s a great place for business because … of the people . We are a proud , friendly , determined and passionate lot .
My biggest frustration about Teesside is … external perception .
My favourite local charity is … Alice House Hospice in Hartlepool is an amazing charity and where I am trustee . The organisation is full to the brim of people who are passionate about what they do , from the volunteers to the CEO . And being a hospice that only gets 20 per cent of its income need from government , I am constantly humbled by how hard the team work to bridge the gap and generate ideas to raise funds .
78 | Tees Business