Francis Maxwell

I qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1992 while employed at Maxwell & Co, where I became a partner in 1995. On 1st January 2001 Lana and I set up our own practice in Alton and haven’t looked back since.

As a small business owner, property owner and family man, I keep myself up to date with the latest tax efficient opportunities and pass them onto our clients. Apart from enjoying time with my children I play squash, go to the gym and can even be seen on a football pitch on a Sunday morning every now and then.

I started working with Paul in 1993 and qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1997. My speciality has always been in accounts production and auditing and, like Paul, I hold an audit practicing certificate.

I am very much involved with the running of the business particularly with our larger clients who have more specialised reporting requirements. Otherwise I am busy with our two small children but still manage the odd session at the gym.

After university I had a varied career during which I attended several courses in training and accountancy software. After the birth of my children I took up bookkeeping and started working for Paul Francis in 1995, qualifying as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 2002. My background enables me to appreciate problems from both sides of the fence and my training experience assists clients to develop their own bookkeeping & computer skills. I am delighted to have become a partner in Francis Maxwell LLP in 2009.

My interests away from work are dancing to virtually any type of music (preferably live!), playing folk fiddle, calling Scottish & English ceilidh dances and performing with Farnham Amateur Operatic Society. My ‘spare’ time is spent gardening and walking.

I have been a bookkeeper and office administrator since 1977. During that time I have worked for four manufacturing companies and one retail company. I started working for Francis Maxwell in February 2001 helping with client’s bookkeeping and payroll needs as well as any administration requirements.

I am married with three children and six grandchildren.

Following college I worked for a Berkshire firm of accountants, where I gained wide experience in accounts, audit and tax. I joined Francis Maxwell in 2008 with five years’ experience, looking to broaden my skills further with a new client base as a challenge. I qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant early in 2010.

In my spare time I like to watch and play many sports. I am an active member of a local football club. I am also very keen on motor racing and try to get out to watch as many events as possible.

Having completed my degree in accountancy at the University of Hull in 2005, I went on to work for a small practice in my home county of Cheshire for three years, where I gained much of my accountancy experience.

I started at Francis Maxwell in December 2008, having relocated to the south to join my younger brother in Guildford, and intend to finish my ACCA qualification within the next two years.

I spent five years in Brazil as a child, and this has fuelled a long-standing taste for travelling and foreign culture. In my spare time I enjoy watching films and doing my best to keep fit. I am also an avid supporter of Manchester United.

I started my career in accountancy as a trainee at a small firm based in Aldershot, where I gained experience in accounts preparation, bookkeeping, management accounting and audit. After 15 months, I decided to leave to gain experience in industry, and spent two years working as a bookkeeper/accounts assistant for a travel insurance broker.

I joined Francis Maxwell in January 2009 as a trainee accountant and am working towards the ACCA qualification, which I hope to achieve in the next three years.  Outside of work I enjoy music and spending time with my nephews and nieces.

Since graduating from Southampton University with a Masters degree in Accounting and Finance in 2005, I started my career in accountancy and worked for a variety of different accountancy firms. I have gained experience working for the big 4, a regional size practice in Berkshire and a large national practice in the West Midlands. Since starting Francis Maxwell at the start of 2010, I have really enjoyed their culture and philosophy of providing a more personal touch to clients.

I have gained great experience working for a wide range of clients preparing accounts and audit. I am an ACA finalist and look to complete my remaining exams by the end of 2010. Outside work I am a martial arts enthusiast and a film buff. I also enjoy travelling and love a good game of football.