Since we started out in 2002, AFP has become a trusted and reliable partner for SMEs all over the country.
Our approach combines the old-school values of honesty and transparency with the up-to-date knowledge and expertise that modern small businesses need to thrive.
Your dream team
Introducing the people who make it happen, day in and day out. Talented, friendly and even better together. Click on the photos to find out more.
Catherine is our job-juggling, plate-spinning Managing Director, who thrives on the variety that life at AFP offers. Before finding her way to us, Catherine spent many years in the fascinating world of manufacturing equipment and vehicle rental, and can wax lyrical about the benefits of curtainsiders versus regular ol’ trucks with the best of them.
Favourite biscuit:
Shortbread, obviously.
Most-used expression:
“Talk to me about it”.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life? (And why!)
Dawn French, because in another life I would have been a female priest!
Emma has a whopping 20 years’ experience in a variety of accounting roles, and heads up the Management Accounts team, as well as being a CRM to several clients. It’s little wonder, then, that Emma says variety is the spice of life here at AFP. Just don’t get her confused with Baby Spice.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
Packing jigsaw puzzles.
Favourite biscuit:
Anything covered in chocolate.
Most-used expression:
“I don’t think you have the correct Emma!”
Who’d play you in a movie of your life? (And why!)
Emma Bunton, as people often confuse the names on a regular basis already.
Emma, our Head of Financial Accounts, shares a lot of traits with our accounting team – a rare breed of number cruncher that knows their ASU from their ASB, but is also remarkably good fun on a night out. With her collaborative attitude and passion, Emma leads from the front.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
My first job was waitressing for a catering company when I was 15. The best part was eating the desserts at the end!
Favourite biscuit:
The chocolate Hobnob – a classic.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life?
Rebel Wilson, because her Wrecking Ball scene in Pitch Perfect sums up my life sometimes, seriously.
Ian's role is to ensure our clients supply chains and operations are running efficiently. When he's not doing this he loves to spend time with his family, travelling and if he gets chance, ‘potter’ in the garden or get out on his motorbike!
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
Potwasher in the local pub.
Signature karaoke song:
A little time - Beautiful South, I used to have a counter part for the female vocals I promise.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life?
Mr Bean. My wife says, I’m a bit of a joker and a wind-up merchant.
Most-used expression:
Really!!
Little-known fact:
Christened with Cricket legend Alan Lamb's Son in Scaldwell Northampton.
James is our Assistant Financial Accounts Manager, which means he’s involved in all the essential accounting stuff that goes with running a small business. Always one to get stuck in, his first accounting job was for a small building company, and involved such tasks as demolition and making deliveries in the company’s yellow (not white) van.
Favourite biscuit:
The humble chocolate digestive.
Signature karaoke song:
I have never done karaoke and I hope I never will.
Most-used expression:
“One moment please”.
Julia is the Office Manager here at AFP, joining us back in 2006. With two children and 17 years working in the glitzy bingo industry under her belt, it’s fair to say that Julia’s people skills and sense of humour are very well honed indeed.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
My first job was waitressing for a catering company. I was totally terrified of spilling the soup.
Favourite biscuit:
Shortbread! Just for a treat, though.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life?
Ruth Wilson, because she plays characters that are so far removed from who I am and what I do that I’d love to see her take on me.
Before becoming our Head of Operations, Kat worked in retail supply chain management, and brings bags of expertise to the team. She loves the variety that AFP brings to her day, which could involve anything from dealing with drinks companies to shoe brands and startups.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
My first, and weirdest, job was making coat hangers in a plastic factory.
Signature karaoke song:
Nobody needs to hear me sing, I save it for the car when I’m on my own. I like making up my own words.
Favourite biscuit:
Custard Cream, but I always pull the top off, eat that first and then eat the bottom bit with the cream on. If it doesn’t come away cleanly, I don’t enjoy it as much.
In the 10 years he’s been with us, Kevin’s worked his way up to Client Relationship Manager via roles as Tax Assistant, Financial Accounts Assistant and Management Accountant, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant while he was at it. Kevin even managed to keep the IT systems going until our first dedicated IT hire started. Nice work, Kevin.
Signature karaoke song:
Dropkick Murphys ‘I’m Shipping Up to Boston’.
Most-used expression:
“What’s up?”
Favourite biscuit: I don’t eat biscuits but will happily demolish a sausage roll.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life?
Martin Clunes. Fairly obvious to anyone who meets me.
After graduating in Fine Art, Liz went into retail and is now our superstar Operations Team Leader, working her way up the ranks from a Supply Chain Co-Ordinator, then Supply Chain Analyst before her current role. In her own words: “Everything I know about the industry I have learned here at AFP. There is so much valuable knowledge and that’s what makes it special. We really can help small companies to grow”.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
Graffiti Artist for STANZA, for Frequency Festival in Lincoln. All above board!
Signature karaoke song:
I used to be in a band, so I love singing. I just lack the confidence on my own! I absolutely love music as I attended a music school when I was younger. I would say ‘Love Song’ by Sara Barielles.
Most-used expression:
“That’s awesome!”
Who’d play you in a movie of your life?
Emma Stone, because I think she’s awesome, and I have a similar sense of humour.
Coming to AFP was a change of direction for Neil, our Customer Relationship Manager, who had previously worked in engineering and motor cruisers for large, ‘conventional’ organisations. In his role at AFP, Neil found what he was looking for; a high quality and professional level of service for smaller, multiple clients – and the chance to have fun while you’re at it!
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
I used to make the Scottish delicacy ‘square sausage’ in Baxters Butchers.
Signature karaoke song:
Bohemian Rhapsody.
Favourite biscuit:
Tunnock’s Coconut Wafer.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life?
Scarlett Johansson (my equivalent good-looking female).
After years working in the corporate world, in 2002 Richard left big business behind to set up AFP. From the beginning, his mission was to focus on helping SMEs to realise their full potential. Now that the team has grown to include the full set of skills, these days he’s mainly responsible for bringing new clients on board.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
Working with small businesses is much more fulfilling than the corporate world, but I’ve had plenty of ‘interesting’ jobs in my time. I was once a strawberry pruner (£1 for every 100 yards!), and have even re-drained a graveyard (lots of digging up and re-instating). But my best job, before starting AFP, was as a bookmaker – I’ve literally gone from a turf accountant to a ‘real’ accountant.
Favourite biscuit:
Wagon Wheels, but they’re not as big as they used to be.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life? (And why!)
Daniel Craig, but he’d need to scrub up a bit better.
One of Ruth’s favourite things about life here at AFP is that no two days are the same, keeping it interesting and challenging (in a good way). There’s always something new going on, and plenty of variety in her role as an Assistant Financial Accounts Manager, which she says was missing from her previous job at a big car manufacturer.
Signature karaoke song:
The Wonder of You. I would dedicate it to my father, as I haven’t sung it since he passed away.
Favourite biscuit:
Chocolate anything.
Little-known fact:
Back in the ‘70s I was a skinhead, complete with Crombie coat and everything!
Susan’s fairly new to the team, but is already loving the ‘whole team’ approach to our staff and clients. Having worked in various industries, Susan was looking for a forward-thinking workplace where she could really get involved, and we were after a real go-getter – so everyone’s very happy that our paths crossed.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
Working in my dad’s sweet shop. He only paid 30p an hour which I felt was unjust, so I supplemented my wages with purple Quality Streets. Customers used to buy these by ‘a quarter’ (old money) and complain about their rarity – oops!
Favourite biscuit:
Chocolate covered garibaldi – sadly no longer available!
Most-used expression:
‘It is what it is’ and ‘’cool beanz’.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life? (And why!)
Sandra Bullock – my husband fancies her.
Tessa joined our Management Accounts crew as Team Leader and says that ‘every day is a school day’ with lots of opportunity for growth and personal development, and learning even more about all things accounting. A fantastic team spirit and ‘in it together’ attitude is one of the things that Tessa thinks sets AFP apart from the rest.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
One of my first jobs was in the A&E department at Kettering General Hospital.
Signature karaoke song:
I can destroy any song from ‘The Greatest Showman’ soundtrack!
Favourite biscuit:
Fruit shortcake, or the ‘dead fly biscuit’, as I like to call it.
As Head of Tax and Compliance, Pauline deals with the year-end accounts and super-important tax matters for our clients, and is the oracle for all those tricky tax queries. Having worked the rest of her career in a large accountancy firm, Pauline loves the breadth of work that lands on her desk at AFP, and the opportunity to put all that experience to good use for small businesses.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
My strangest and least interesting job has to be packing frozen turkeys at a turkey factory, when I was a student.
Signature karaoke song:
I wouldn’t be caught singing karaoke. And even if I was, I would get the words wrong!
Most-used expression:
“It depends…” – the typical accountant’s reply.
Our IT Systems Manager Colin is the go-to guy for making sure that all that important techy stuff is running smoothly for the team here at AFP, as well as the businesses we work with.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
My first job was at an industrial laundry, but the weirdest thing on my CV is that I was once a chimney sweep.
Signature karaoke song:
I’m more of a gigger than a karaoke singer, so you’ll find me singing in a field with 80,000 other people, or at a small local venue watching a band.
Favourite biscuit:
I don’t eat biscuits but will happily demolish a sausage roll.
Who’d play you in a movie of your life? (And why!)
The Rock… because my life is action packed!
After 15 years in the investment world, James has spent more than 20 years working with small growth companies. He has been a director of AFP since the outset and loves listening to Richard Peel telling him about all the new clients he has won.
Weird and wonderful jobs before AFP…
First job: Carpet delivery boy
Weirdest job: Women's underwear salesman
Signature karaoke song:
Wandering Star – by Lee Marvin from the film Paint Your Wagon
Favourite biscuit:
Biscuiteers, of course!
Who’d play you in a movie of your life? (And why!)
Ian Rush – because he has got a big nose, thinks Italy is like a foreign country, and most importantly because he is a fox in the box.