Advisor Spotlight: Ciaran Simpkin
Our Deal Advisory Associate Ciaran Simpkin is the star of this installation of our Advisor Spotlight series. Since his recent qualification in August of this year, Ciaran has shown his passion for client advisory and communications, excelling in his new role, so we wanted to find out where his interest in accountancy began.
“I grew up in Southampton with a keen passion for sports,” explains Ciaran, when asked about his background, “mainly for golf – I’m a member at Stoneham Golf Club.” Beyond his life at the office, this is one of Ciaran’s main passions, “some may say it’s too much golf!” He jokes.
As well as talking about his personal interests, we wanted to learn about his career so far. “I am recently qualified (since August 2025) but have gained experience across several areas within Fiander ETL, including accounts, audit, and tax. I started as a trainee at Fiander ETL in August 2019 after studying accountancy at A-Level,” he continues.
After working in various teams, the opportunity arose to become part of the Deal Advisory team, which I grasped. The team itself was new at the time, but it was an opportunity to develop and push myself further.”
In his opinion, Fiander are set apart from other firms by their “straightforward” and “practical” advice. “We work collaboratively with our clients and other advisors,” which he tells us is one of his favourite things about his area of expertise, as well as the versatility – both in terms of the work, and the people he gets to meet. “I like how every deal is different, and you get the opportunity to work with different people. Our clients also see us as helping them achieve their end goal (business sale, restructuring, etc.), and therefore, it’s rewarding when a project is completed, and each party can walk away satisfied.” The most challenging part for him, however, is managing expectations for project timelines. “Navigating clients’ expectations of how long things can take, is the most challenging part, especially when deadlines are set ahead of budget changes. On the topic of clients, Ciaran highlights how the team at Fiander “aim to make the process for business owners as smooth as possible, as we are aware of the time-consuming process that deals can be. We will take the time to listen to what clients are trying to achieve so that we can reach the best outcome for them.
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, financial advisory is exposed to developments and trends that are shaping how people work. According to Ciaran, this is most obvious in the advancement of AI. “The way we use technology and our understanding of how to become more efficient is an ongoing change,” he tells us, “especially with the development of AI. As a firm, we are driving forward the initiative of continuous improvement, from which I am able to learn from others’ experiences to develop my own.” The key, Ciaran tell us, is to always stay informed. “Keeping up to date with the latest news helps for a general background. We also complete regular training to stay as up to date as possible. I am starting to utilise Co-Pilot to help me become more efficient in the working environment. However, I think the biggest tool in this area is clear communication between parties. This helps each project run smoothly, and having each person on the same wavelength is crucial.”
When we moved on to the success Ciaran has seen so far, he told us about a management buyout that took place before the new tax year began. “The project started with a valuation, followed by structuring the right deal for them and the management team. The buyout allowed the owner to take a step back from running the day-to-day business.” As for the future of his career, Ciaran sees “various tax strategies implemented by the government having an impact on the types of deals we see. Employee ownership trusts are regularly discussed with clients looking to make an exit due to the scheme’s tax advantages, although it may not be the best choice for their business.” Upon reflection, the most memorable lesson Ciaran has learned is to “take a step back from the project before sending information across. This is key to ensuring the correct and accurate information is being portrayed.” Having a technical background in accounting and tax will help someone interested in pursuing a career in financial advisory,” Ciaran tells us, “but the main thing is to have the courage to try and experience this.”
