Linda
Kelly

Who I Help

Large retailers. Hotels. Food distribution companies. SMEs. Family-owned businesses. Single contractors, Charities, Solicitors, Auctioneers.

How I Help

Financial statement audit. Team supervision and training. CRO and corporation tax compliance. Client relationship management. Quality assurance and review.

“The client comes first.”

Linda Kelly is a Senior Audit Director at AAB, based in Cork, leading the audit team. With 22 years at the firm, Linda is responsible for supervising and guiding her team to ensure a high-quality, timely output, and for making sure the financial statements her team prepares reflect the true financial position of each client. She works across a wide client base, from large retailers and hotels to food distribution companies, SMEs, family-owned businesses, Charities, Solicitors, Auctioneers and single contractors, and is known for her attention to detail and her focus on developing the people around her.

Sectors/Support

Retail. Hospitality & Hotels. Food Distribution. Family-Owned Businesses, Charities, Solicitors, Auctioneers.

Keeping the Week on Track

At the start of every week, I plan my priorities with regard to CRO deadlines, corporation tax returns due and meetings. As Audit Director, I am responsible for supervising and guiding my team to ensure high-quality output in a timely manner. My portfolio is largely audit-based, and it is my responsibility to ensure that the financial statements prepared reflect the true financial position of the entity, while also maintaining good client relationships. I would consider myself a good team leader, overseeing the day-to-day functions of my role and ensuring that all audits are completed to a high standard, with a proactive service throughout.

A Career Built on Numbers

Maths, accountancy and business studies were my favourite subjects in school. I was drawn towards accountancy because I love working with numbers and problem-solving. The attention to detail involved, and helping firms achieve their needs and business objectives, makes accountancy a very rewarding career.

I am a very organised and reliable person. I work well towards deadlines and under pressure, and I always keep the client’s interests at the forefront. Having worked in this practice for 22 years, I am well aware of what my clients expect, and it is my aim to deliver a high-quality service to them.

Developing the Next Generation

One of the biggest challenges, and achievements, of my career has been developing young trainee accountants into management roles, both within the firm and for outside clients. Seeing people I have trained go on to take up those positions is something I am genuinely proud of.

Trust Built on Listening

The key to building a strong relationship with a new client is to listen to their needs and understand what they require from us as accountants and auditors. Taking the time to understand their motives and priorities builds trust quickly. I always explain the services we provide clearly and give clients reassurance that we are at the end of a phone or email and will respond promptly.

I have built up good relationships with clients over the past 22 years by putting their needs first and giving them a prompt service, which has sometimes meant the team working extra hours to achieve that goal. The most satisfying aspect of working with clients is seeing how most of them have grown over the years and knowing we have helped them come through various financial challenges along the way.

A Team Effort

Being part of a team is the most rewarding part of my role, as it means relying on people’s expertise and sharing a sense of responsibility, with everyone working their best to ensure deadlines are met and clients receive a first-class service. There is a clear sense of achievement when financial statements are delivered on time and the client is happy with the service they have received.

Anything but Boring

As a general practitioner, one of the greatest challenges in my area is simply keeping up to date with general accounting standards as they continue to evolve. A common misconception about my profession is that auditors are boring, but in reality, we are responsible for providing an independent opinion on the financial statements, and this involves exploring many different avenues, which is definitely not boring.

My top strengths are attention to detail and a strong work ethic. I enjoy making sure the figures presented are correct and reflect a true and accurate picture of the firm’s business, and I can manage multiple deadlines and prioritise workloads while maintaining a high standard of work all year round, particularly during busy periods. I am also open to developing my technical knowledge, keeping up to date with regulatory changes and attending CPD courses. Looking ahead, I am particularly interested in moving towards a paperless way of working; it will be a significant change and a challenging one to start with, but I believe it will bring real benefits.