We are delighted to welcome Nick Walls as the new Chair of the Leech & Partners Board.
Nick joined Leech & Partners in 2009, becoming a director in 2014. Over the last decade, Nick has developed an undeniable understanding of Leech & Partners and our clients, our strengths, and opportunities for expansion. With an emphasis on helping clients thrive, growing our professional network, and staff training and wellbeing, we are fortunate to have Nick’s leadership within our director team.
Nick specialises in growing small and medium sized businesses with a focus on agribusiness. He has experience from outside Leech & Partners, having worked in London and for one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting practices in Christchurch. A holistic understanding of our firm and the wider accounting landscape will be particularly valuable moving forward, along with Nick’s experience with succession planning and governance.
“I see my role as further developing the professional network that Leech & Partners is part of,” Nick said when asked about his plans for his time as Chair. “Guiding the team as our profession moves into a new era of advice and a reduction of transactional compliance needs, moving us towards the future succession of the firm, and working to create the right level of balance between work and home for our team and importantly our director group, all whilst ensuring everyone loves being part of the Leech & Partners team. These are all things which the directors are focussed on in our strategic plan and my role is to guide our firm through this.”
“Nick is fair, honest and happy to disagree when that’s required,” Chris Smith, a fellow director, explains. “He understands what a professional succession model looks like and the focus and investment that process will require for Leech & Partners.”
Nick takes over from Neil Donaldson, who has been our Chair since March 2016. Neil’s stable leadership led us through a significant period of change for Leech & Partners, allowing the business to tackle COVID-19 successfully. Under his guidance, we welcomed Jon Jarman as a director and moved into new premises in Christchurch. “Neil’s steady hand allowed us to navigate challenges calmly whilst maintaining growth,” Nick explained.
Nick looks forward to building on the work done by Neil and the Board. We are excited to have Nick’s leadership, guidance and enthusiasm as we move into the future.
