Meet the Team – Rob Kempson, Director
Give us a quick overview of your current role
My role is audit-focused, and I manage a portfolio of corporate clients ranging from SMEs to large companies. A high proportion of these include UK and worldwide groups, both from a subsidiary and parent point of view. For these clients, I tend to oversee the annual audit, corporation tax compliance work, and accounts preparation, including consolidation if required.
Supporting and advising clients is key to my role, but I also head the audit department of 15 staff members and perform annual appraisals, timesheet approval, study mentoring, staff planning, and recruitment.
My role also extends to include marketing and business development, ensuring compliance with audit regulations, and improving audit quality for our clients.
With my recent promotion to Director, I have also taken a more active role in running the business and attending board meetings. My role as Director includes setting budgets and reviewing departmental performance, increasing staff engagement, and reviewing IT solutions.
How long have you worked at Edwards, and what has been your career path to your current position?
I started work at Edwards on 22 July 2010 as a 16-year-old school leaver, having just sat my GCSEs. I started as a complete novice in the accounts department, doing basic analysis and learning the fundamentals.
Shortly after joining, I started my AAT studies and soon concluded my level 4 AAT. During my AAT study, I moved across to audit as a junior, again learning the basics of audit before moving through the ranks to semi-senior and senior. These promotions happened while I was studying for my ACA, which concluded when I qualified in July 2017.
In 2020 I was promoted to Audit Manager, and before long, I applied for my practising certificate with the ICAEW and was granted Responsible Individual status in October 2022.
My recent promotion to Director has then followed in April 2025.
What does an average day in Edwards look like for you?
It’s a tough one, as every day is different! The majority of my days involve reviewing audit work prepared by managers, meeting with clients to discuss key issues, providing them with advice and answering clients’ questions.
The work never feels stale or monotonous because of the variety of clients that we support here at Edwards and the range of services we provide.
What made you choose a career in accountancy?
Honestly, I wanted to leave the school and the education system to learn on the job and gain experience.
I had always been good at and interested in maths/numbers, so I figured a route in accountancy would be good. I had a few family friends in the finance sector, too, so I spoke with them about study options, types of accountancy, firms and roles, etc.
In my first interview, Neil Taylor also suggested that accountancy and audit actually involved a lot more client-facing / communication than I probably expected as a naïve 15-year-old. That suited me too, as I think I am pretty comfortable talking to new people and engaging with them.
How do you feel about your promotion to director?
I am really proud to have been appointed. I have worked hard to get where I am, and I’ve remained loyal to Edwards, which has paid off with my career progression in the firm.
Edwards took a big gamble on me when I was fresh out of school, so it’s nice to be able to repay that faith and trust they had in me.
What are you looking forward to most with your new role?
I’m both excited and a little apprehensive about the change in role. But I’m looking forward to being able to offer a different perspective to the other Directors on the future of the business.
Being a newly promoted Director and having worked at all levels within the firm, I think I will act as a very good “bridge” to connect the team to the Board and understand the viewpoints of the team at every level.
What do you love most about working at Edwards?
The challenge. The variety. The support and the people.
How do you see the future of Edwards?
Edwards is a very strong business with a stable but rapidly growing team in multiple departments. I hope to be a part of that future, ultimately owning a share of the business and pushing the firm to be the best it can be.
