Ambitious Hull accountant Ricky Field is on course to achieve a £1m-plus turnover just two years after being appointed to lead a new Hull accountancy – and believes his tech-led practice can shake up the city’s financial sector.
Since becoming the managing director of Northern Accountants Hull in the summer of 2022, the Bransholme-born finance expert has successfully steered the app-based accountancy to more than £700,000 turnover and surpassed the 170-client mark.
That success has allowed Ricky to quickly grow the business into a four-strong team which recently moved into newly refurbished offices at Reed House, in Annie Reed Road, Beverley.
But the 44-year-old is not resting on his laurels and is convinced the company’s combination of digital expertise, industry-leading service levels and innovative products will continue attracting clients who are keen to adopt time-saving technology.
“Hull is my home and I’ve worked with major businesses in this city for the last 27 years, so I know the economic landscape and I know the growth opportunities that are out there for local employers,” said Ricky, who qualified as an accountant in 2006 before being appointed partner at Sadofsky’s in 2009 aged just 29.
“While many of the traditional Hull accountancy firms do a good job servicing clients, I firmly believe they lack the innovation and technology we have which could help lots of local businesses save tax and create further employment opportunities.
“For many years, there has been a real reluctance from accountants to change and adopt technology. I think that provides a real opportunity for myself and Northern Accountants Hull to make a fast and significant impact in Hull over the next three to five years.
“We have made a positive start, but we want to hit the £1m turnover mark by the end of 2025. We also want to attract another 100+ clients and be seen as the industry-leading accountants in Hull.”
While Ricky has been working as a Hull accountant for more than 27 years, the seeds for launching Northern Accountants Hull were first sown in 1997 whilst studying for his A-levels at Wilberforce College, in East Hull.
It was there that he met and became friends with Phil Ellerby, a former Malet Lambert School pupil, who first founded Northern Accountants in Leeds in 2008. When the chance to launch a division in his home city arose after the pandemic, Mr Ellerby had no doubt that Ricky was the ideal partner to oversee the Hull operations.
“As a proud Hull lad, it makes me really excited to see Northern Accountants doing so well in my home city,” said Phil, who grew up in Sutton. “All of the success so far is down to the hard work of Ricky and his team, who are completely dedicated to serving their clients.
“Ricky has an infectious personality and is very driven, and I’m sure these qualities will help the Hull business go from strength to strength. He may have set himself an ambitious £1m target, but there’s no reason why he cannot achieve it.
“If he does, I know he’ll take great pleasure from the fact that he’s helping local businesses to prosper and creating more employment opportunities for people from our home city.”
