Simon Kendall

What is your role at BHP?

I’m a Digital Finance Partner based in our Sheffield city centre office, advising a wide range of fantastic owner-managed businesses across the region.

What are you most passionate about?

I’m most passionate about building long-standing relationships with owner-managed businesses, which means getting to know the people behind the numbers and becoming a trusted advisor they can turn to, not just when things are going well, but when decisions really count. I take pride in helping clients navigate challenges, maximise opportunities, and being that person who provides them support and challenge.

Equally, I’m passionate about running our business, making decisions, generating ideas, and driving the success of all our team. This gives me real experience to provide more meaningful advice to our clients.

What keeps you motivated?

What keeps me motivated is seeing the day-to-day real impact of what we do, whether it’s helping a client navigate a critical turning point or supporting a colleague in their development. In a profession that’s constantly evolving, I’m driven by the challenge of staying ahead, finding clarity in complexity, and delivering advice that genuinely moves the dial for clients. The opportunity to combine strategic thinking with practical problem-solving keeps me constantly seeking more.

What advice would you give trainees starting out?

Firstly, keep asking yourself and others “why”. There is so much to learn as you start your career, but it’s so important not just to learn what to do, but more importantly, understand why you are doing it.

Secondly, be inquisitive and take an interest in the clients you work with, including their people, industries, challenges, and strategies. This is where you will really start to build the building blocks for the advisory stages of your career.

Finally, while accountancy in tuition focuses on the numbers, in practice, it’s really about people. It’s helping, supporting and challenging business owners to take advantage of opportunities and overcome challenges throughout their own business journey. Building relationships and providing a great service is key right from the start of your career.

What is your favourite thing to do at the weekend?

My favourite thing to do at the weekend is to spend time with my wife, Suzy, and our Golden Retriever, Barney, exploring some of Yorkshire’s glorious countryside.