Lucy Bennett, an adviser at South West accountancy firm Old Mill, has become the youngest-ever head of one of its offices.
The 24-year-old, pictured, is leading the firm’s Yeovil office, where she is encouraging collaboration and engagement among its teams and supporting Old Mill’s work in the local community, alongside her role as client adviser.
Lucy has worked at Old Mill, which also has offices in Melksham, Wells and Exeter, for six years.
During that time she has built strong relationships with clients and colleagues, making her perfectly placed to take on the role of office head.
However, she knows it will not be plain sailing as the economy returns to the new normal following the pandemic.
Lucy said: “I see my appointment as a perfect illustration of how forward-looking Old Mill is when it comes to offering exciting opportunities for career development.
“We are most definitely not ‘old school’ in this respect, and hopefully me being slightly more junior will be beneficial in encouraging others to take a ‘leap of faith’ and put themselves out there.”
She said bringing everyone together and providing another level of support had always been important, but now it felt more important than ever.
“Whether people are working from home, the office, or both – they will require different levels of support to make them feel comfortable with the transition, which I hope I can help provide.”
Lucy added that the pandemic had pushed mental health to the forefront in all walks of life and that Old Mill’s response from a wellbeing perspective had been on point.
But she said it was important not to forget what had been learnt from the pandemic and grow from it.
“Being open minded during times of change not only links to Old Mill’s values, but also seems the most sensible plan of action and I hope to be as inclusive as possible,” she added.
Old Mill managing director Ian Carlson said: “Lucy will make an excellent office head. She is a people person with a friendly approach that brings out the best in people, and I am confident that she will bring her energy and passion to the role.
“Lucy is also a hard worker, a natural collaborator and a great representative of our values so I know she will a fantastic ambassador for Old Mill both internally and within the local community.”
Old Mill, which recently appointed senior pensions manager Steve Woodham as head of its Wells office, employs nearly 300 staff across its four offices who work with its 5,000-plus clients. The firm can trace its roots back to the 1920s.
