Ashton Adams, Management Accountant
Management Accountant
Current Experience:
Management Accountant at Robben Island Museum · Contract May 2025 - Present · (10 mos)
Past Experience:
Senior Accountant at Grenfell James · Full-time Jan 2025 - May 2025 · (5 mos)
Senior Management Accountant at Robben Island Museum · Contract Nov 2024 - Dec 2024 · (2 mos)
Junior Financial Accountant for Pension and Provident funds at Sanlam · Full-time Sep 2021 - Sep 2024 · (3 yrs 1 mo)
Chief Audit Executive at West Coast district Municipality · Full-time Dec 2012 - May 2021 · (8 yrs 6 mos)
Audit Trainee and Audit Supervisor at Auditor-General of South Africa · Full-time Jan 2008 - Nov 2012 · (4 yrs 11 mos)
Pension Administrator at Sanlam Jan 2006 - Dec 2007 · (2 yrs)
Education:
BCom Accounting and Finance
Advance and Applied Diploma in Accounting Sciences
Bachelor’s Degree Accounting and Mathematics
Country of Residence:
South Africa
LinkedIn Profile:
He built an Internal Audit unit from scratch.
Just him. One intern. No blueprint.
Today, Ashton Adams is navigating a UK accounting role, new tax systems, new rules, new expectations.
Because in this profession, standing still isn’t safe.
You adapt.
Or you fall behind.
What time do you usually wake up on weekends?
07:00 AM
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early Bird
How do you spend the first hour of your day?
I usually spend the first hour of my morning catching up on the news and current affairs to stay informed and up to date.
What sparked your interest in accounting and finance?
My interest in accounting and finance comes from a genuine love for working with numbers.
Can you share some key career milestones or defining moments?
One of my key career milestones was being headhunted to lead the Internal Audit unit at West Coast District Municipality. At the time, the unit consisted of just me and an intern. By the time I left, it had grown into a structured team with two permanent internal auditors and two interns continuing the work I had established.
What is your role within your company’s finance department?
I currently serve as a Senior Accountant.
How do you contribute to the overall financial strategy of the business?
I contribute to the overall financial strategy by ensuring high-quality, accurate financial reporting that supports sound decision-making.
What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your role? How did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced was transitioning into a UK role with different accounting and tax practices compared to South Africa. I’ve overcome this by continuously learning, reading up on the relevant regulations, and applying that knowledge in my day-to-day work.
What tools or strategies do you use to manage the financial operations of the company effectively?
We use TaxCalc and Xero to manage client bookkeeping, tax compliance, and financial reporting efficiently and accurately.
Share your strategies for staying balanced, especially during busy periods
I stay balanced by starting my day with morning walks and some reading before beginning work at 11:00.
What do you enjoy outside of work? Any hobbies or activities that help you recharge?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my youngest daughter and my grandson.
Do you mentor or support other team members in the finance department? How do you help develop the skills of others?
As I’m still new in my role, my current focus is on fully getting to grips with the work and processes. Once I’m more established, I plan to take on a mentoring role and support the development of others.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in a finance department?
I would advise anyone aspiring to work in a finance department to build a strong foundation in accounting, tax, auditing, and management principles, as this knowledge will help you make informed decisions and provide the best solutions for your clients.
“Be grateful for what you have and always have a keen interest in learning something new.”
Share a leadership lesson or a piece of advice that’s been valuable to you in your career.
A valuable leadership lesson I’ve learned is that humility is not a weakness but a true sign of strength.
What’s something surprising about you that isn’t in your professional bio? A hobby, interest, or fun fact?
A fun fact about me that isn’t in my professional bio is that I enjoy watching movies or series with unexpected twists and unpredictable storylines.
If you could have any superpower to help you in your job, what would it be? Predicting financial trends? Master multitasking?
If I could have a superpower for my job, it would be the ability to adapt instantly to a constantly changing landscape and environment.
What’s your go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays?
My go-to strategy for staying productive during long workdays is taking short, frequent breaks to maintain focus and approach tasks with a fresh perspective.
If you could relive one day from your career, which day would it be and why? What made that day special?
I would relive the day I passed my final board exam and became a qualified Chartered Accountant. It was an incredible feeling and a major personal achievement.
Ashton says passing his board exam was the best day of his career.
Not for the title. For what it proved. Discipline. Growth. Capability.
In a world of changing regulations and constant pressure, that mindset wins.
Join CIBA and we’ll show you how to build the credibility and confidence to grow, wherever your career takes you.
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