Climbing the ranks – Dave’s journey to partnership
Dave Allum joined our Nottingham office in 2002 with a strong determination to excel in his career. In May 2023, he became one of seven partners in our Nottingham office. This case study explores Dave’s inspiring career trajectory, as he rose through the ranks from a budding accountant to partner.
Dave graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a 2:1 Honours Degree in Accounting and Management control. He trained at a small practice and qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant, before moving to UHY Hacker Young in November 2002. Over the last 20 years, Dave has risen through the ranks from audit senior to assistant manager, manager, director and, more recently, partner in 2023.
Dave’s hunger to learn and make a positive impact was evident as soon as he joined UHY. The early years of his career saw him immerse himself in gaining as much practical experience as he could, building technical expertise and developing a strong foundation in accounting principles. His ability to handle challenging projects with efficiency and accuracy earned him early recognition and his dedication paid off; by 2005 Dave was part of the management team and, by 2016, he was promoted to Director.
Dave continued to grow and develop his role within UHY, supporting the firms plans for growth. As part of his development, he was enrolled into a training scheme to help nurture up and coming individuals at UHY and support them to develop new skills. He said: “I couldn’t wait to be part of UHY’s future. The culture has always been fantastic as it focuses on rewarding and helping people while developing their skills. I always felt I am a testament to this ethos, as I started working as an audit senior before working my way up to management.”
Dave has been instrumental in developing the profile of UHY, whilst also creating his own growing portfolio of clients and becoming an outstanding leader with a strong commitment to values. His client base today comprises both audit and non-audit work for owner-managed businesses and charities, and he enjoys the challenge of applying concepts from the commercial environment to help charities become more financially sustainable.
Alongside his flourishing career, Dave also found personal happiness with his family; his wife, Emma, and their two sons, Kai and Robin. However, in 2019 their life took an unexpected turn when Dave and Emma received the devastating news that Robin had suffered a stroke whilst in the womb. Despite the odds, Robin was born fighting and, over four months later, he returned home with Dave, Emma and Kai.
Committed to fostering happiness and living life to the full, Dave, Emma, Kai and Robin experience many joyous moments as a family, but Robin’s journey is also fraught with numerous scary moments and countless hospital visits, which have inflicted both an emotional and psychological toll on them all.
They document their journey on Instagram, at @buggsybear_adventures and @buggsybearsdad
Despite the challenges that come with raising a child with special needs, Dave has remained committed to both his family and his professional aspirations. With unwavering support from UHY colleagues, he is able to adapt his work schedule to accommodate Robin’s needs, whilst still maintaining productivity and meeting his professional commitments. This flexibility has enabled Dave to attend medical appointments, therapies, and other necessary commitments while still fulfilling his professional responsibilities, striking a balance between his career and being a hands on parent, committed to Robin.
Dave’s determination, along with the professional development support he has received from UHY, has propelled his career forward. He consistently delivers exceptional results, continues to expand his client portfolio, and is recognised for his considerable contributions within our Nottingham office and UHY as a whole. Making partner is a testament to his outstanding performance, leadership abilities and significant contributions to the firm’s success.
Commenting on his recent appointment to partner, Dave said: “As a hands on father of two children, I am incredibly grateful for the support that UHY continues to provide to enable me to prioritise my clients needs as well as maintain a healthy work/life balance. Despite being a national firm, we’ve managed to remain true to our values and culture to provide the best environment for the team – a significant reason for why I am proud to have worked at UHY for so long.
In my new role as partner, I look forward to continuing to be a trusted adviser to my present and future audit clients while also supporting the growth of other team members, through our fantastic personal development programme, who will ultimately become the future custodians of the firm.”
Our commitment to helping our teams prosper
At UHY, we are all driven by our common purpose of helping you prosper. Aligned to this, a core part of our ethos is to develop and promote outstanding talent inside the firm.
With more than 20 years of loyal service at UHY, Dave’s story highlights the importance of fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment that enables all individuals to prosper.
Climbing the ranks – Dave’s journey to partnership