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Derek Blair

D A Blair BA MA FCA

 
  • Admitted to ICAEW: 1994 
  • Joined Council: 2014
  • Election Constituency: Beds, Bucks & Herts

Biography

I am a strategically creative, critical thinking, conversational accountant. I am one of the two founding partners at Pinkham Blair, a niche advisory firm dealing mainly with corporate refugee clients.

I have been one of the three elected ICAEW Council members representing Beds, Bucks & Herts since late 2014.

I love helping my clients to build their businesses – my mission is to help my clients achieve their financial dreams, keeping them out of the mire in the bad times and making the most of the opportunities in the good times. ‘Colour my life with the chaos of trouble.’

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field or rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around – nobody big, I mean – except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff – I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be."

Many business owners find it hard to recognise the constants and variables in the equation that summarises their business. I help by leading an analysis of each of those constants and variables to see which factors are holding back growth. Having identified the problem factors, we then work together to devise and priorities the actions needed to make the changes that are required to get a better outcome.

Outside of work, my passions are beer, rugby and history. I love rugby tours and battlefield tours – my dream would be to find a way of combining the two!

Declaration of Interests

Membership of, or interests in, formal bodies or groups, or other professional bodies

  • Member of the Navy Records Society
  • Member of the Anglo Zulu War Historical Society
  • Honorary Treasurer of the Western Front Association
  • Member of the Gallipoli Association
  • Member of the Sutton Hoo Society
  • Friend of the British Museum
  • Member of the Society for Army Historical Research
  • Member of the T.E. Lawrence Society
  • Honorary Treasurer of the Army Records Society

Membership of ICAEW Council, ICAEW Boards and other ICAEW Committees

  • Chair of Council

Partnerships, Directorships or beneficial interests in companies

  • Director/Shareholder of Square Root People Limited (a dormant company)
  • Equity partner in Pinkham Blair
  • Director/shareholder of Pinkham Blair Limited (a dormant company)

  • Director/shareholder of Corporate Refugees Limited

Professional or social relationships with individuals who have business relationships or who compete with ICAEW

None

Any other matters you feel should be identified

None