Five minutes with Fleur Williamson

Tell us about yourself

After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, I started my career as a Chartered Accountant (CA) with a Big Four firm in Australia. My desire to seize opportunities and take on new challenges took me to the UK and now Canada, where I worked in a variety of management consulting and human resources roles. As the Chief Operating Officer in the Guelph Wellington Dufferin office, I love being able to apply my diverse experience to help shape and deliver the firm's strategic agenda.

Outside of work, what keeps you busy?

My happy-go-lucky toddlers keep me on my toes every day! Prior to my current 'hobbies' of creating make-believe adventures and being a pony to eager jockeys, I was an avid traveller. I spent my honeymoon backpacking for a year through Europe, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Nowadays we travel much closer to home and are relishing the opportunity to explore and learn more about Canada, which truly is an incredible place to live.

Tell us about an accomplishment that shaped your career?The CA provided me with a strong foundation and opened opportunities to try new things.

Attaining my CA designation, then taking risks that would lead to a non-traditional career path. The CA provided me with a strong foundation and opened opportunities to try new things. As my career progressed and my specialisation shifted towards human resources and operations, it continued to provide the financial literacy and analytical mindset required to garner respect from the leaders I advised.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?

I’ve been fortunate to have amazing mentors who emphasised the importance of building a personal brand, where it’s not just a reflection of what you do, but also how you do it and what you believe in. This helped guide the decisions I’ve made throughout my career and held me accountable to follow through on my commitments.

How can we create a winning culture throughout the Baker Tilly network?

I’m a big believer in authentic transformational leadership and helping everyone achieve their objectives, whatever they may be. Part of the way we’re working to create a winning culture is by acknowledging that everyone is different and there isn’t a one size fits all career model or role. We also want everyone to feel part of a close-knit team where they feel supported and can perform at their best, leading to individual and firm success.

What opportunities are there for your firm in the next few years?

Part of the challenge is there are so many opportunities for our firm and the accounting industry, so it’s more about ensuring we choose the right opportunities that provide sustainable growth, help us achieve our people and culture strategy and allow us to continuously adapt in the face of evolving client and operational needs. It’s an exciting time to be part of the industry!

Get to know us in five minutes

 

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