Profile Meet Sarah Beale she’s the new chief executive office at AAT

Meet Sarah Beale, AAT’s CEO

Sarah Beale became the AAT Chief Executive on 1 November 2021, but was hoping to hold onto her ‘new girl’ status for a little longer when PQ magazine spoke to her

So, how did Sarah Beale become AAT CEO? Fortune played a role, although she said that she has always enjoyed working with numbers. We discovered early on that a real inspiration were her parents, who ran the local pet shop. It meant she got involved early in business, and often inherited the ‘broken’ animals no one wanted!

Although reasonably academic at school, Sarah knew she didn’t want to be in full-time education, even though she had a university place. That was a shock for her parents, who had seen their two oldest children become the first generation to go to university.

Sarah just felt that university wasn’t for her. She had already run her own dance business. She had qualified as a dance teacher at 16, and after working for someone else set up her own business shortly afterwards.

Joining the local practice Then she saw an advert for a local accountancy practice advertising a job for a trainee, and she popped in to ask what it was all about. They were obviously impressed and asked her back for an interview and her accountancy journey had begun.

Although it wasn’t an apprenticeship as such, that is in effect what she got. She has nothing but praise for her first bosses. “I worked for two local practices and the support they gave me was mega. They really understood the importance of supporting and investing in their employees,” she said.

She started her AAT qualification too, and studied the final level at Carlisle College. Sarah admits AAT was much tougher than she expected. She thought that ‘A’ levels would be a slightly higher level than AAT, but she quickly had to change that view. However, she loved the fact that AAT tested practical skills; and she is more about ‘doing’ rather than pure theory testing. With her job it meant she got the connection the AAT qualification has with the real world. She even had to admit she quite enjoyed the studying.

Going for ACCA With the AAT qualification under her belt, Sarah decided to continue her studying with the ACCA. The ACCA had a tax optional paper and she admits she really liked tax as a subject (someone has to). She then moved into the manufacturing sector, where her new employer didn’t give her as much support initially – it meant she had to study in her own time and she just bought the books and turned up to the exam hall when she was ready. Then she failed Financial Reporting (2.5) like many before her, but was able to convince her employers to pay for a revision course. It changed everything and showed her employers the value of giving their trainees real support, and from there Sarah was able to attend training courses.

Sarah admits she used to do her homework at the ‘last minute’, but that had to stop with ACCA. She had long commutes to work so needed to allocate specific times for study. Sarah said: “It means you have to be really disciplined and, yes, avoid the temptation that bathroom cleaning suddenly became attractive!”

Some time after qualification she joined the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) as finance manager. It was there she worked her way up to CEO. She explained it was a tough gig and after delivering a huge transformation project she planned a career break. “I was going to take some time out from such a demanding job and do some travelling,” she admits.

AAT comes calling Then about 10 people rang her about the AAT job, which all thought she would be ideal for. It transpires that AAT thought so, too.

Sarah joined AAT at the very tail end of the pandemic, and she said a key part of her role has been to pick up the Association after it had gone through a restructure and was a planning a big HQ relocation to London’s Canary Wharf.

She has tried to inject some new belief and excitement into AAT. She believes it is an authentic organisation that offers fantastic careers and so many other opportunities. Its members and students provide UK plc with people who give value and productivity right from the start. Its licenced members, for instance, support over 500,000 SME businesses.

We finally asked Sarah about her next eight months and she revealed that, along with Council, she is putting together a brand-new strategic plan, to be launched in 2023.This will outline what AAT needs to offer by 2030. She explained that AAT is the largest awarding body at that level, in the sector, has a great membership offer, but hasn’t necessarily put everything together to show the full value it brings . “We need to play a bigger role in attracting the next generation and career changers. There is a huge talent war and we need to show what our profession offers and the difference it makes; AAT’s has a pivotal role in that.”

She is excited about the future, and rightly so.

Sarah Beale in brief

What book are you reading: Burning Girls, who doesn’t love a horror novel? Last good film you watched: Dune If you could travel in time, where would you go: Not forward, as I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, so the 1960s Favourite tipple: Gin & tonic Who is your hero: My Dad – if the world was made up of people like him we would live in a fabulous world Last meal: Seafood platter, steak and roasted vegetables, and I don’t do puddings – but happy to watch everyone eat with a glass of red wine in hand!