Olly Williams, 24, recently joined the Finance Department at Weston Area Health NHS Trust after graduating from the regional NHS Financial Management Graduate scheme.
After completing a global exam that every trainee accountant takes, Olly, who lives locally, was thrilled to find that he’d been placed second in the world out of more than 1,000 candidates.
The result means Olly is the stand out financial graduate in the region.
Speaking on the result, Olly said: “I still can’t get my head around ranking that highly against so many quality candidates. It was actually just a relief to pass!
“While the result is fantastic, I’m happier that I’ll soon be officially recognised as a chartered accountant and I can begin making good headway with my career here at the Trust.”
Mr Rob Little, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance, added: “To be placed second in the global accountancy exam is a great achievement and we’re all very proud of Olly.
“At Weston we employ a team of high performers – our patients expect that as it helps us to continue delivering high quality care. Olly certainly fits the bill and he’s settled in well with the talented team we have in place at the Trust.”
David Johnson ACMA, CGMA, CIMA South West Area Chairman said: “Olly’s dedication to his studies has paid off admirably and it is a fantastic achievement to come in the top ten globally in this professional business exam.
“I hope his success will show others who are currently studying for their CIMA qualification how hard work really can be rewarded. The CIMA qualification produces versatile professionals with breadth and depth of knowledge gained in practical business settings, and I wish Olly every success as he continues his journey to becoming a fully qualified CIMA management accountant.”
Stephen Flatman, Director of Exams at CIMA, said: “It is fantastic to see such excellent exam results achieved by Olly and fellow students, who sat other papers around the world. This is a tribute to the ethic that CIMA prides itself on, that dedication and hard work can produce exemplary results."
Paul Briddock, Director of Policy, Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), said; “We’re delighted to hear about Olly’s success, it’s a fantastic achievement for him and for the Finance Management Training Scheme and it’s great to see a NHS finance professional excel amongst the world’s best accountancy graduates.
“Olly is a graduate of the South West Financial Management Training Scheme, run by HFMA. HFMA not only provides support and training to help finance professionals be the best they can be, it’s also an excellent way to network with other members within the finance community and share best practice. We will continue to support Olly throughout his NHS career and look forward to his future successes.”
To become a Chartered Global Management Accountant, students need to complete 12 professional qualification exams requiring personal study and dedication. This is complemented by three years’ experience which can be gained whilst studying.