Russell Turner joined Garbutt & Elliott (G&E) in 1999 having trained and qualified with Grant Thornton in Sheffield.

He became the Managing Partner in July 2008 at the start of the worldwide financial crash.

He said: “My timing to take on the role was impeccable! Many businesses, in our region, were affected by the recession and I certainly remember it being a challenging time.

“But we have a great team at G&E and it’s in our DNA to do the best for our clients because we genuinely care.

“I’m delighted to see that confidence among many business owners is back to the levels before 2008 and that there’s a real sense of opportunity for growth within Yorkshire.

“My role, as managing partner, is to ensure that G&E has people who genuinely care about delivering exceptional service and the right expertise so we can help our clients achieve their goals.”

Mr Turner says that the most enjoyable aspect of his role is the work he does with his clients, adding: “I believe it’s a real privilege to be able to support and provide advice to entrepreneurs.

“Business owners have energy, determination and the ability to seize opportunities, which I find invigorating.”

Mr Turner is a qualified coach through Growth Accelerator and has a post graduate diploma in family business dynamics, as well as being a director of Venturefest.

Greatest achievement?

“It has to be the day I was appointed managing partner of G&E by my fellow partners, based on my vision and passion to take an accounting practice with a great reputation to the next level through empowering all the people that make up G&E.”

What job would you like to have other than your own and why?

“I thoroughly enjoy my role as managing partner. It’s a privilege to be part of a firm that has such deep roots in York and Yorkshire and has a good reputation for delivering a quality service. I don’t think I could ever leave the world of business because it’s so vibrant. So, given that I enjoy the challenge of managing change, a non-executive role with a high growth business would be fun.”

Biggest mistake?

“When you’re working very hard and under pressure, it’s sometimes easy to forget that you have a family and they need quality time too. It’s an ongoing journey that one.”

What do you need to make life complete?

“Happiness. I think that comes through good health, a family to love and feel loved and an ongoing journey of learning about yourself and others around you. Sheffield Wednesday in the premiership would also help!”

What makes you most angry?

“Dishonesty and people that want to focus on the problem rather than the solution to resolve it. It just seems like a waste of energy to me.”

Why do you make a difference?

“Two things define how well we perform – attitude and talent. Talent is a learning process but attitude comes from within. I am absolutely passionate about what I do and doing it well matters to me. I also know that success is a team effort and I genuinely care about the people at G&E.”

Epitaph

“His life was about the journey, not the destination!”