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Name: Katie Stewart
Role: Financial Controller, QV Systems
How long in the role? 1 year
Current drive: Kia Sportage
What route did you take to get to your current role?
I DEFINITELY didn’t grow up wanting to be an accountant! I decided that university wasn’t for me, so I approached a few local businesses for a job and secured my first entry level finance role. That business asked if they could support me to study and the rest is history. I took my accounting qualifications, AAT and ACCA, and progressed from there.
I’ve now been in finance for almost 20 years, with my experience mainly in the construction sector. Over the years, I’ve advanced into more senior roles.
What drove you to move into a career in the automotive industry?
It wasn’t planned! I didn’t select automotive as an industry to work in, the role at QV came out of the blue. I had planned a career break while my children were small but, just three months in, a recruiter contacted me about the Financial Controller role at QV Systems. On paper I could see that it was a great match with my skillset although I had never worked in automotive or in a Software as a Service (SaaS) business before.
If I’m honest, I went into the interview cautious about whether it was what I wanted. But then I met our CEO Daniel Layne which changed things. I loved Daniel’s passion for the industry and his business, plus he was fun and quite blunt – like me! For me it’s more important to connect with people than a product or sector. I’m a straight talker and, whilst people say they want that in a finance role, the reality is often quite different – QV embraces that approach which is a great fit for me.
What does a typical day look like in your role?
I’m part time and work two and a half days per week, that works really well for me and my family as it is very flexible. I’m usually in the office a day a week and work from home the rest of the time as I have a long commute.
I manage everything finance-related for QV and we have an external bookkeeper to look after the day to day. I work on the management reporting, strategic projects, forecasting and cashflow. Plus, as a small business, I’ll jump in to support other areas as needed.
What’s it like working at QV Systems?
It’s a great business to be a part of. We all work hard, get stuff* done and enjoy plenty of banter along the way. We make the effort to be together when we’re in the office, we have lunch together and it’s not unusual for a card game or quiz to come out! As a small business, sometimes it’s all hands on deck but no one is precious about that which is refreshing. I also like the way we partner with customers, it’s a genuinely customer focused business.
*Katie may not have used the word ‘stuff’….
How are you finding working in the automotive sector so far?
It’s exciting but it’s definitely been a steep learning curve. The technical side, leasing and automotive were all new to me so it has taken a little while to get to grips with how it all ticks – I’m definitely still learning!
I really like the industry and the people I’ve come into contact with, we have great customers and really good relationships. The leasing industry is quite small and a bit incestuous but that makes it approachable and less daunting when you’re new in.
Do you feel that automotive is attractive to women?
Yes, absolutely. The perception that automotive is a male sector is starting to change. Of course, you can sometimes see an unequal weighting to men compared with women but that is similar to the construction industry. I think, in automotive, people are trying to address that imbalance and I have felt very welcome at industry events and I’m excited to get to know more people.
What advice do you have for women looking to enter the industry?
Don’t be daunted by automotive or intimidated by the unknown, it is a very welcoming industry. Most individuals I’ve met are so passionate about the sector and more than happy to fill you in on whatever you need to know. I hope to stay in automotive, it’s a welcome change from construction and I can’t see why you would leave!
And finally, what’s your car history?
I’m definitely in my Mum-wagon era with the Kia. I used to have a sporty A-Class Mercedes but I couldn’t fit the pram in so it had to go!
More about QV Systems
QV Systems is a cloud-based leasing and lending platform provider. Founded in 2011 by Daniel Layne, the growing business provides future-ready technology solutions for financing and leasing businesses. Its SaaS solutions help businesses streamline processes, improve efficiency, and maintain compliance – with a focus on security and scalability.
More on our Women in Broking series supported by
Women in Broking is our regular series of features highlighting some of the great women who are so influential in the leasing broker sector – a sector that has been male dominated for too long. The series celebrates the Women in Broking – both those working in brokerages and those working with the broker channel – and hopes to encourage more women to have a successful career in the leasing broker market. If you would like to take part in this series please contact Laura.Lerwill@mortonmedia.co.uk
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Laura is a writer and Head of Marketing for Broker News, with extensive automotive experience from senior marketing roles with RBS/Nat West, Lombard Vehicle Management and Unipart. She is also a self-confessed petrol-head.
