John - Accountant

WHAT DO YOU DO AT WORK?

“I have a very wide role that covers everything from group accountancy and creating annual financial statements to monitoring our loan portfolio and handling the group’s fixed asset register. The workplace itself is developing and changing all the time, which also affects my job; it’s a bit like travel. Not a trip to the beach perhaps, more a voyage of discovery. It’s exciting!”

HOW DO YOU NOTICE THE CORE VALUES IN THE WORKPLACE?

“When we were breaking down the investment in the Triple Tower project, which was an investment of SEK 1.2 billion, into different components for the fixed assets register, it was obvious how well we work together and the commitment that is put in. For many of our partners this was a new way of working and we worked closely with each other to make sure it would work.”

WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE TO BE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR ROLE?

Three words: organised, proactive and thorough. Organised so as to keep pace with deadlines, proactive so as to be prepared, when closing the books for example, and thorough because attention to detail is important in this role. I also think it is important to appreciate the people you work with, behind all the ones and zeros. You always hear laughter in the corridors and this is infectious in your contacts with colleagues.”

IF YOU COULD ONLY CHOOSE ONE THING – WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?

Year-end! It is always exciting to see how the group’s annual result falls into place.

  • Name: John Alder
  • Education: Auditing exam from the Institute of Chartered Accountants and MSc, University of Cambridge.
  • Works as: Accountant in the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre Group
  • Employed in the group since: 2007
  • Leisure interests: golf and curling (plays himself), family and football (favourite team is Arsenal)