Our Team

Named the UKs Most Inspiring Accountant and featured in the book The World’s Most Inspiring Accountants for his dedication to helping clients grow and develop their businesses. Despite his ‘youthful good looks’, Neil has over 30 years of experience advising businesses throughout the UK. His proactive advice ensures that our full range of business clients continue to prosper through even the toughest times. A former WRU International Rugby Referee Neil applies the insights and principles from the pitch to great effect in business (without a whistle!). Off the pitch Neil has gained further expertise by training with some of the world’s leading business and marketing experts, including, Keith Cunningham, Tony Robbins, Michael Heppell and Peter Thompson.

Using this unique blend of skills and experience to quickly identify the challenges for business in any industry, he guides you to better performance. Ensuring you gain greater reward now, more time to enjoy it and the security of a prosperous future.

As an active member of the South Wales Chamber of commerce committee and through many years in business and sport, he has developed a very strong network of links with banks and financial institutions, to utilise fully for your benefit.

As a Dental and Health Care Specialist he has guided our dentists, doctors and pharmacists from university to practice ownership and management, right through to succession planning and retirement. At each stage ensuring they maximise opportunities to get the rewards their hard work deserves.

In recent years,  as a regional director of the Xeinadin group, Neil has been actively involved in shaping ‘The Firm of the Future’ ensuring that all small businesses have access to the extensive range of expert advice they need to prosper.

Sian joined us as a graduate in 2005 and quickly qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant. She is now an active member of the local FCCA committee and became a member of ICAEW in 2019. Through the last 15 years Sian has gained a reputation as a business development expert and also a dental specialist. She has been invited to speak on accountancy at several FCCA events as well as on business development at the 2015 Dentistry Live event in London. Sian became a company director on 1st November 2013.

Lewis Ballard is a Xero platinum partner and as head of cloud accounting, Sian is regularly invited to join national Xero think tank meetings which help to shape their products to fit the needs of accountants and their clients.

Joining her first practice straight from school over 20 years ago, Johanna has trained from the grass roots up. After working in variety of practices she joined us as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 2010 and successfully completed her Chartered Taxation exams, taking over as our senior tax advisor and a senior client manager. Johanna is on the local Chartered Institute of Taxation Committee, where she keeps up to date with the latest tax trends. She also attends specialised tax courses to ensure that she gives the most proactive tax advice available.

Starting off in an admin support role in 1996 Janet has shaped the systems which underpin the standards of expertise and service in the practice. She has acted as HR manager gaining her Level 5 CIPD associate membership in Human Resource Management along the way, with 10 years of experience in all aspects including Payroll and VAT. She actively recruited the brightest, service orientated team possible, whilst providing them access to the professional training to complement this. Through this team focussed development programme, all our Client Managers are ACCA qualified, our Accounts Technicians are AAT qualified or ACCA part qualified and our payroll manager is Payroll Alliance qualified.

Rachel is a family member of the Lewis Ballard team on multiple levels. Ballard born, she is a social force of nature, having personally known many of our clients for years. Having received a degree in Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics, Rachel is a powerful addition to the team. Despite only having started at the practice in 2011, Rachel’s existing client knowledge, and her innate nature of charming clients, makes her one of the faces of Lewis Ballard. Rachel is also an ACCA Chartered Certified Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser

Lee is THE accountant. He knew at a young age that numbers worked for him, and at 12 years old already knew he wanted to be an accountant. Having graduated in Accounting and Finance from Plymouth University, and going on to get a Masters in Accounting and Finance from Cardiff University, Lee is a font of number knowledge. AAT and ACCA qualified, and with 10 years of experience across the board including Payroll and VAT, Lee is an excellent Client Manager always ready and able to help.

With an abundance of technical experience in accounts, Sam is AAT qualified (Association of Accounting Technicians). The back bone of the Accounts production department, she gives training and support to the Accounts Technicians ensuring that the work they produce is technically accurate and up to our exacting standards.

Nationally recognised as a Xero expert, Sam has become a Cloud Accounting and Xero Guru and is often asked to contribute insights to their internal development discussions. Her passion and commitment to finding the best digital solutions for our clients also helped Lewis Ballard receive the National 100% Xero Award. She is frequently invited to present on their behalf to local businesses. She’ll use this expertise to find bespoke cloud accounting solutions for your business and will provide the training and support you need to use it to your best advantage.

On top of this Sam also manages the practice workflow ensuring you receive your accounts on time every-time. One very busy lady.

Rebecca’s first job was as an apprentice in an accountancy firm. So good they wouldn’t let her go, she now has over 10 years of experience within the field. AAT and ACCA qualified, Rebecca is constantly striving to improve herself. Rebecca is an experienced Welsh language learner but is always happy to practice.

Kojo graduated with a first in Accounting and Finance graduate from Swansea university, but during his time here has far developed to become an experienced member of the team. Working towards becoming ACCA qualified, Kojo has built and built his responsibility, becoming a pillar of the AT team, and an invaluable member of the Lewis Ballar team.

Tom is an out-and-out go-getter. Having graduated from Cardiff and Swansea with first class honours in a combination of Accounting and Finance, and Biomedical Science, he went on to complete a masters in Accountancy. He’s an excellent learner and strong individual and is currently tackling ACCA accreditation. Tom won’t stop until he’s mastered all the challenges he faces. When not in work he pushes his body and mind with marathon running, not yet having come across a wall he can’t break through.

The money lady, Jo is a finance wizard. With almost 15 years of finance experience, with over half of that at Lewis Ballard, Jo is the person to talk to about money. Detail oriented, hard working, ever driven, Jo sets the standard we’ve come to expect here. On top of her responsibilities, Jo is AAT  and ACCA qualified.

Jo works tirelessly to make sure your journey is as smooth as possible, and is recognised within the business for having excellent customer service.

Having graduated from Bath Spa university with Creative Writing and English Literature under his belt, Sean is more interested in words than numbers. Not afraid of new experiences, Sean lived abroad for a year in the colds of Scandinavia. Though much of the written work we put out goes through him, Sean is also heavily involved in making sure that our materials always looks great!

Photo editing, design, and event organisation are all parts of Sean’s diverse skill set.

If anyone is the smiling face of Lewis Ballard, it is Karyn. A high yellow through and through (ask her, she’ll tell you all about it at length), Karyn brings her years of Customer Service experience forward to make sure our clients feel as looked after as they deserve to be. With 30 years in finance, with a keen insight into personal loans  and mortgages, Karyn knows her stuff. The only thing she’s done for longer is competitive sport, which is where her unbreakable team spirit comes from.

Building on her background in administration, in 2017 Jo decided to take on a new challenge. Having recently completed the AAT Level 2 Bookkeeping Qualification and Pitmans Sage 50 Payroll course, Jo is looking forward to continue gaining knowledge and qualifications during the forthcoming years.

As a Xero qualified trainer, Jo is very active in helping clients find the best bookkeeping solutions for them.

Charlotte has recently joined the accounting world, bringing with her six years’ experience in the Financial Services industry and is FA2  pensions qualified. A strong all-rounder Charlotte is also AAT qualified, now holds CIPP Level 3 certificate in payroll and is determinedly working towards her payroll degree.

In her spare time Charlotte enjoys keeping fit and running, being an avid park runner and hoping to one day complete a marathon. She is also violinist and Deacon for her Church.

Matt may be one of the younger members of the team but he is not to be taken lightly. As Company Secretarial Coordinator, his vision keeps his team on task and helps them achieve their goals.

Matt is always looking to prove his abilities. Spending most of his time riding, playing rugby and golf, and skiing, healthy competition is what drives Matt to go from success to success.

Before Gavin became an accountant he studied Accounting and Finance at Swansea university. On top of his education, he has almost 10 years of accounting experience, careful attention to detail, and specialist knowledge. A hands on Client Manager, frequently when Gavin takes on a new client they mention just how great his efforts and attentions are, giving them fresh and renewed trust in accountants.

Outside of work Gavin is a high speed thrill seeker, racing go karts across the country. He’s also tried his hand at flying planes!

Emma came to us with 8 years of experience implementing softer for companies to improve their group financial consolidation; planning; budgeting and forecasting; and reporting. Having excellent problem solving skills, Emma is adept at supporting people through learning new systems and using that software going forward.

After studying Financial Mathematics at the University of Surrey, Emma has completed all ACCA exams and is now building the experience with us to become a fully qualified accountant.

Emma loves to be challenged and is happiest on activity holidays and exploring new places.