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 his 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 16 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 20 years of experience in all aspects of running the business . 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 program, 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. 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 a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser so has the skills to back up the charm.

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.

Working in senior hospitality roles for 10 years, triggered in an interest for finance and business. After travelling for nearly two years Leonie returned to study Business and Accounting at the University of South Wales, graduating with First Class Honours.

Completing her ACA qualification in just 3 years, gaining valuable experience in practice in the South West of England. Using her wealth of  business and life experiences Leonie is thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to help businesses and individuals achieve success

A lover of travel, reading and movies Leonie has lots of interesting insights to add to any conversation and her quick brain, excellent organisation and friendly customer service  all fit perfectly into her role.

She’s a dab hand at cross-stitch too!

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. She’s also a talented singer and musician and has been spotted on TV on few occasions. She is an excellent client manager and the level of support and guidance she gives to her clients is second to none.

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. Proving himself as an excellent learner, he is now also a Chartered Certified Accountant too. An skilled horseman, Tom has represented Wales and he 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.

After several years as a teacher Laura switched careers and started Accountancy training.

Now AAT qualified she has 5 years’ experience in practice and will shortly start her ACCA studies. A Xero Advisor since 2017, she’s passionate about helping businesses excel with the use of Xero and is our Xero Champion.

Laura also manages a small portfolio of clients, winning their trust with her patience and customer service with a smile.

Whilst not in work, Laura enjoys travelling, singing, cycling and going to see Musicals on the West End.

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.

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.

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!

Amber earned a First Class BA with honours in Business at the University of South Wales, before going on to become AAT qualified. Working towards an ACCA qualification, Amber has experience in practice and industry.

Amber has a huge community spirit, having spent 6 months helping a local NHS hospital during the pandemic between finishing her degree and starting with us. She loves football, the gym, and travelling.

Born in Poland, Martyna now has a family in Wales. She holds a degree in management and economics and after a couple of years as a stay at home mum she decided to further her studies in accountancy with an AAT course. Her maths and management skills make her the perfect fit for her finance and admin role,

She loves cooking and trying new recipes including Mexican, Japanese, and Mediterranean.

And in her free time will often upgrade, fix, and decorate stuff. From fixing washing machines to laying floor tiles!

Martyna also loves swimming and is a skillful pianist. She’s one very talented lady.