Ross McAdam CA
Ross McAdam CA has used his interest in numbers and business to forge a career that’s now benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises across the UK.
I’m an investment analyst at Clyde Blowers Capital, a private equity manager in Scotland. I studied accounting and finance at Edinburgh University and from there secured a graduate job with EY in their insurance department in Glasgow. I trained with them and qualified as a CA in 2017.
Why did you become a CA?
I enjoyed maths, was quite good at numbers and had an interest in business, so accountancy felt like the obvious choice
Any advice for potential trainees?
Don’t underestimate the power of the CA qualification. It is globally recognised due to the level of learning that you get across many different subjects. Such a qualification doesn’t come easy, but the rewards are well worth the hard work you need to put in.
What is the best thing about becoming a CA?
The opportunities that it brings and the people you get to meet. It opens you to a huge network of people across the world.
What's the most interesting project you've ever worked on?
With my current role at Clyde Blowers Capital. We’re the seed funders of a new purpose-built bank for small and medium enterprises in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and regions of England. It will bring back traditional banking principles but also be underpinned by new technological developments. It’s a really exciting project and will be of huge benefit to the many SMEs across the country.
What countries have you worked in?
Most notably, I had a nine-month stint working in Ireland just outside of Dublin. And in my current role I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to South Africa, spend a bit of time in Johannesburg, and also in America through some of the investments that we have.
What makes you proud to be a CA?
That I’m part of a network of people who make a real difference to the world across every industry and in every corner of the globe.