The co-managing director of the North East firm answers our questions
Nick Wilson, co-managing director of Robson Laidler Accountants.(Image: Robson Laidler Accountants)
Nick Wilson is co-managing director at accountancy firm Robson Laidler Accountants, which has offices in Newcastle, Durham and on Teesside. The 34 year-old, who was awarded Accountant of the Year in 2019, now leads on business strategy and operations at the £9m turnover firm, which has just been crowned Independent Accountancy Firm of the Year at the North East Accountancy Awards 2025 and is listed in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work.
What was your first job, and how much did it pay? My first ever job was a paper round. You don’t realise at the time, but it does kick start you into being disciplined with time and routines and turning up – even if you can think of 100 reasons not to!
What is the best advice or support you’ve been given in business? This is a tricky one to be honest. I don’t think there is really a “best” for this. Listening to others, being open to change and taking on honest feedback has been crucial. We cannot see our blind spots so having people around you who are brave enough to let you know is something I have been blessed with. Each piece of advice and support is relative to the situation you find yourself in but remembering that you are not the first person in the situation and certainly not the last and learning from others’ experiences has been extremely important for my own development.
The one thing that does resonate the most with me though, that I pass on to others is “be yourself, be genuine and be present.”
What are the main changes you’ve seen in your business/sector, and what are the challenges you’re facing? There does seem to be a huge amount of change in the sector mainly led by the government and we must adapt. However, what I am seeing more of is something that I think is fantastic. Accountants are trained in so much more than just accountancy but for a long time, we have just provided accountancy services because that’s what we thought our clients wanted and a lot of our skills were not being utilised. Clients are now becoming increasingly aware of the additional value we can add and the work we now do is adding more value than ever before and using all our skill sets. The levels of satisfaction both for the profession and our clients is continually improving, businesses are getting support they require and communities are benefiting as result.
What would your dream job be? When I was growing up it used to be two things, a pilot and an architect. I guess it was the ability to travel the world and be creative. The ability to create something that would be around for generations and make a stamp on the world inspired me. As I have grown, I have learned that these opportunities are there no matter what you do – if you do something you believe in and give it your all. I couldn’t see me doing anything different right now.
What advice would you give to someone starting out a career in your sector? Take your time. Learn from every experience thrown your way. Sometimes you must sit back and really think about what the lesson was but there is always one. What will really make you stand out is do what you say you are going to do and be brave enough to say no if you can’t but open enough to learn from it for next time.
What makes the North East a good place to do business? Collaboration. I can’t speak much for other regions, but this one has a lot of open-minded business owners who genuinely want to see others succeed.
How important is it for business to play a role in society? Huge. I used to underestimate the impact of the ripple effect a business can have on the community. If we continue to use business as a force for good, everyone in that business does their bit to change for the best. Once other businesses see this – they then want to join in. We spend most of our day at work so doing what we can during these hours maximises the impact we can all have.
Outside of work, what are you really good at? I do like a bit of DIY. It is something where I can use my creativity and problem-solving skills with visible results. I wouldn’t say I was particularly great, but I do enjoy it.
Who would play you in a film about your life? I honestly have no idea – maybe just an AI-generated me. Budget’s tight!
Which three people would you invite to a dinner party, and why? Someone funny, someone wise and someone who has great taste in food to help me decide what to serve!
