Spotlighting Becky Hartley

In honour of International Women's Day, Oak Group has invited women from its network to share their inspiring stories throughout the month of March.

Next up, we are excited to share Becky Hartley . You can read her story below.

Can you tell us about yourself and your career journey so far?

I joined BDO as a Graduate in 2012 after studying accounting at University. I was always good with numbers but also loved art so wanted a career that was in the accountancy world but where I could still use some form of creativity. Working in Tax and specialising in tax disputes and investigations definitely fit the bill as clients’ problems often have a number of solutions. In 2018, I was keen to get some international experience and so ventured to Asia to undertake a secondment in BDO’s Singapore office working in the private client team. This was a fantastic experience and since returning, I have a particular focus on Asia and Guernsey as key jurisdictions.

What has been your proudest achievement so far since joining BDO?

A lot has happened over the last twelve years, however more recently I was named as one eprivateclient ’s 2023 NextGen Leaders and was also one of the Top 35 under 35 in 2022. I was very proud to receive both of these accolades.

What is the greatest advice you have been given?

To “think more like a man”, especially when speaking or writing about yourself, which may sound odd but it essentially means to believe in yourself more and recognise what you are capable of achieving as well as what you have achieved. As women, we do not need to play down our accomplishments and we should be bolder to celebrate them.

Which women inspire you the most and why?

My friends are such strong, successful, driven women, some also raising young children, who continue to inspire me daily. I am also very inspired by Greta Thunberg in terms of her efforts to fight climate change, which has inspired so many to do better. Another would have to be Oprah Winfrey, as an African American and the youngest female billionaire in history, she is an inspiration to all women as she demonstrates resilience and empowers women to not be defeated by their circumstances.

What ways are you committed to inspire inclusion?

I am passionate about promoting inclusion in the workplace. This comes in many forms but includes educating others, being aware of unconscious bias and having more open conversations on the topic. I also like to attend our “Women in Tax” internal events and am always on the lookout for more external events empowering women!

Do you have any advice you would give to other women starting out in the industry?

Be confident in yourself and people will be confident in you.

Read more about Oak's campaign here.