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Northern Accountants has announced that it has appointed two AI specialists as it prepares to invest £250k in its AI strategy.
Long-standing director Ben Muncaster has moved into the role of director of operations and AI, as the business prepares for process transformation, advanced automation and new AI toolchains.
He is joined by AI advisor, author and futurist Ant Morse, founder of digital innovation consultancy Adventa, who will provide external guidance throughout this next transformation phase.
Formerly head of digital solutions, data, AI and innovation at Virgin Media O2, Morse brings extensive experience in leading large-scale and complex change.
He has supported public, private, and global organisations, with a particular focus on AI, innovation, governance and shaping the cultural future of work.
Muncaster said: “While there’s so much conversation around advanced AI technologies and how they’re changing the face of what’s possible for businesses and clients alike, our AI planning actually began with people. It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon and become technology focused, especially when AI is promising some huge capabilities. But we’ve tackled things differently.
“I believe the real wins come from focusing on colleagues, and the daily processes and workflows they undertake to deliver a great service to our clients. If we can gradually remove the more burdensome, non-value adding parts of their roles, we drive up business productivity, team fulfilment, and a more humanised approach to supporting clients. We’ve therefore built a roadmap of use cases that we’ve triaged and are testing slowly, in a controlled manner, with a focus on ROI at every step.”
Morse added: “I think Northern Accountants is atypical for a business of this size. They’re proactive, early adopters, moving forward cautiously but with innovative intent. They know that a humanised service is the differentiator in a crowded industry, so they’re investing in AI – and continuous improvement – to empower their people to fly.
“Our first priority has been to ensure AI readiness, alongside the right security and governance. We’ve run Kaizen workshops to engage colleagues early and draw out their ideas. Ultimately, our goal is simple – to enable accountants to focus on being accountants. It’s no surprise that our people have really embraced that.”
In early September, Northern Accountants launched a new apprenticeship programme to mark the company’s pledge to continually invest in young talent.
