Case study

Ford of Europe If you’re looking for a first class career in CIMA qualification was an ideal foundation % Ford of Europe is responsible for accountancy, you’d be hard pressed to for his career. ‘I never wanted to be the popular producing, selling and servicing find a better employer than Ford. The stereotype of an accountant. I didn’t see myself Ford’s focus is not just on recruiting Ford brand vehicles in 47 individual manufacturing giant not only recognises the crunching numbers all my life,’ he reflects. markets, including and . value its employees bring to the company ‘I wanted to be part of the action rather than the best talent, but retaining it as but it has motored ahead with a training and part of the reaction in business and that’s The first Ford were shipped to development structure that ensures every what the CIMA qualification has enabled me well. Over the years, the company Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford new recruit reaches his or her full potential at to do. With CIMA you’re trained to use your each stage of their career. ‘Ford’s focus is not accountancy skills to analyse, manage and look Motor company was founded. Ford of has developed a programme that we just on recruiting the best talent, but retaining forward rather than backwards. That’s what Europe now employs approximately it as well,’ says Paul MacNiven, Controller makes management accountants stand out believe is now second to none. 66,000 people. In addition to Ford of Product Development for Ford of Europe. from the crowd. They’re not just calculating a % ‘Over the years the company has developed a company’s value, they’re adding to it.’ Paul MacNiven, Controller Motor Credit Company, Ford of programme that we believe is now second Europe operations include Ford to none.’ Ford offers its accountancy trainees an enviable Product Development support package. This includes: free tuition; Customer Service Division and 22 An intrinsic part of the company’s career an external scheme co-ordinator a special development engine is the CIMA qualification. manufacturing facilities, including training facility at ; a dedicated Ford’s finance professionals have been website containing information on the scheme; joint ventures. encouraged to opt for the CIMA syllabus and a CIMA Steering Committee made up of since 1988 and the company now employs students, managers and scheme co-ordinators Employing around 14,200 at 10 more than 200 CIMA members and students which oversees students’ progression. The around the world. Paul was one of the first locations, importance of the training programme is driven graduates to study for the qualification home by Ford of Europe’s CFO, David Schoch, Limited () has been 20 years ago. He believes that in today’s who sends a personal letter of congratulations the UK new car market leader for 30 business environment, the CIMA syllabus is to every trainee who passes the final stage even more relevant than ever. ‘CIMA offers a of the CIMA syllabus. A special annual dinner consecutive years and commercial breadth of understanding that’s unique among is also held to congratulate employees who vehicle market leader for 41 accountancy qualifications,’ he says. ‘Not only have attained CIMA membership. With this does it give you the skills to work right across the consecutive years. attention to detail, it’s hardly surprising that business but because CIMA is international, it examination pass rates at Ford are well above enables you to carry this knowledge anywhere in the UK average. In 2006, the was Britain’s the world. In today’s global marketplace that’s a best selling car and the company had huge advantage.’ Ford is also able to enhance CIMA’s requirement on members to maintain their three cars in the top ten best sellers For the past four years, Paul has had the heady responsibility of controlling the costs of Ford’s continuing professional development (CPD). list - the Focus, Fiesta new European models as they progress from The company runs its own development and Mondeo. concept to manufacture. He says his career programme involving a raft of reviews and history is a good example of how CIMA- activities including: succession planning; web-based training in specific financial skills; Ford’s iconic Transit and the Transit qualified finance professionals can end up driving a wide variety of functions at Ford. mentoring and shadowing programmes; and Connect together take almost 30 ‘The company likes to move its staff around regular presentations on key business issues. per cent of the medium commercial as much as possible, particularly early in their Ford has shown its commitment to providing career, to give them a good understanding of a gold standard programme by becoming both vehicle segment in Britain. how the business fits together,’ he says. ‘I’ve a CIMA Training Quality Partner and CIMA worked in Marketing and Sales, Manufacturing, Development Partner. ‘CPD is not only about Michael Guinan, Passed Finalist Treasury and Profit Analysis. In my first five developing your skills today but working out the Accounts Receivables Analyst skills you need for tomorrow,’ says Terry Archer, Terry Archer, ACMA years, I had five different roles and my CIMA studies supported me at each stage of my the current chair of the Ford CIMA Steering Manager, European Project and development.’ Committee, and Manager, European Project and Property Accounting Property Accounting. ‘The business is constantly Lucy Millar, ACMA Although Paul now has many years of business Emma Challis, Passed Finalist changing and we need to act quickly to pre- Finance Program Manager experience under his belt, he believes his empt those changes. Fleet Finance Analyst for Special Projects Paul MacNiven, FCMA – Controller, Product Development Case study Terry Archer, ACMA – Manager, European Project and Property Accounting Lucy Millar, ACMA – Finance Program Manager for Special Projects Emma Challis, Passed Finalist – Fleet Finance Analyst Paul MacNiven, FCMA | Terry Archer, ACMA Michael Guinan, Passed Finalist – Accounts Receivables Analyst Lucy Millar, ACMA | Emma Challis, Passed Finalist Michael Guinan, Passed Finalist Ford of Europe Ford of Europe

CIMA and its emphasis on CPD give you the about the role was being a member of work,’ she says. ‘I have to say that I love a edge to meet those demands. The result is highly the operating committee that ran the day-to- challenge and I really enjoyed the fact that I was competent and self-motivated staff, a sound day business. So I was involved in absolutely trusted to make important decisions. The other control environment and integrity in financial all aspects of the company,’ she explains. plus is that I’m now in the thick of a core element reporting.’ ‘In a single day, I could be giving my opinion of the business – sales. I feel I can really make a of what colour to paint our cars, assessing a difference to Ford of Britain’s performance in my Lucy Millar believes her CIMA training at profit forecast, reviewing a proposed new TV current role.’ Ford accelerated her development into a advertisement, negotiating a foreign currency confident all-rounder who is comfortable Finance Analyst Michael Guinan has been working anywhere in the world. Lucy recently with Ford since 2005 and recently passed the returned to the UK after spending two years ‘The business is constantly final TOPCIMA stage of the qualification. Like in , India, as Vice President of Finance Emma, he’s found that he has been given the and IT at Ford’s Indian division. ‘CIMA helped changing and we need to adapt freedom to resolve issues through his own me most with my training by changing the way initiative. He has also used the soft-skills from that I worked, improving my analytical abilities quickly to pre-empt those his CIMA-training to resolve customer-based and providing me with a level of confidence changes. CIMA and its emphasis issues. ‘If we’re experiencing account issues in my abilities,’ she explains. Looking at her with a customer, I have the freedom to visit the more recent experiences, Lucy says her CIMA on CPD gives you the edge to customer, identify areas of concern and foundations have given her a good nose for co-ordinate their resolution with our numbers. ‘Probably the most useful skill I’ve meet those demands.’ Manufacturing or Finance departments. Having developed as a result of my studies is the ability Terry Archer, Manager, European Project that autonomy gives me excellent commercial to ‘sanity check’ a piece of financial analysis and Property Accounting exposure and allows me to resolve issues far at first glance. I just know if a set of data and more quickly than using a series of emails,’ financial logic ‘feels’ right before I get into the Michael explains. detail. I’m sure this capability is built up from loan from a bank or investigating a proposed the firm foundation that CIMA provided all those new investment down on the shop floor.’Emma Michael has motored through his qualification years ago.’ CPD is also an important part of Challis and Michael Guinan have enjoyed a and is now on the road to a promising career Lucy’s ongoing relationship with the institute. high degree of autonomy as a result of their with Ford. But he sometimes wishes that the ‘Sometimes, particularly after many years in the CIMA training with Ford. In the six years Emma public perception of management accountancy same business, you think that you’ve seen it all,’ has been with the company, she has enjoyed a was a little more up-to-date. ‘Unfortunately she says. ‘CPD forces you to accept we all still variety of financial roles which have taken her some people I meet outside of work still have have something to learn.’ as far afield as Paris, and Rome. More misconceptions about my job. And I’m fairly recently, she was invited to a special event to sure that 99 percent of the public still see an Lucy’s recent role in India gives a clear picture mark the successful launch of the new billing accountant as a practice-based clerk sitting of the diverse range of activities a senior system she set up for Ford of Britain. ‘It was behind a desk all day number-crunching. management accountant at Ford might find really rewarding to see the system launched Fortunately, in my case that couldn’t be further themselves involved with. ‘The best thing successfully after hours of overtime and hard from the truth!’

If members of the press are interested For general enquiries please in CIMA case studies, please contact: contact: Annette Heninger CIMA Contact team Press Officer The Chartered Institute T. +44 (0)20 8849 2427 of Management Accountants E. [email protected] 26 Chapter Street London SW1P 4NP Paul MacNiven, FCMA T. +44 (0)20 8849 2251 Controller, Product Development E. [email protected]