31st May 2022
Rachel Sestini is Managing Director of Sestini & Co., which she set up just over 9 years’ ago to provide a cross-border tax advisory and compliance service. The business has grown in the intervening time to include a US tax practice and a pensions trustee and administration company.
What’s the first thing you do at the start of your working day?
Make a cup of coffee and then review my to-do list.
How do you plan out your day? A good old fashioned to do list, or more go with the flow?
A combination of the two: a to-do list for priorities but with some space for urgent matters.
What’s your desk and workspace like?
Post-lockdown I now have three offices, one at home, our HQ in Somerset and one in SW1 in London: London is our newest office and I am managing to keep to our clean-desk policy so far; the home office is somewhat more cluttered.
What is the big issue affecting your sector at the moment?
Recruitment is a challenge, good people are very much in demand. Keeping up with changing tax legislation and possible changes is also something we devote a great deal of time to. It’s so critical to be aware of legislative changes ahead of time, and to keep up with tax cases.
Do you have a business niche?
Cross-border private client with a US/UK nexus is very much our central focus although we work with globally-mobile individuals all around the world.
What do you do to escape the world of tax and accounts?
I have a private pilot’s licence and really enjoy piloting light aircraft to the continent and other parts of the UK and Channel Islands. Flying has always been a passion of mine and since spending a couple of years in the RAF Volunteer Reserve after university I can now enjoy membership of the RAF Club in London, an ideal base for meetings and catching up with friends.
Have you always been interested in numbers and can you remember your first calculator?
I’ve always loved the patterns within mathematics and arithmetic. I suspect my first calculator was the one I used for O’ levels, before that mental arithmetic was very much encouraged, a sign of my age…
Tell us something that not many people know about you?
I have a gold medal in disco dancing.
How has your practice benefited from being part of the Lifecycle accountancy network?
The networking events have been excellent – I’ve met a number of interesting people who have complementary skills to help our clients, as well as some absolutely delightful people who are well on their way to becoming friends.
Find out more about the Lifecycle network at www.lclifecycle.co.uk or get in touch on 03300 242 333.