Carl Wright

Career history

I qualified with a small practice in Stockton-on-Tees, working in a variety of roles including audit, accounts, managed services and business planning.  I joined Clive Owen in 2014 to specialise in grants advisory work and was promoted to Director in 2020.

Qualifications

BE (Hons), ACA

Experience and expertise

I spend the vast majority of my time supporting clients with all aspects of the grant application process including application support, appraisal work and grant audits. I also provide state aid advice to a number of grant scheme administrative bodies, including several Local Enterprise Partnerships. I work with businesses across all sectors of the economy and my clients range from motor manufacturers to contact centres.

Away from grants I also support clients with financial projections and business planning assignments.

I also lead on Clive Owen’s sustainability strategy, focussing on delivering carbon footprint reductions, managing our resource utilisation and engaging with our communities through volunteering and other initiatives. I am now also credited by the ICAEW as a Climate Champion.

Professional memberships/directorships

ICAEW, ICAEW Climate Champion

Career highlights

Since joining Clive Owen I have helped businesses to secure over £200m of grant funding, which will support projects which will generate many thousands of jobs across the UK. It is great to know I have played a small part in driving this economic growth.

My work has encompassed grants ranging from £10k for local SMEs through to £20m plus grant offers for multi-national businesses. The amount of grant isn’t that important to me, a small grant can make a huge difference to a business and it is a great feeling when a client tells me how much they value my support.

Did you always want to be an accountant?

Once I had quickly established I wasn’t good enough to be a footballer I spent my school years unsure of what I wanted to do. Having studied far too much maths at Sixth Form I decided to enrol for a business studies degree at Durham University. This had a common first year with accounting and finance and having much preferred the accountancy modules I switched courses. A couple of summers of work experience wasn’t enough to put me off and when I graduated in 2009 I took up a training contract and have never looked back.

Hobbies and interests

I enjoy spending time with my family, and with two young daughters this involves lots of days out, swimming and dancing (watching not participating!)

I enjoy most sports, particularly football. I am Middlesbrough fan but can occasionally be spotted watching Darlington too.