Types of Accountant

There are several different types of accountants in the UK, who work in a variety of sectors from personal to corporate and from auditing to taxation. A qualified UK accountant will belong to a professional body, such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW, ICAS or ICAI), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

A typical chartered accountant will work in many different environments and settings, with roles ranging from chief executive of a multinational company to sole practitioner.

In the industry and the public sector, chartered accountants may work in areas such as, fund management, venture capital and equity analysis, as well as in financial management and reporting roles. They may provide a variety of professional services to a wide range of fee-paying clients, from large commercial and public sector organisations, including banks to private individuals.