Meet Florence Ioannou, Accounting Senior Manager at LDB Group

Florence Ioannou leads a team of highly-skilled professionals and enjoys working with businesses that are in a growth or transition phase, either by way of acquisition, rollover or divestment.

She is also LDB Group’s resident cryptocurrency and blockchain guru – a professional niche that grew from a personal interest.

In her spare time, Florence loves to read. A few books about shoes have put a pep in her step but there’s more to it than you think.

Read on to find out more about LDB’s Accounting Senior Manager Florence Ioannou.

What attracted you to accounting? How did you end up at LDB?

I’ve always been a numbers person, so it seemed like the logical step. I spent 12 years at a mid-tier firm and I really enjoyed it there, but there came a time when I had a rethink because I have two young children.

I wanted to be closer to home and to my surprise, there was a firm in the suburbs that was big enough that I could co-manage a team and have fantastic clients. People are always pleasantly surprised that LDB has over 65 employees and we are growing. Also, we can provide a full suite of services. I often say we are a hidden gem.  There is a diversity of clients here, ranging from start-ups to listed companies, so it seemed like the logical next step.

Where did your interest in cryptocurrency come from?

My husband was really interested in the technology. We were watching a lot of YouTube channels on the topic and I found it really interesting. I realised on many online forums that there was a lack of accounting knowledge, so I started to think about how to apply it to my work environment.

Accountants were turning away clients who were investing in cryptocurrency because they didn’t know what to do. In my team, we work with a lot of start-ups in the gaming industry, so it works hand-in-hand with blockchain technology.

What do you love about your job?

I love working with a great team of people and being hands-on with clients to assist them with their business growth and providing tailored business consulting services.

What’s your top business accounting advice?

It’s simple but really important: before making a big decision, always seek professional advice first. Once you’ve gone into the transaction, you can’t undo the structuring.

What are your hobbies outside of work?

I enjoy going to the gym and reading in my free time. I particularly enjoy reading management books and I would recommend Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the creator of Nike. It’s about Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his efforts to get people to wear runners as everyday footwear rather than just for running. It’s a great story and also a good motivational book.

After reading that book, I then read Sneaker Wars, which is the story of the family feud that created footwear brands Adidas and Puma. I was an Adidas fan until reading them and now I’m a Nike fan.

What was your best holiday ever? Why was it so good?

I have two favourite holidays and they are for very different reasons. The first one was when I went to Europe, where I visited France, Italy, Greece and Cyprus. It was the first time I had visited Europe, and the history and the scenery were just amazing.

I also love Hawaii and we’ve gone back a few times, just because it’s so peaceful and restful. You can do as much as you want, so it’s a true escape.