International Women’s Day 2025 Conversations: Laura Hughes

 

Celebrating International Women’s Day: A Conversation with Senior Tax Manager, Laura Hughes

As we mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, we sat down with Laura Hughes, Senior Tax Manager at TC East (Letchworth, Cambridge & Huntingdon offices), to hear about her journey in the accountancy profession and her experiences balancing a career with motherhood. Laura’s inspiring story highlights her dedication, career growth, and the valuable lessons she’s learned along the way.

 

How did your accountancy career begin?

I left school without much idea of what I wanted to do as a full-time job. I ended up studying Maths with Management because I enjoyed maths, but not enough to do a pure maths degree! As part of the management side of my course, I had a couple of accountancy modules, which I really enjoyed. That planted the idea that this could be a career for me.

I spent a lot of time researching the profession and even wrote a dissertation on it in my final year. By the end of my studies, I knew accountancy was something I would not only enjoy but also excel at. I applied for jobs during my final year and was lucky enough to secure a position at a local training firm straight after university.

 

What was your first job in accountancy?

My first job in accountancy was at TC Group in Letchworth, back when it was WKH Partnership. It was a smaller accountancy practice, so I had the chance to work with a variety of clients and across different areas of accountancy. I quickly moved into an Audit Senior role, which was an amazing learning experience, especially while I was still studying. However, I realised that audit wasn’t quite the right fit for me, and I decided to explore other areas of the profession.

 

How do you manage the balance between being a mother and an accountant?

Balancing motherhood and my career was difficult at first. I’m a ‘starter finisher,’ which doesn’t always mesh well with having young children! I had my first son during COVID, so I was working while he was at home, and it was challenging to switch between being an accountant and a mother.

When we returned to the office, it became easier to set clear boundaries. I needed strict working hours to ensure I could pick up my child on time—if I didn’t leave by 5, I’d miss childcare pickup. Although I sometimes work after the kids are in bed, having clear cut-off points really helped separate my professional life from my personal life. Now that I have two boys, it’s still a challenge, but having that structure helps me juggle both roles.

 

What led you to specialise in tax?

It was during my final year of studies when someone suggested I look into specialising in tax. I thought it was a great idea, so I started researching it further. I really enjoyed getting into the details and solving complex problems, which is what drew me to tax.

After completing my ACA exams, I decided to focus fully on tax and started studying for the Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) qualification. The firm was very supportive of my decision, and within a year of finishing my ACA exams, I began my journey into tax.

 

Do you find tax a rewarding area within finance?

Absolutely! Tax is incredibly rewarding. The variety of challenges I face each week keeps things interesting, and I enjoy being the go-to person for tax-related queries within the firm. There are times when I don’t have the answer immediately, but I love the process of researching and finding solutions. It’s the problem-solving aspect that I find particularly fulfilling.

 

What advice would you give to aspiring accountants?

My advice would be to study hard! It can be tough, but the reward of qualifying is more than worth it. Don’t worry if you’re unsure about which path you want to follow—try to experience as many areas of accountancy as possible during your studies. This will make you more well-rounded and open up more opportunities for you in the future.

 

Written by Laura Hughes

 

Happy International Women’s Day to all!

 

Want to read more?

Visit our other IWD 2025 blogs below from Marie Pegram and Tracy Grazioli.

Rewriting the narrative

Conversations with Tracy Grazioli

 

To read more about this year’s International Women’s Day theme, click on the link here.