The eprivateclient 50 Most Influential is the definitive rankings of the key players in the UK and offshore private client practitioner sector.

To showcase the achievements of those listed this year and to get to know them a bit better, eprivateclient has begun publishing a series of Q&As with our 2021 50 Most Influentials.

This week we spoke with Crowe's' Rebecca Durrant. Rebecca has been national head of private clients at tax advisory and accountancy firm Crowe since November 2019 and advises individuals and their businesses on all aspects of the tax system. Rebecca also leads Crowe’s national women’s empowerment programme which supports the female pipeline and promotes an environment that enables people to reach their full potential.

What have been your proudest personal/team achievements this year?

This has been my first year as national head and what a year to do it! In the main I am proud of how our team has pulled together and continued to deliver great service to our clients through what have been challenging times for businesses but also for each of us on a personal level this last year. It hasn’t been easy for anyone and although remote working does have many advantages people miss the human interaction and we have a way to go yet.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t be afraid to ask, life is what you make of it and we need to create our own opportunities. If something goes wrong or someone says no it doesn’t matter just learn from it and find another way. You will succeed bigger and better next time.

What do you find most rewarding about your role? 

It's a cliché but it is the people. Whether that is doing great job for a client or supporting my team I just want to make a difference for them and when that happens that is the most rewarding thing.

What challenges do you see your firm/clients facing in 2021? 

Well as we go in to lockdown mark 3 the challenges for business in general are endless. For us it will be to continue to make sure our people are properly supported, mental health issues will become more and more prevalent as we spend more time working remotely and we will continue to do our best to help our teams navigate this. From a client perspective we have Covid, Brexit and potential tax changes to deal with so it will be a challenging year ahead.

What does being named a 50 Most Influential mean to you? 

Great question, it’s strange really this is my first time and I have always been very proud of my colleagues that have been listed before. It’s a bit surreal now to be amongst a list of people that I have admired but I like it a lot.

What is the favourite part of your job?

When something goes really well for a client or for the team that is the best part – it goes back to the point about making a difference, my job gives me the opportunity to help clients and to make real changes in our business and that is a real privilege.

What made you choose to focus on private client work?

I’m not sure I did! I have been working in private clients since I was 18. I fell in to it but enjoyed it so carried on. It is very much a people business and I like to think I am a people person. What we do has an impact for the individuals and their families whether that is personal or business related and that works for me.

What book/luxury item would you want with you on a desert island?

I read a lot so choosing just one book would be a nightmare! Can I take my ipad? If not it would be a choice between my Christmas present books – Victoria Wood’s biography or Barack Obama. They are both chunky and would keep me going for a while.

If you were not in (and it is not) your current role, what would be your dream job?

I always wanted to write a novel or own a bookshop preferably a not very successful one so I could read all day.

What’s your favourite hobbies/passions/interests outside of work?

I like to read (I may have mentioned that!) mainly novels but I do like a good autobiography. I run a bit mainly to keep me sane and usually so I can indulge in my favourite pastime of eating out accompanied by a nice glass of wine. I have also recently taken up knitting – not sure if that is a lockdown or age thing.

What one piece of advice has benefited you the most in your career?

To believe in yourself, because if you don’t why would anyone else? Someone once said to me ‘look around you if they can do it why can’t you?’ and that really resonated. Women in particular put up so many barriers for ourselves as to why we can’t do things when we absolutely can. And if I can squeeze in another to be yourself – its hard work being anything else really and it works!