My Life in Numbers (and Letters)

Fiona Wood CA, Willis Wood

Fiona Wood CA is a forensic accountant and the reigning champion of TV game show Countdown – and she believes the two are very much connected. She explains how a fascination with numbers and words has led her to build a thriving practice in a discipline people ‘didn’t really understand’

15

I’d previously appeared on Countdown twice, including back in 1990 when I was only 15. I used to watch it after school with my mum, and she encouraged me to apply. It was the summer holidays, and I’d already largely decided accountancy was what I wanted to do. I made it to the semi-final of that series, which was broadcast on my 16th birthday. I also appeared in a Championship of Champions series in 1993 when I was at university. As life developed and the show changed I lost interest, but I started watching again in recent years.

15

I’d previously appeared on Countdown twice, including back in 1990 when I was only 15. I used to watch it after school with my mum, and she encouraged me to apply. It was the summer holidays, and I’d already largely decided accountancy was what I wanted to do. I made it to the semi-final of that series, which was broadcast on my 16th birthday. I also appeared in a Championship of Champions series in 1993 when I was at university. As life developed and the show changed I lost interest, but I started watching again in recent years.

ITSSADUEL

Alongside the numbers, a conundrum seems appropriate for this story. The deciding conundrum in the final was ITSSADUEL – and I had to win it to become champion. At first, the only word I could come up with was AUDITLESS, which I didn’t think was a word. But then it came to me – LASSITUDE. I have no idea where I plucked it from, but I pressed the buzzer. It seemed like a perfect ending for me because audit-less was a good description of what I became in 2004 when I embraced the world of forensic accounting.

1996

After school, I wanted to study accountancy. I stayed local at the University of Stirling where I tended to concentrate more on the studying side than the socialising. I graduated with a first-class degree in accounting in 1996.

1996

After school, I wanted to study accountancy. I stayed local at the University of Stirling where I tended to concentrate more on the studying side than the socialising. I graduated with a first-class degree in accounting in 1996.

1999

I joined Scott Oswald as a trainee. At that time, it was the largest independent accountancy firm in Scotland, before being taken over by Tenon and then RSM. I worked in the Falkirk office and qualified as a CA in 1999. During my time as a trainee auditor, I struggled to stick to budgets because if something didn’t look right I just couldn’t leave it. I was always the one who took too long, and that was probably an indication of my future career direction.

1999

I joined Scott Oswald as a trainee. At that time, it was the largest independent accountancy firm in Scotland, before being taken over by Tenon and then RSM. I worked in the Falkirk office and qualified as a CA in 1999. During my time as a trainee auditor, I struggled to stick to budgets because if something didn’t look right I just couldn’t leave it. I was always the one who took too long, and that was probably an indication of my future career direction.

TORNTHRONGTAN

I stayed with Scott Oswald for a year after qualifying and then went to Grant Thornton (TORNTHRONGTAN). It was still an auditing role – I just wanted to try a bigger firm – but within a few years I realised that wasn’t what I wanted to do long term. I had no idea what the alternatives were, but in 2002 Grant Thornton took on a director from PwC to start up a forensic department in Edinburgh. That was the first time I’d heard of forensic accounting and it sounded really interesting. I realised it was exactly what I wanted to be doing.

TORNTHRONGTAN

I stayed with Scott Oswald for a year after qualifying and then went to Grant Thornton (TORNTHRONGTAN). It was still an auditing role – I just wanted to try a bigger firm – but within a few years I realised that wasn’t what I wanted to do long term. I had no idea what the alternatives were, but in 2002 Grant Thornton took on a director from PwC to start up a forensic department in Edinburgh. That was the first time I’d heard of forensic accounting and it sounded really interesting. I realised it was exactly what I wanted to be doing.

2004

I was eventually allowed to do a secondment with the forensic accounting director. Audit and forensic work are not really compatible – auditing is very much scheduled for client year-ends, whereas anything that involves the legal system is a constantly moving target. So 2004 was a very significant year for me as that was when I moved into the forensic role full time.

2004

I was eventually allowed to do a secondment with the forensic accounting director. Audit and forensic work are not really compatible – auditing is very much scheduled for client year-ends, whereas anything that involves the legal system is a constantly moving target. So 2004 was a very significant year for me as that was when I moved into the forensic role full time.

CODNOWTUN

There is probably a link between my interest in forensic accounting and Countdown (CODNOWTUN). I used to do a lot of puzzles when I was younger and I have a weird fascination with numbers in particular. I’m constantly looking at car number plates or the milometer in my car. Some numbers catch my eye, it’s just the way my mind works. It’s the analysing of numbers, the investigations, the piecing things together and the problem-solving that I really enjoy. And the words also come into it because I then have to write the reports, which are the main outputs from my work.

2008

I was first made redundant in 2008. It was the global crash and I didn’t fully realise how bad things were. Grant Thornton made cuts and the forensic department in Edinburgh was closed. I moved to Johnston Carmichael to work in corporate finance and forensic accounting. But the economy was still tough. We went down to a four-day week initially, then two years later the main forensic partner left and I was largely on my own. Then I was made redundant for a second time.

3

It took me almost six months to find another job. I spoke to several recruiters but they didn’t really understand what forensic accounting was. I eventually joined Henderson Loggie simply by directly approaching one of the partners. But I was only there for about 14 months before I was made redundant for a third time.

Three times was enough for me, so I spoke to a careers adviser who encouraged me to seriously consider working for myself. He persuaded me I had nothing to lose. I’ve never looked back. It was absolutely the best thing for me.

DIOWILLOWS

I set up Willis Wood (DIOWILLOWS) in 2013 (Willis is my maiden name) and I work from home in Kinross. My clients are mainly law firms and, although it’s just me in the business, I work with another forensic accountant, Sally Longworth, who was my Manchester-based regional boss at Grant Thornton before she left to set up her own practice, Longworth Forensic Accounting. Other former Grant Thornton people work with her as well, and we all know each other so we have our own support network. That adds to the enjoyment for me.

3

I love running my own business and my confidence has grown. I quickly attracted plenty of work as Willis Wood, but decided it would also be good to train for an Expert Witness Certificate through the University of Aberdeen Bond Solon, which I qualified for in 2022. It was useful because it covered excellence in report writing, court procedure and courtroom skills under cross-examination. The trainer was a barrister so I got insights into how their minds work in that setting, which is helpful. I’ve only had to give evidence in court three times so far, but this will hold me in good stead.

3

I love running my own business and my confidence has grown. I quickly attracted plenty of work as Willis Wood, but decided it would also be good to train for an Expert Witness Certificate through the University of Aberdeen Bond Solon, which I qualified for in 2022. It was useful because it covered excellence in report writing, court procedure and courtroom skills under cross-examination. The trainer was a barrister so I got insights into how their minds work in that setting, which is helpful. I’ve only had to give evidence in court three times so far, but this will hold me in good stead.

10 Countdown has changed completely since my first appearance. That was filmed at Yorkshire TV studios in Leeds, whereas it’s now filmed in Media City, Salford – and obviously there have been several changes of presenter in the interim. It’s now a lot more organised and closely managed. You might record up to five shows in one day, so you go straight from one show to another with just a 10-minute break to change your top. It is very tiring, and that can show in your performance. I was nervous from start to finish, so my approach was to take it one round at a time. Despite how I was feeling, a lot of people commented on how calm I appeared. I never knew I had a poker face, but that came in useful when I couldn’t tell anyone other than my husband and close family that I had won until the final was screened on TV – 10 weeks after the event.

22

Across my three series, I’ve now been on Countdown 22 times, the joint highest number for any contestant on the show. And I believe I’m the most successful woman in the 15-round era – the last female champion was way back in 1998. I decided to apply for the show again after appeals from its hosts, Colin Murray, Susie Dent and Rachel Riley, for more female contestants, which led to a surge in applications. I’d encourage other women to give it a go, too.