Proactive accounting for more time, less stress, and greater rewards

Leeds accountants that help business leaders simplify their finances, focus on growth and fulfill their personal vision of success.

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We help build high performing, motivated teams

The UK's only accountants to be accredited by Wiley DiSC

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We are Xero Platinum Partners

Mastering financial operations with Xero Cloud Accounting

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Ascentis Accountants In Leeds - Let's do business

Ascentis are chartered accountants in Leeds and Ilkley providing accounting and finance services, cloud accounting, tax advice and strategic business planning designed to work together to take your business to the next level.

We've been helping Leeds & Ilkley based business owners for over 25 years and over this time we have seen a pattern emerge, developing a way of working that helps business owners to get their lives back. First we help you get control and move towards your vision of success.

We help you take action, we'll help you to sustain this and work on the key areas of your business until you start to gain traction.

It's not easy and it needs hard work but together we'll start to see progress. Over time patterns of action, traction and progress lead to your personal vision of success and for us there's no better feeling than seeing you reach your personal vision of success we are Ascentis Accountants and this is why we're here.

When you work with Ascentis you can expect:

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Clear, proactive tax advice

so you only pay what you should.

Total clarity of your finances

to support quick, confident decisions.

Support with key business issues

like people, leadership, growth and more.

A strategic partner for success

to align your business performance with personal goals.

How We Work With You

Working with Ascentis Accountants is a structured, supportive journey designed to help you gain control, reduce stress and build a business that supports your life.

Every client is different, so our process uses a mix of Financial Mastery, tax planning, DiSC, process reviews and hands-on strategic thinking to move you from where you are now towards your Personal Vision of Success.

What Our Clients Say About Working With Us

Accounting Case Studies

Financial Mastery

Hear how we helped a client with simple banking technology that freed up weeks of their time every year.

Next Level

Here how we addressed the operational challenges faced by a group of Yorkshire companies operating in the franchise hospitality and retail space.

Guy from Creode

"We get more support each and every month with Ascentis, than we did in a whole year with our old accountant."

Our Accounting Services

By choosing Ascentis you will join an advisory firm of accountants in Leeds who:

Are committed to giving you more time, less stress, more profit, more enjoyment, and the fulfilment of your Personal Vision of Success.

Will provide you with complete peace of mind you are paying the minimum amount of tax.

Are obsessed with Financial Mastery, giving you real-time access to accurate financial information for quick decision making.

Recognise your greatest asset is your ability to recruit, develop and retain the best people.

Are not here just to keep score, but to help you create a winning strategy, the underlying critical success factors to deliver it, and the framework and tools to make it a reality.

We are Chartered Accountants in Leeds, Chartered Tax Advisors, MBO certified business strategists, and the UK's first and only accountants to be Wiley DiSC accredited psychometric consultants.

Are We Right for Each Other?

We believe the business and accountant should make a perfect match. Not every business is the right fit for Ascentis. We work best with established owners who want a strategic relationship with their accountants in Leeds, not just year-end compliance. Lets see if that’s you. . .

You will have been established for at least three years.
Your turnover is £500,000 or more per annum.
You are willing to pay for the best advice, and invest a minimum of £250pcm in the relationship.
You are prepared to travel to our Leeds or Ilkley offices for certain meetings.
Your finance software is centred around Xero, or you would like it to be.
You feel our values of Integrity, Influence, Diligence and Learning align with yours.
You want to establish a clear Vision of Success for you and your business, and will act upon advice designed to achieve that success.

If your answer is YES to the above questions, book your Discovery Call with us now.

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Our Leeds Accounting Team

John Oddy Consultant

DiSC profile I/D

John founded Ascentis in 2001, with a vision to create a world in which business owners have more time, are less stressed, enjoy greater rewards and have fulfilled their personal vision of success. John is the person to ask about business advice, selling/buying a business, finance, and cloud accounting.

He is a great advocate of reading to empower yourself. Some of his top picks for business leaders include: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, Start with Why by Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last also by Simon Sinek and Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed. In his spare time John is an expert wine connoisseur, incredible chef and Joe Strummer in a Clash tribute band!

DD: 01943 603 201

Meet the Team

Lee Kaznowski Managing Partner

DiSC profile C/D

As our Managing Partner, Lee Kaznowski embodies a commitment to excellence and client satisfaction. With his FCA qualification and expertise in financial reporting, Lee ensures that our clients receive accurate and timely information to drive informed decision-making. Lee oversees the quality of our services, manages client relationships, and ensures the delivery of our promises, all while embodying our key values of Influence, Integrity, Diligence, Learning.

With over 24 years of experience delivering financial excellence, Lee helps businesses improve their financial processes so that business leaders can make better decisions to grow. On the weekends, you can find Lee either running at park run (an avid parkrun tourist takes him around the country) or volunteering at the junior parkrun events.

DD: 01943 603 203

Meet the Team

Mark Overend Tax Partner

DiSC profile S

Mark brings extensive experience in tax planning and strategy, particularly in the realm of personal and company tax interactions for business owners. He is CTA qualified and a Property Investment Tax specialist. Leading many complicated tax restructures, Mark always finds an angle to help businesses with their tax issues.

As head of the tax department, Mark helps deliver tax advisory and compliance services that contribute to our clients achieving their own personal vision of success.

Not only is Mark an enthusiastic runner, but he's also a keen supporter of Bradford City FC. Recently, however, his passion for cricket has taken a back seat. Opting to swap his pads for a recliner, Mark has retired from the field to become a dedicated spectator of every sport imaginable!

DD: 01943 603 202

Meet the Team

David Clayton Senior Manager

DiSC profile S

As a Senior Manager at Ascentis Accountants, David plays a crucial role in ensuring the timely delivery of our services. With his FCCA qualification and meticulous attention to detail, David handles the heavy lifting involved in preparing and finalising client accounts.

His key responsibilities include project management, quality control, and meeting strict deadlines to provide clients with accurate financial information.

True to his S Style DiSC profile, Dave is Mr Social and first to the bar at every Team event! A keen music fan, his current favourite band is Volbeat, a Danish rock band, but he is also a fan of Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles for many years, Alter Bridge, James, Kyuss and Green Day too.

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Meet the Team

Luiza Polec Senior Accountant

Luiza is an FCCA-qualified Senior Accountant with over 16 years of extensive experience in both practice and industry. She has spent 11 years supporting small businesses and individuals in practice, followed by 5 years as a Financial Controller in a fast-growing global business. Now, as a Senior Manager within the Financial Mastery team at Ascentis, Luiza plays a pivotal role in the Accounts Production team, delivering accurate financial insights and helping clients make informed decisions.

Originally from Poland, Luiza moved to the UK 17 years ago and now balances her professional life with raising her two boys, aged 12 and 6. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking scenic trails, jigsaw puzzles, dancing and most importantly zumba!

DD: 01943 603 208

Meet the Team

Laura Gibson Accounts Manager

DiSC profile C

Laura is FCA qualified and has completed her accountancy training at a big 4 firms. She has 18 years plus experience in a variety of roles across the private, public and charity sectors. As such, Laura understands our clients' need for accurate and reliable information along with proficient processes and services.

Laura is part of the Financial Mastery team which helps clients gain more insight into their financial processes to make better financial decisions.

Outside of work, Laura is a keen music fan, avid Swiftie and you can find her attending concerts with her teenage daughter. She dreams of one day retiring to the North Norfolk coast in the future.

DD: 01943 603 211

Meet the Team

Maria Ballester Virtual Finance Controller

Virtual Finance Controller
DiSC Profile CS

Originally from Spain, Maria has over 20 years of experience in accounting and account management for a variety of industries including transport, construction and wide distribution. As our Virtual Finance Controller, Maria plays a pivotal role in providing real-time insights and strategic guidance to optimise financial performance and reporting.

Her C style profile really comes into play with her hunger for completing accurate records.

As a mother to twins, nothing will fluster Maria and in her limited spare time she enjoys crime thriller films and exploring her amateur photography on long mountain walks.

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Meet the Team

Finn Maxwell Graduate Accountant

DiSC profile i/D

Finn joins Ascentis as a Graduate Accountant, working within our Financial Mastery team to help deliver high-quality accounts preparation, financial insights and dynamic reporting for our clients. He supports the analysis and communication of financial performance, contributing to actionable advice that helps business owners improve growth, profitability and control.

Outside the office, you’ll usually find Finn lacing up his running shoes for a parkrun or tackling a Lakeland fell with friends. A keen traveller and explorer, he’s recently visited Portugal, Germany, France and Switzerland and when he’s not abroad, he’s working through a long list of Munros and hills with his family.

DD: 01943 366396

Meet the Team

Robert Adams Graduate Accountant

DiSC Profile C/D

Robert is our Graduate Accountant, working within our Financial Mastery team to help deliver high-quality accounts preparation, financial insights and dynamic reporting for our clients. He supports the analysis and communication of financial performance, contributing to actionable advice that helps business owners improve growth, profitability and control.

Robert is a big Liverpool FC fan, watching them play most weekends and especially watching them lift the Premier League title in 2024. Whether it's pitchside at Anfield,with his friends or at his 5-a-side football team, football is always on his mind!

DD: 01943 662497

Meet the Team

What Makes Us Different

We are not traditional score-keeping accountants in Leeds. Our purpose is to help you build a business that supports your life, not drains it.

Our four pillars of success: Financial Mastery, Next Level Planning, Tax Minimisation and Financial Troubleshooting all drive action to provide traction which in turn makes progress for your business. These core elements are supported by an involved and hands-on approach to our client journey. We use our Process Mapping and Health Checks to truly understand your business and DiSC to help you understand your team, driving you to become a more informed leader with our Ascentis Business Club too.

As Xero Platinum Partnered Cloud Accountants, helping us provide transparency and advanced financial reporting to our clients so you can master your finances and make well-informed decisions for your business.

Using Everything DiSC, we help you understand your own leadership style and those of your team, so you can recruitm develop and retain the right people.

We believe these accolades along with our approachable and friendly accounting team help our clients achieve success.

Let us help you achieve your vision of success

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