Chris Hooper, MBA, AIMM – 2016 20 Under 40 Superstars Honoree

Q&A:

Aside from the accounting websites, which blog/website do you consider a must-read?
Futurism. It helps me to keep up to date with everything going on outside the accounting profession.

In what ways have you contributed to your firm/company to make it better?
I founded Accodex as a vehicle to drive change throughout the entire accounting profession. My role at Accodex is to ensure that everyone else in my team succeeds. That should be the goal of any leader.

In what ways do you participate in the professional community to change/improve the accounting profession?
I speak at a lot of accounting conferences and I contribute to a number of publications.

In what ways do you participate in your local community to help others?
In my home town, I mentor a lot of accounting students. In a very similar way that my first mentor helped me, I am giving these students the inside scoop on how to accelerate their careers. A number of students I have mentored have gone on to achieve some really astounding things, and that just encourages me more!

What changes do you foresee in the accounting profession of the near future (3-5 years)?
Most of my research is centered around the long term. The short term is quite easy to predict. Technology is going to play an integral role in shaping the profession. You can expect to see a lot more process automation of low value tasks. This ought to free up the accountants time for more value added work.

How do you see yourself participating in shaping the future of the accounting profession?
I am certain that I am playing an integral role in the future of the accounting profession. Accodex is obviously a vehicle to lead by example, and I will continue to put out a lot of content from blogs to keynotes on how I see the future unfolding.

What is your career philosophy?
Find your purpose, and the rest follows from that.

Carly Ascott, she was my first ever mentor in accounting, and was responsible for accelerating my trajectory in the profession. She was the one who told me to get a job in the profession as soon as I started at college rather than waiting until graduation. I feel like I am at least four years ahead in my career as a result of her advice.
Describe one person who has been an important mentor to you and how that person helped change your life.

 

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Learn more about this year’s 40 Under 40, and 20 Under 40 Honorees.