Hayley Plimley
Hayley Plimley is Director of Marketing & Communications at DJH.
Hayley immerses herself in the firm’s brand, culture, and business. As brand guardian, she sets the marketing strategy and develops M&A communication plans, organises impactful events and implements ESG improvements, showcasing her hands-on approach supporting the Group’s journey.
- Tell us a little bit about your business…
DJH is a top 50 accountancy firm, with offices across the Midlands, North-West and Yorkshire. With a mission to be more than just accountants – we position ourselves as trusted partners to our clients. We have a people first approach, establishing a great culture and place to work.
We’re private equity backed, striving to deliver growth and development, and with six strategic acquisitions in 2023, we’re on an exciting journey and fast becoming a powerhouse in the accountancy and business advisory market.
- How did you get into the industry?
From a young age I was always creative, but like many marketers, I fell into marketing very much by being in the right place at the right time.
After beginning my career with a local marketing and advertising agency, my passion for implementing creative marketing campaigns and creating innovative brand strategies soon developed. An agency is always a great place to start out a career in marketing, as you get to work with a number of brands across different industries, giving you the exposure needed to understand the direction you want to take your career.
After agency, I moved in-house leading the marketing for a sporting venue, before switching the professional services industry to join DJH.
- What are the biggest opportunities and challenges in your industry?
One of the biggest opportunities in accounting industry is the shift towards offering additional businesses advisory services, becoming strategic partners with clients, offering insights and advice beyond traditional compliance work. On top of accounts, tax and audit, DJH offer a full business solution from capital allowance and R&D claims, payroll and HR, to commercial funding and transaction advice, taking our client relationships to the next level.
One of the biggest challenges is attracting and retaining talent. In such a competitive market, there are plenty of opportunities for talented and ambitious individuals to further their accountancy career, so ensuring we have a great culture as well as development opportunities and regular training and support is paramount.
This is becoming increasingly important within the accountancy industry and specifically to the leadership team at DJH, so I’ve had to chance to develop our social and wellbeing programme, working on some fantastic events which help set us apart and have had a real impact on our recruitment.
- How would you describe your leadership style?
Leading the marketing and communications at DJH, I very much have a collaborative leadership style. I work closely with my team and others across the business. This approach generates diverse ideas and builds a culture where we can develop the best solutions to deliver results. I believe in leading by example, rolling up my sleeves to support my team in getting the job done. Marketing is fast-paced and life at DJH is too, so maintaining a fun and positive environment is crucial, and has helped me build strong relationships with each of my team.
- How do you get the most out of the people who work for you?
Open communication is key. Understanding each my team’s individual challenges, goals, and ambitions allows me to provide tailor both my style and support for their professional development and growth. Ultimately, this helps them perform at their best and deliver great results for the business.
- What are the most crucial elements to your business running smoothly and being successful?
Our people are our biggest asset and the lifeblood of DJH. As we continue to grow, they must remain our #1 priority.
We strive for a people-first approach, focusing on creating an environment that allows everyone to thrive personally and professionally while genuinely enjoying their work. When our team is happy and we cultivate a positive culture. This not only helps attract and retain top talent but also delivers outstanding advice and experiences for our clients.
- How has the past 12 months been for you?
The past 12 months have been an extremely exciting time for both DJH and me personally. After leading the communications for six acquisitions in 2023, I was promoted from Head of Marketing to Director of Marketing and Communications in January 2024.
This new role has provided me with the opportunity to further shape the company’s overall marketing vision and strengthen our communications, marking a significant milestone in my career progression and professional development. This has also created plenty of space for my team to continue to grow and flourish which is extremely great to see.
- What will the next 12 months look like for your business?
The past 3 years have been transformational for DJH, with our team growing from 60 to over 480 employees across 10 offices in the Midlands, North West, and Yorkshire. Following the investment from our partners at Tenzing, this is just the beginning of our journey. It’s safe to say the next 12 months will bring further growth. Equally important, we’ll continue strengthening our culture, striving to create the very best place to work, that positively impacts our team, communities, and the planet.
- What are the highlights of your career so far?
There have been plenty of highlights during my marketing career, but one truly stands out during my time working in horse racing – spearheading a female jockey race initiative called The Silk Series. At the time this was seen very much as groundbreaking within the sport, providing more opportunities for both professional and amateur female jockeys to compete in high-quality races for substantial prize money.
Not only was it immensely rewarding to support women and create greater opportunities for them in the traditionally male-dominated sport, but The Silk Series also raised over £50,000 for Cancer Research UK. I’ll always be grateful to have been given the platform to drive this idea forward.
- What’s the biggest business mistake that you’ve learnt from?
The biggest business mistake I’ve learned from is that before sending anything to print, always check phone numbers by calling them first. Early in my marketing career, I made the very big mistake of including an incorrect telephone number on a direct mail piece with a print run of over 30,000. Needless to say, ever since, I’ve always been careful not to make the same mistake again. It’s a valuable lesson I’ve shared with junior marketers over the years so they can learn from my experience without having to make the same error themselves.
- What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
The best piece of business advice I’ve received is that it’s all in the preparation. The saying ‘Proper preparation prevents poor performance’ has proven invaluable time and again. Making sure you do the groundwork in advance goes along way.
