top stories

vice president finance and business affairs, Decca Records, UK

Surviving 1987's stock market 'Big Bang' was the making of Mark Cavell, who today faces the challenge of negotiating new deals with music artists and their managers at Decca Records.

Mark found himself in the midst of the financial futures market going through the ceiling as investors looked to hedge their exposure on their stock market. He commented: 'It was strangely exhilarating to be personally involved in moving a market (LIFFE) by so much and it gave me the taste for working in fast-moving industries where the ability to think on one's feet is paramount. In some ways the music industry is not so different.'

At Pioneer Hi-Fidelity, Mark's role as a management accountant saw him gain a broad range of experience while at the same time completing his ACCA examinations. He says: 'Studying ACCA involved five years of hard work, but has given me the opportunity to reap the rewards throughout my career as a finance professional.'

Mark is clear what a finance professional's key qualities should be: 'The ability to communicate is top of the list. It's about making financial information accessible and understandable to people who don't necessarily know anything about finance. The ability to think laterally is also key.

'ACCA opens doors to a variety of roles within business and that's key for developing a career. That's because the course has such broad appeal - it's not just about accounting but managementand business as well.'