Richard started his career in accountancy, where he quickly achieved Chartered status and became a Partner in a regional accountancy firm. Whilst in this role, he took on the mantle of developing their payroll service outside of just processing the accountancy clients’ payrolls.

A number of years and a Management Buy Out later, Richard built an award-winning payroll bureau before exciting to focus on one of his other passions – technology.

In 2024, he was tempted back into the world of payroll, working alongside some of his previous work colleagues to set up Ascend Payroll. The idea behind Ascend was simple – managed payroll should be personal, reliable and something businesses feel good about.

As Chairman, Richard’s focus is on where Ascend goes next. He shapes the long-term strategy of the business and keeps a close eye on how technology and innovation can make payroll faster, more accurate and easier for clients to live with. That thinking sits behind Ascend’s growing group, including Luna Software, its own payroll platform, and Tips+Troncs, which brings fair, compliant tronc management to hospitality.

He’s clear, though, that technology is only half the story.

“Technology will play a big part in the future of payroll, and we’re investing in it. But payroll affects people’s livelihoods, so the people behind it matter just as much as the systems. 

If managed payroll is going to survive, it has to do more than process payroll compliantly. Bureaus need to add real value, give clients an expert they can pick up the phone to, and deliver a premium service that earns their trust year after year.”

That belief shapes every decision Ascend makes. Each new system is judged on one question – does it make life better for the client and give the team more time to help them?