Added by Love Business East Midlands | 22 October 2025
PKF Smith Cooper celebrated joint success across their audit and business services departments, taking home the Howitt Prize 2024/25 and the John Ross Sergeant Memorial Prize at the NCASS Annual Ball last week.
Matt Laurenti, Business Services Assistant Manager took home the prestigious ICAEW Howitt Prize, awarded each year to the newly-qualified NCASS student who, in the opinion of the Trustees, has best acquitted themselves to become a chartered accountant. The award recognises Matt’s exceptional contribution to NCASS, serving as Chair of the Society for the past year and previously acting as sports representative on the committee. Matt has also been instrumental in supporting students within the firm and has raised money for charity outside of work.
Elsie Walsh, Audit Associate, who joined the firm in 2023, was awarded the ICAEW John Ross Sergeant Memorial Prize for achieving the best performance in the 2024/25 Advanced Stage exams throughout the Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire regions.
Nottingham Chartered Accountant Student Society, known as NCASS, is an official body that represents ACA students across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, and the annual ball brings together young accountants to celebrate and recognise their achievements.
Matt commented:
“I’m very grateful to Greg Whiting for the nomination and for the support I have received from my managers allowing me to be so involved with the ICAEW and NCASS. I feel proud to be a prize winner, and to be the second consecutive winner from PKF Smith Cooper!”
Greg Whiting, Training and Compliance Director at PKF Smith Cooper, commented:
“The Howitt Prize is a richly-deserved reward for Matt to recognise the outstanding contribution that he has made not only to NCASS, but within PKF Smith Cooper, all whilst studying for the ACA qualification. I have not come across many exceptional students worthy of a nomination for the Howitt Prize, and I am delighted that Matt has achieved what another of our colleagues did last year.
I would like to thank the NCASS Committee for organising another great evening on Friday. The ACA exams are tough, especially when the students are also doing a full-time job, so Elsie is to be congratulated for her incredible achievement in the Advanced level exams and being awarded the John Ross Sergeant Memorial Award. Matt and Elsie have set the bar high for the students that follow them!”