Hi, my name is Jade Hodgson and I’m the founder of Playfield Finance. I’m an independent accountant working with small and medium-sized businesses in the Central Otago region of New Zealand.

I support local businesses with accounting and finance, business analysis, and hands-on administration — from keeping the books accurate and compliant through to helping you understand the numbers and make better decisions. That mix comes from around 20 years in accounting and finance, including work in larger organisations and the day-to-day reality of running a small business myself.

As a mother of two young children, I started Playfield Finance so I could add value to businesses in the local area while keeping the flexibility to be present at home. My aim is to be a practical, easy-to-work-with business partner: reliable accounts, useful insight, and support that fits the way small businesses actually operate.

• Qualified as a Chartered Accountant since 2006, I have around 20 years’ experience in accounting and finance. I started my career in audit at PwC before developing my expertise in financial accounting, reporting and project management. This has included delivering finance transformation and change initiatives aimed at improving the performance and effectiveness of finance operations, including implementing new finance operating models, processes and people capabilities.

• I have also held management accounting and statutory reporting roles in both the UK and New Zealand, working with medium to large organisations.

• Since December 2021 in Wanaka, New Zealand, my partner and I have owned and operated a small biosecurity business specialising in the removal of invasive plant and weed species. We have undertaken work for organisations including Environment Canterbury, Department of Conservation and Otago Regional Council. Alongside the operational side of the business, I manage the company's administration, bookkeeping, finance and accounting, as well as health and safety compliance, human resources, communications, payroll, data analysis, and management reporting.

• More recently, I broadened my experience in financial planning and analysis through my role as a Business Analyst at New World Wanaka. In this role, I worked closely with the store owners and departmental managers to improve profitability and financial performance. This involved analysing financial and operational data and trends, identifying opportunities for improvement, and providing insights to support informed and critical business decision-making.