Achievement
How Aimee Freegard went from Intern to Department Senior Manager
When it comes to smashing through glass ceilings, Aimee Freegard is one to watch. The Audit Senior Manager at KPMG is now a Gef 30 Under 30 2025 Achievement category winner, in partnership with Capital International, after rapidly climbing the career ladder and becoming the youngest person (and first under 30) to hold the role of Department Senior Manager for audit on the Isle of Man.
The fast track to leadership
Aimee’s career began while she was still a student at UCM. Studying for her Accounting and Finance degree, she jumped at the chance to take part in a work-based learning module with KPMG. That placement soon turned into a graduate trainee role and laid the foundation for her career. Within just a year of qualifying as a chartered accountant, Aimee was promoted to Manager and not long after became Senior Manager.
Alongside her client-facing work, she has taken on a series of key leadership roles within the firm. As Training Manager, she guided new trainees through their early careers. As People Lead Manager, she handled a wide range of performance and development matters. And today, as Department Senior Manager for audit Isle of Man, she oversees a team of 80 staff across both on-island and offshore locations.
‘I put my success in leading audits and ultimately my career progression down to my passion and commitment to develop strong client and colleague relationships, together with a focus on quality delivery,’ she explains.
Not just numbers
When most people think of audit, they imagine endless hours poring over spreadsheets. For Aimee, that’s far from the truth. ‘Whilst I’m a qualified accountant and my core job role is to manage a portfolio of audit clients, my day-to-day is incredibly varied,’ she says.
Aimee has led internship programmes, organised development centres for future managers, and supported dozens of colleagues through their training journeys. She also manages a portfolio of clients across sectors including investment, banking, insurance and technology.
‘I think the variety in the role and the opportunities you can get exposure to would really surprise people,’ she says.
Beyond the office, Aimee invests her time in helping to develop the island’s next generation. She volunteers as a Girl Guide leader, delivering a programme of weekly activities and mentoring young women, and also works with Junior Achievement, passing on knowledge she gained early in her career to students starting out in the world of work.
At KPMG, she continues to play a hands-on role in training the next generation of accountants through the firm’s internship programmes and graduate pathway.
Breaking barriers
Her journey hasn’t been without challenges. Working in corporate audit is demanding, and Aimee has had to work hard to find balance.
‘It requires continuous adjustment and self-reflection,’ she explains. ‘Effective delegation to colleagues has been a good way to help me achieve a balance I’m comfortable with. It’s a journey I’m still learning from.’
Aimee is also passionate about driving change in the industry. In particular, she hopes to see more women pursue careers in finance and stay within the sector. ‘Women bring a unique perspective and insight which really helps enrich the work environment,’ she says. ‘I would like to see more young women considering finance as a career option because it can be such a rewarding path.’
Words to live by
Asked about the best advice she’s ever received, Aimee doesn’t hesitate. ‘Be bold. It was advice given to me by a senior female colleague and I’ve repeated those words to myself in times when I’ve been uncertain about disrupting the status quo,’ she says. That mantra has shaped her approach to leadership and decision-making, and her career progression speaks for itself.
If she could go back to the start of her career, Aimee says she would tell her younger self not to underestimate her voice. ‘Whilst you may feel too junior or too inexperienced to voice concerns or suggest changes, everyone brings a unique perspective to the table. To you, the solution to the problem may seem obvious, but it might not be that way for others. You have a voice, don’t be afraid to use it.’
Aimee’s ambitions
Looking ahead, Aimee wants to continue progressing in her career while also using her platform with Girl Guiding to encourage more young women to consider a future in finance. She also wants to keep building on the opportunities that being based on the Isle of Man has given her.
‘I had the opportunity to move off-island for university, but I chose to stay here and study with UCM. My experience was different from others who left, but it gave me incredible opportunities like interning with the Small Countries Programme, working with KPMG, and building an amazing network. I’m not sure I would have had those same opportunities elsewhere.’
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