Tom Payne

About Tom

Tom Payne is the Founding Director and co‑owner of Abaqus, a modern accountancy and business support firm based in Gloucestershire. An ACCA‑qualified accountant, Tom brings over 20 years of experience in practice working with clients ranging from sole traders to companies with multi‑million‑pound turnovers. 

After years of gaining experience across multiple accountancy practices - and learning both how and how not to run a firm - Tom founded Abaqus in 2017, driven by a vision to offer a more personal, responsive and supportive approach to accountancy. His clear goal was to build a practice that genuinely puts clients first, moving away from traditional “once‑a‑year” accountant relationships and instead providing proactive guidance, timely communication, and meaningful partnership. 

Abaqus has grown from zero clients to serving more than 200 businesses, covering industries from financial services to contractors to charities. His commitment to quality and service has helped the firm build a reputation for combining modern cloud‑based solutions with traditional values of trust, availability, and integrity. 

Known for his hands‑on approach, warmth, and genuine investment in the success of his clients, Tom continues to drive Abaqus forward with a clear mission: to make accountancy accessible, supportive, and a powerful enabler of business growth.

Top 3 things Tom can help with

Xero is ok but I wish it could do... 

We would look at the problem that a client is having and find a solution. A lot of the time this is a tweak to how Xero is set up. Sometimes we need to use a third party software to link into Xero

My figures don't look right... 

This can be as simple as posting transactions to the wrong code. Consistency is key here so that errors can be found quickly and rectified. We offer all of our clients one hour of training free of charge to help them get used to the system

I don't understand what the reports mean... 

We would sit with all of clients and make sure they understand their figures. This is key to business performance and maximising your profits