Working at Abcam opens doors; opportunities for growth and development are available for anyone willing to take them. Simon Pascoe, Finance Business Partner, is a shining example of this. We asked him to share his story and practical advice to anyone starting their own journey with Abcam.

Opportunities might not always find you… sometimes, you need to chase them.

“My journey with Abcam started around 14 years ago. Driven by a passion for numbers, my initial role was as a part-qualified accountant supporting the R&D and Manufacturing teams, based in Cambridge, UK. Back then, I could never have anticipated being where I am today.

With a determination to develop my career, I told myself that I would grab hold of every opportunity, no matter how small. When Abcam made its first acquisition in 2011, I was asked to spend nine weeks in Eugene, USA, assisting with integration efforts – I accepted, and off I went.

This experience was integral to my development, and I ended up being the project Finance Lead for several years before I found my next big growth opportunity. This time it was a relocation to Hangzhou, China, for eight weeks, offering financial expertise to support integration and resource planning.

Based on the philosophy that opportunities might not always find you and that sometimes you need to chase them, I pursued on-the-job training as much as I could. Abcam offers extensive development opportunities, so by leveraging our career development fund, I completed my CIMA accountancy qualification in 2014. I was now a fully qualified accountant!

This empowered me to keep pushing for growth, and I continued to travel and relocated to help with Abcam’s expanding sites, starting off in Boston, USA, as the Finance and Business Partner for R&D. I oversaw all financial aspects of the newly acquired offices in Boston, USA, and Branford, USA, playing a major role in shaping business plans for in-house protein and cell engineering acquisitions and expansions.

COVID meant a return to Cambridge, UK, after five years of calling the US home. However, I didn’t let this stop me from moving forward and I saw it as another opportunity to pivot and develop. At our new Cambridge headquarters, with interim roles supporting Group planning and reporting, and acquisitions, before moving to my current position working alongside the Sales and Marketing teams.  

I am proactive by nature, and that helped me seize every opportunity to develop, but it was the relationships I formed along the way that kept me going. The Abcam community is unmatched and that makes this so much more than just a job for me; Abcam represents passion, adventure, and purpose.

My practical advice to anyone thinking about joining our community is:

• Be proactive. Don’t just wait for chances to come your way, actively pursue them.
• Each challenge is an opportunity to grow, so face each one with grit and a learning mindset.
• Value mentorship above all else – a good mentor can change the trajectory of your career. Find (or be) that beacon.”

Simon’s story is just one example of many development journeys at Abcam. We’re committed to helping people grow, so if this resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you!