With several years of experience as an auditor, Ian Larsson has developed a deep understanding of how finance departments operate. He’s seen firsthand where the challenges lie – and what truly works. Now, he’s shifting focus to a more solution-oriented role, bringing his audit expertise into customer collaboration around IFRS 16 and K3/Local GAAP.
Before joining Leasify, Ian spent several years at EY, one of the Big Four firms, where he focused on auditing publicly listed companies. His work covered medium-sized and large corporate groups, including both parent companies and subsidiaries, giving him broad insight into how different organizations are structured and operate.
– I’ve audited many different types of companies with varying levels of complexity, which gave me a solid understanding of how finance functions operate in practice. I believe that perspective will be highly valuable in my new role,” Ian says.
An inside perspective on what drives finance teams and what tends to hold them back.
– As an auditor, you gain insight into how companies operate from the inside, including which routines work well, what resources are available, and how tasks like the year-end closing are handled. You simply learn a great deal about the finance function in a short period of time by working closely with people who have deep knowledge of their business, Ian says and continues:
– I’ve seen how issues can easily arise when internal controls are weak or when leasing doesn’t get the attention it requires. It’s often something that needs to be managed, but it doesn’t always get the focus it deserves. That’s when the value of clear routines and reliable system support truly becomes evident.
Ian shares that Excel-based solutions are a common source of problems he’s seen companies struggle with time and again. In several assignments, he’s come across manual accounting handled in complex spreadsheets, with multiple tabs, color codes, and formulas built up over time.
– I’ve come across Excel sheets with as many as 40 lease agreements, created by someone who no longer works at the company. That makes it difficult for the next person to understand what’s actually happening in the calculations. In some cases, not even the client fully understands what they’re trying to explain, as the spreadsheet has become increasingly complex over time. The company may have gone through an acquisition, which often brings several new contracts into the mix. And as the number of agreements grows, so do the adjustments, remeasurements, and extensions. Eventually, it becomes nearly impossible to trace what’s really going on in the numbers.
When the structure works
Ian hasn’t only seen challenges. He’s also seen finance teams that are structured, efficient, and fully in control of their numbers.
– Good accounting is fundamentally about understanding what’s behind the numbers. When there’s structure and clarity, it also becomes easier to make business-driven decisions and focus on the future, instead of getting stuck in reactive work.
That’s why Ian decided to take a new direction.
– After several years as an auditor, I felt ready for a new direction, one that allowed me to work closer to the business and build more dynamic relationships with customers. I bring insights from my previous role that I believe can contribute to both product development and a stronger customer experience.
What was it about Leasify that caught your attention?
– Leasify is a forward-looking company in an exciting stage of growth. Since 2024, it has become profitable, moved into its own office, and is evolving from a small startup into a true scale-up. The opportunity to be part of that journey and contribute to its development really resonated with me
– What truly made me choose Leasify is my genuine passion for working with finance teams. It’s something I’ve grown to value through my previous experience, and it’s a dynamic that really suits me. It’s the kind of collaboration I want to continue developing. Now I get to do that in a more advisory role, where the focus is on working closely with customers to find smart, effective solutions.
A mix of training, variety and high energy
In his free time, Ian enjoys staying active and making time for training.
– I’ve always enjoyed being active. Training has been a consistent part of my daily life, and I like to mix things up – from traditional strength training to more cardio-focused workouts lately. I run regularly, cycle, and occasionally play tennis. For me, staying active is essential, and I try to make movement a natural part of my everyday routine.
Want to get in touch with Ian?
You can reach him by email at ian.larsson@leasify.se, or book a meeting directly in his calendar at a time that works for you. Book here.