Announcing the retirement of our Director of Interaction and Wellbeing

After years of dedicated service, countless naps, loud snoring through Teams calls, and an impressive track record of generally boosting team morale, Shorts is today announcing the retirement of our Director of Interaction and Wellbeing, Matilda Irvine, and we'd like to take this opportunity to celebrate a colleague who has made an extraordinary impact on the people around her.

While her official responsibilities have included greeting visitors, supervising biscuit consumption, monitoring lunchtime walks and ensuring suitable levels of fuss are maintained across the office, Matilda's contribution over the years has stretched far beyond her job description. For over a decade, she has been a regular fixture of life at Shorts; offering companionship during busy days, bringing smiles to difficult ones, and reminding us all of the importance of taking a break every once in a while.

As she prepares to step back from her duties, we asked Matilda to reflect on her career in her own words.

A message from Matilda

"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who has worked alongside me throughout my distinguished career. It hasn't always been easy carrying an entire business on my four tiny little legs, but somehow I've managed it."

"Many people assume the firm's success is the result of talented accountants, advisers and support teams alone. But for years I have quietly provided the strategic direction behind the scenes. My management inspiration has always been Good to Great by Jim Collins, although personally I've always preferred Good to Great with a biscuit on top."

Chairing a leadership meeting

"A lot of people don't know this, but I also pioneered the 'walk away from your desk and have a stretch' wellbeing initiative."

Those who know Matilda will understand that confidence has never been in short supply. Neither, for that matter, has her unwavering support. Her hobbies have long included following Andy closely on his walks around the office, exploring any opportunity for bin sniffing and conducting regular inspections of any nearby verge featuring long grass when walking further afield.

Career highlights

According to Matilda, some of her proudest achievements include:

• Supporting team wellbeing through thousands of office visits and tail wags.
• Greeting countless visitors and helping them feel instantly welcome.
• Developing the firm's unofficial "stroke a dog and feel better" programme.
• Providing moral support during stressful days.
• Successfully convincing colleagues that she was hungry, despite having eaten only moments earlier.
• Remaining remarkably comfortable in her own slightly creased skin.

"I believe authenticity is important," says Matilda.

"Which is why I've always stayed true to myself. If I wanted a nap, I had a nap. If I wanted attention, I simply stood alongside someone’s ankles until they provided it."

Hard at work

Thank you, Matilda

Joking aside, Matilda has brought an enormous amount of happiness to the people around her over the years. The comfort, laughter and daily moments of connection she has provided cannot easily be measured, but they have certainly been felt by everyone who has worked with her.

Her ambition, she once said, was simply to put a smile on the faces of the people who matter to her. It's safe to say she achieved that many times over. So we'd like to say a huge thank you to our Director of Interaction and Wellbeing for her years of service, loyalty, companionship and unwavering commitment to office morale.

Enjoy your well-earned retirement, Matilda.

Enjoying retirement