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# Financial Progression

Marketing Contract Compliance Audit Specialists

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## Posts

- [AuditBuzz: Marketing Contract Compliance Audit news](https://financialprogression.com/marketing-contract-compliance-audit-news/) - News, observations and professional opinions from our marketing contract compliance audit team on matters relating to marketing agency relationships.
- [Biddable Hubs: Driving efficiency or creating blind spots?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/biddable-hubs-driving-efficiency-or-creating-blind-spots/) - Biddable media has become an essential part of modern advertising. Paid search, paid social, display, video and programmatic buying all rely on auction-based platforms, automated bidding and increasingly sophisticated technology stacks. As this landscape has grown, many agency groups have centralised delivery into dedicated Biddable Hubs. For advertisers, this model can bring real benefits: access
- [Inside the World of Contract Compliance Audits – What Every Advertiser Should Know](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/inside-the-world-of-contract-compliance-audits-what-every-advertiser-should-know/) - Why Contract Compliance Audits Matter In today’s marketing ecosystem, advertiser–agency relationships are more complex than ever. Evolving agency models, new channels, multiple suppliers, and increasingly detailed commercial arrangements mean that contracts are no longer simple documents filed away after signature. Instead, they are living frameworks that shape how budgets are managed, how services are delivered,
- [Creative Accounting: It's Time to Join the Dots](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/creative-accounting-its-time-to-join-the-dots/) - Creative agencies are rapidly becoming the least transparent partner in the marketing supply chain — and most advertisers don’t yet appreciate the scale of the risk this creates. Through our work auditing creative agencies around the world, we see a picture that is increasingly hard to ignore. Money is leaking away, controls are inconsistent and
- [Production Insurance: who keeps the difference?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/production-insurance-who-keeps-the-difference/) - When people think about producing an advert, they picture the obvious: wardrobe, talent, locations, travel, post-production. What they don’t usually think about is production insurance — the line quietly protecting the entire process. Despite its low profile, production insurance is a routine (and often essential) part of advertising production. It protects agencies, advertisers, and production
- [The Barter Transaction: Magic Beans or Tangible Value?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/the-barter-transaction-magic-beans-or-tangible-value/) - What is Media Barter? An often-misunderstood concept, media barter is simply the exchange of goods or services for media advertising space. It is a financial process that either allows clients to: part pay for their associated marketing using their own goods/ services or to gain a guaranteed return on investment vs their marketing expenditure in
- [Now You See Me, Now You Don't](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/now-you-see-me-now-you-dont/) - At Financial Progression, we’ve audited media buying for global advertisers in nearly every major market. That experience gives us a front row seat to how the industry really works, including one of its fastest growing and least understood practices, the use of inventory media. These deals may seem great and packed with premium opportunities. But they
- [Media Discounts or Agency Fees? The Nordic Question](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/media-discounts-or-agency-fees-the-nordic-question/) - The hidden complexities of Nordic fees At Financial Progression, we’ve audited media activity in more than 40 countries worldwide, giving us an informed perspective on the different complexities that shape those markets. One such complexity is the concept of payments from publishers / digital platforms to media agencies in the Nordic markets of Denmark, Norway
- [Contractual Ambiguity: Why clarity only comes through the lens of audit](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/contractual-ambiguity-why-clarity-only-comes-through-the-lens-of-audit/) - Contracts are designed to create certainty. They set out the rules of engagement, define services and fees, and provide both advertiser and agency with a common reference point. Yet in practice, we often see agreements that are vague, inconsistent, or simply out of date. Even when clients rely on widely accepted templates like the ISBA
- [Hidden risks at creative agencies](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/hidden-risks-at-creative-agencies/) - While media invariably grabs the headlines, are advertisers missing a trick with their creative agencies? Creative agencies are quite different beasts when compared to media agencies. For a start, there are many more of them and a greater proportion are independent, often still owned by their founders. This point is very important. The type of
- [Gross ambiguity or net confusion: Understanding media commission rates](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/gross-ambiguity-or-net-confusion-understanding-media-commission-rates/) - What exactly are media agency commissions? How do net and gross commission fees work, what's their role in the client-agency relationship, and what are the potential pitfalls to watch out for?
- [Agency reporting dashboards: Safe to steer by?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/agency-reporting-dashboards-safe-to-steer-by/) - Agency reporting dashboards can be a valuable source of media-spend insights, but recent audit findings raise some interesting questions for brand budget-holders.
- [Inside Story: ICAEW Graduate Training with Financial Progression](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/icaew-graduate-training-with-financial-progression/) - Daniel Taylor gives his first-hand impressions on what it’s like to be a graduate on an ICAEW training contract with Financial Progression.
- [Are your professional relationships worth more to you than your reputation?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/are-your-professional-relationships-worth-more-to-you-than-your-reputation/) - Let’s be honest, a presentation on marketing agency compliance audits is not, on the face of it, the most eye catching agenda item at a gathering of seasoned Marketing Directors. You may however be interested to learn that we were in precisely this situation in the slot after lunch on a sunny Friday afternoon in spring (not
- [What does 'independent' really mean when it comes to contract compliance auditors?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/what-does-independent-really-mean-when-it-comes-to-contract-compliance-auditors/) - As I read through the agency’s feedback on our draft audit report, I was somewhat surprised. Apparently, “We [the agency] provided all necessary documentation during the audit. There was only one exception, the [words deleted].” The reason why they hadn’t complied with this one (as it happens rather important) clause, was they had a group
- [‘Big 4 only’ audit clauses outlawed: what’s the impact on your agency contracts?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/big-4-only-audit-clauses-outlawed-whats-the-impact-on-your-agency-contracts/) - In April 2014 legislation was approved by the EU Parliament and adopted by the Council of the European Union to make the audit market in the EU more competitive. Key measures are that Public Interest Entities (PIEs) will have to change the audit firms that review their year end accounts at prescribed intervals and the
- [ISBA Launches New Media Services Framework Agreement v3.0](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/isba-launches-new-media-services-framework-agreement-v3-0/) - ISBA launches its new Media Services Framework agreement (v3.0), in which Financial Progression played an important contributory role in the area of conducting media compliance audits.
- [Quote unquote: How agencies get creative with choosing suppliers](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/creative-agencies-choosing-suppliers/) - You've chosen your creative agencies with great care, but how about the supplier selections they make on your behalf? Do they always put their clients' interests first?
- [Agency contracts: What kind of animal are you?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/agency-contracts-what-kind-of-animal-are-you/) - Are you a dragon or a dinosaur brand? What signal do you send out? Your agency contract and your account management habits dictate how your brand is seen by marketing agencies.
- [Taming alligators: Creative Agency Exit Audits](https://financialprogression.com/exit-audits/taming-alligators-creative-agency-exit-audits/) - When you part company with your creative agency, how do you recover unreconciled job spends, balance the books and make sure that justice is done all round?
- [4 sensible questions to ask when working with small or young agencies](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/4-sensible-questions-to-ask-when-working-with-small-or-young-agencies/) - During the past year we have had the opportunity to audit some small, independent and relatively young agencies in a number of different countries across Europe and in the USA. This has been a learning experience for both us and our clients. Here’s why: standard brand/agency contracts are often based upon a standard contract available to
- [“We’re creative people, not numbers people”](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/below_the_line-creative-agency-audits/) - Small creative and BTL agencies can bring a lot to the table, but how do you address the marketing procurement and agency contract compliance issues they bring?
- [Trust and transparency in client-agency relationships](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/trust-and-transparency-in-client-agency-relationships/) - From the perspective of any marketing contract compliance auditor, the results of the ID Comms 2016 Transparency Survey are music to their ears. For Financial Progression, the results mirror exactly the ethos on which the business was established: namely that the more brands understand the financial realities and business models of agencies, the more readily
- [4 steps to successfully manage your agency finances](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/4-steps-to-successfully-manage-your-agency-finances/) - More and more of our clients are recognising the benefits of a structured approach towards auditing their agencies. Here we look at the four key behaviours of those brands. I was recently chewing the cud with an FD who had previously worked for 20 years within one of the large agency groups. As the conversation
- [WFA survey report: Achieving greater financial transparency with your media and marketing agencies](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/wfa-survey-report-achieving-greater-financial-transparency-with-your-media-and-marketing-agencies/) - Financial Progression has worked with the World Federation of Advertisers on a key piece of peer research: a survey of perceptions and business practices of some of the world's largest advertisers around the hot topic of trust and financial transparency between brand and agency. The report is out now…
- [Podcast: Adrian Jenkins and Darren Woolley on the role of audits in Marketing and Advertising](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/podcast-adrian-jenkins-and-darren-woolley-on-the-role-of-audits-in-marketing-and-advertising/) - Is the client-agency relationship just another business arrangement, or is it more akin to marriage? Is the contract rather like a pre-nup? Get an earful of this insightful and often hilarious podcast…
- [Production Transparency – should advertisers outside the US be concerned?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/production-transparency-should-advertisers-outside-the-us-be-concerned/) - US DoJ investigation of production practices casts further doubt over the ethical values held by creative agencies when it comes to managing their clients’ money.
- [This won’t hurt a bit: 6 reasons agencies (should) welcome a Contract Compliance Audit](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/6-reasons-agencies-should-welcome-a-contract-compliance-audit/) - The client-agency relationship is going great — until suddenly, out of the blue, client sends Procurement in to do a marketing contract compliance audit. Ouch.
- [Financial Progression partners with ISBA on marketing contract compliance audits](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/financial-progression-partners-with-isba-on-marketing-contract-compliance-audits/) - New announcement ensures that Financial Progression's knowledge and insights are more easily and fully accessible to the membership of ISBA.
- [Always-On Contract Compliance Audits: Quick course corrections to keep budgets on track](https://financialprogression.com/always-on-audits/always-on-contract-compliance-audits-quick-course-corrections-to-keep-budgets-on-track/) - The pace of marketing life is getting faster. Our Always-On Audits provide quick, efficient course corrections to keep budgets and contractual commitments on track.
- [Media agency compliance audits: Follow the money](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/media-agency-financial-audits-follow-the-money/) - A huge proportion of your brand’s annual marketing spend is channelled through your media agency. Its buying power, your money — but do you actually know whether you’re getting what you’re paying for? Are you fully benefiting from all the media-buying muscle being flexed on your behalf?
- [Financial Progression is sponsoring ProcureCon Marketing Europe](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/financial-progression-is-sponsoring-procurecon-marketing-europe/) - We are delighted to announce that Financial Progression is sponsoring ProcureCon Marketing Europe from 11th – 13th June 2019 at Twickenham Stadium, near London.
- [Great feedback from delegates at ProcureCon Marketing Europe!](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/great-feedback-from-delegates-at-procurecon-marketing-europe/) - Financial Progression received very positive feedback from attendees at our workshop at ProcureCon Marketing on 12th June 2019.
- [Redefining the marketing procurement value proposition](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/redefining-the-marketing-procurement-value-proposition/) - Financial Progression was delighted to be offered the opportunity to contribute to a stimulating article and series of short films created by the World Federation of Advertisers that were shot at ProcureCon Marketing Europe in June.
- [Financial Progression joins MediaSense consortium to deliver Contract and Pricing Compliance to Crown Commercial Service](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/financial-progression-to-deliver-contract-and-pricing-compliance-to-crown-commercial-service/) - The MediaSense-led consortium provides a digital-first approach to measurement and optimisation, delivering production benchmarking, financial and forensic auditing, creative benchmarking and consulting.
- [Contract Compliance Audits during the COVID-19 outbreak](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/contract-compliance-audits-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/) - Advice to assist advertisers in deciding how best to undertake their contract compliance audit programme in 2020, amidst the Coronavirus and COVID-19 outbreak.
- [The 105th thing on your ‘to do’ list may be the most important…](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/the-105th-thing-on-your-to-do-list-may-be-the-most-important/) - So imagine the scenario: you’ve got a set marketing budget that seems to be squeezed year-on-year; new opportunities arise that need to be tested; old, well-trodden routes to market need to be sustained; constant evaluations need to be done to ensure you’re nimble and maximizing the opportunities; and your parent company has just issued the
- [‘Creative Accounting’ – Common Themes from Audits of Creative Agencies around the Globe](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/creative-accounting-common-themes-from-audits-of-creative-agencies-around-the-globe-2/) - 5 common findings from audits of creative agencies
- [How transparent should a trading relationship be for it to become mutually beneficial?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/how-transparent-should-a-trading-relationship-be-for-it-to-become-mutually-beneficial/) - How Transparent Should a Trading Relationship Be for it To Become Mutually Beneficial?
- [Murky media deals](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/murky-media-deals/) - Being in the business we’re in, Marketing magazine is a must-read every week. One of the more thought-provoking columns is written by Andrew Walmsley. His focus is on matters Digital and this article on “Murky Media Deals” published in Marketing at the end of October 2010 really hits the button in certain areas (and not
- [Time to reflect… on 2011](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/time-to-reflect……-on-2011/) - Many of us at this time of year are wondering what the year ahead will bring and New Year’s Day 2012 is no exception for us here at Financial Progression. There is much look forward to from both a business and cultural perspective — in the case of the latter both the Olympics and Golden
- [Common contract compliance audit objectives](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/common-contract-compliance-audit-objectives-2/) - Top reasons why brands seek to audit their marketing agencies
- [Hide and seek: The game of audit clauses in agency contracts](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/audit-clauses/) - Practical steps for negotiating an audit clause with a media or marketing agency
- [How exactly do marketing agencies make money?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/how-do-marketing-agencies-make-money/) - How marketing and media agencies make money
- [Trust in commercial relationships](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/trust-in-commercial-relationships/) - The potential impact on a commercial relationship of engaging contract compliance auditors.
- [How accurate are your agency’s time sheets? Do you really know?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/how-massaged-are-your-agencys-time-sheets-do-you-really-know/) - We all know that most agencies use time sheets to support the fees charged to their clients. How accurate are they, though? I recently had a very interesting conversation with a Marketing Director who had worked at an agency earlier in his career. The Marketing Director told me that he never trusted the time sheets
- [‘Sorry, our contract says you can’t see that.’](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/sorry-our-contract-says-you-cant-see-that/) - If there are more words governing audit rights than in the rest of the commercial agreement, it’s worth asking why. We were approached by a global retailer who wanted reassurance that its multi-million pound annual contract with its lead creative agency in the UK had been implemented as written. Following our initial review of the
- [‘Audit my agency? Dare I even look?’](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/audit-my-agency-dare-i-even-look/) - With agency relationships, a golden rule is: If you’re not checking, you can’t know what’s actually going on. A large FMCG approached us after having a number of conversations about costs with one of its agencies, which simply did not seem to make sense. As a result it started to wonder whether it was being
- [‘It's in the contract, so it must be happening. Right?’](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/its-in-the-contract-so-it-must-be-happening-right/) - A major brand discovers that if you don’t look, you could be in for some surprises. As a brand working with an agency, there are some fundamental things you expect to happen: output that meets your expectations, fees to be charged as agreed, reconciliations to be performed regularly. We were approached by a well-known global brand
- [Agencies seek fame for their creative work, not for their financial management](https://financialprogression.com/exit-audits/agencies-seek-fame-for-their-creative-work-not-for-their-financial-management/) - As an FMCG client recently discovered, priorities and practicalities dictate that the Finance function in an agency is often not as high up the departmental pecking order as it is in your organisation. A large FMCG decided, after six years of working successfully with a creative agency, that it required a change in creative direction
- [Is the top agency talent working on your business? Or on someone else’s?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/is-the-top-agency-talent-working-on-your-business-or-moved-to-someone-elses/) - When you change the agency’s fee structure, how do you know you’re still getting the same quality of staff on your account? In conversation with the Marketing Procurement Manager at one of our long-standing clients, it became apparent that the Head of Media had recently left the business. This meant that, for the first time,
- [Did you really want to give your agency a golden goodbye?](https://financialprogression.com/exit-audits/did-you-really-want-to-give-your-agency-a-golden-goodbye/) - If you’re thinking of changing agencies, it pays to do a bit of financial housekeeping before you wave them off. When you serve notice on an agency, it’s amazing how quickly everyone takes their eye off the ball. A well-known brand asked us to carry out an exit audit of a PR agency. The spend
- [With advertising and marketing agency contracts, God is in the details](https://financialprogression.com/exit-audits/with-advertising-and-marketing-agency-contracts-god-is-in-the-details/) - Before you sign on the dotted line, an eye for detail and the opinions of subject matter experts can save you loads of time and money. We were approached by a well-known FMCG company to quote for an exit audit in case it decided to move away from the incumbent agency during an upcoming pitch
- [9 things you really need to know before doing an exit audit](https://financialprogression.com/exit-audits/9-things-you-need-to-really-know-before-doing-an-exit-audit/) - Very often the first piece of work we do for a brand is an exit audit after it has parted company with an agency. Here we look at what you really need to know before doing an exit audit. We’ve completed many exit audits over the last five years. Not unsurprisingly, there are a set
- [‘If one of our agencies is overcharging us, could they all be doing it?’](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/if-one-of-our-agencies-is-overcharging-us-could-they-all-be-doing-it/) - We are often asked ‘is agency A better than agency B when it comes to overcharging?’. The surprising answer: ‘how your brand team interacts with the agency has far more of a bearing…’ A good few years ago now, I was setting up a Finance function to support the Procurement team at a major FMCG.
- [Agency FD left battered and sore? The reality may surprise you…](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/agency-fd-left-battered-and-sore-the-reality-may-surpise-you/) - When you commission a financial audit of one of your agencies, is it inevitably going to destroy the trust in the relationship? Let’s just suppose for a minute that you were the Finance Director of an agency that we had just carried out a contract compliance audit on. Not only had we taken up a
- [You’ve avoided handing over a ‘golden goodbye’ to your old agency. What’s next?](https://financialprogression.com/exit-audits/youve-avoided-handing-over-a-golden-goodbye-to-your-old-agency-whats-next/) - You’ve appointed a new agency. Tick. Done the exit audit of its predecessor. Tick. Read our audit report. Tick. Surely all that is left to do now is agree how any monies owing will be paid back? Actually, for the majority of brands, this is where the hard work starts. In this blog post I will explain why…
- [How different are financial practices in agencies around the world?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/how-different-are-financial-practices-in-agencies-around-the-world/) - While accountancy may not qualify as being the oldest profession, it can date its history back to before the Roman times and the ancient civilisation of Babylon. ‘Modern accounting’, i.e. double entry book-keeping, really started in Venice in 1494 when Luca Pacioli published his “Summa de Arithmetica, Geometria, Proportioni et Proportionalita” which contained 27 pages
- [You say potato, I say potahto](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/you-say-potato-i-say-potahto/) - As the line goes in “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off” sung by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their 1937 movie “Shall We Dance”: “You say “either” and I say “either” You say “neither” I say “neither” “Either” “either”, “neither” “neither” Let’s call the whole thing off You say “potato,” I say “potahto” You
- [You can play with my train set… but not the engines](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/you-can-play-with-my-train-setbut-not-the-engines/) - Cast your mind back to your toughest ever panel-based job interview? Now make it even tougher and it will pretty similar to the grilling I received a few months ago from the European FD of a global agency network and his UK counterpart. This was before we had even started the audits of their agencies!
- [There's more to this contract compliance audit lark than just money…](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/theres-more-to-this-contract-compliance-audit-lark-than-just-money/) - When done in the right way, contract compliance audits of marketing services agencies deliver far more value to both client and agency than simply identifying accounting errors. That was the message delivered by Philipp Schuster of adidas Group at the ProcureCon Marketing Conference held in London in June. In 2013 adidas embarked on a trial
- [Why we don’t work on a contingent fee basis](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/why-we-dont-work-on-a-contingent-fee-basis/) - Given the fact that we have managed to find money that our clients are owed in 95% of the audit assignments undertaken on their behalf, you may be puzzled to know why we don’t work on a contingent fee basis, and even more so when it isn’t uncommon for us to find that our clients
- [Supplier rebates – how confident are you that your agency is declaring them?](https://financialprogression.com/contract-compliance-audits/supplier-rebates-how-confident-are-you-that-your-agency-is-declaring-them/) - Most brand/agency contracts state that an agency needs to hand over to their client any rebates received from third parties used on their account, whether specific or on a ‘fair share’ basis (e.g. annual volume bonuses). The question is how do you know that you are getting all your rebates back? Our experience tells us
- [Is it clear where an agency is making money on your account?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/is-it-clear-where-an-agency-is-making-money-on-your-account/) - When an agency submits a statement of work for a production job or a media plan to a brand team, you would expect that the amount on the piece of paper you approve represents the whole story. Well, not necessarily. What we have found is that the fees from the brand may only be one
- [The ANA media transparency report – a marketer’s perspective](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/the-ana-us-media-transparency-report-a-marketers-perspective/) - Janis Prescott spent 20 years in a wide variety of marketing roles in a blue chip company before joining Financial Progression earlier this year to oversee its marketing activities. Here she offers her perspective on K2 Intelligence’s report into US media transparency for the ANA. As a marketer, how would I respond to the recent
- [Am I allowed to audit my agency?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/am-i-allowed-to-audit-my-agency/) - Having read “The 105th thing on your to do list” you will now know what kind of audit you’re looking to conduct. So what’s the next step? Before you go out looking for an auditor, you need to check that you are actually ‘allowed’ to audit your agency and, if you are, what can and
- [What a difference 365 days make](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/what-a-difference-365-days-make/) - As we look back at 2016 and the world of agency relationships… That’s one small step for client:agency relations… In April, ISBA issued a new framework agreement for media buying and planning services, the first significant update in 10 years. As marketing contract compliance specialists, we often see out-of-date contracts that haven’t kept pace with changes
- [How do I choose the right marketing contract compliance auditor for the job?](https://financialprogression.com/talking-points/how-do-i-choose-the-right-marketing-contract-compliance-auditor-for-the-job/) - You’ve decided to do a marketing contract compliance audit, you’ve discussed whose budget is going to fund it and now you want to find a suitable provider to do the work. Where should you start? 1. Review your agency contract In the clause on Audit Rights, it will not only set out the scope of

## Pages

- [Financial Progression Home](https://financialprogression.com/) - Financial Progression are Marketing Contract Compliance Audit specialists.
- [Our Team](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/) - Our Team of Agency Contract Compliance Auditors are drawn from senior business roles closely related to the Marketing, Advertising, Production and Media agency industry.
- [Rida Butt](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/rida-butt/) - Rida ButtAudit Associate Rida Butt is a Computer Science graduate from Queen Mary University of London, who is beginning her career at Financial Progression as an Audit Associate. Connect with Rida on LinkedIn → Interview: Background and ApproachWho I am and what makes me tick. What prompted you to start a career in marketing contract
- [Alex Mo](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/alex-mo/) - Alex MoAudit Associate Alex Mo studied Global Development at the University of York and is beginning his career at Financial Progression as an Audit Associate. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn → Interview: Background and ApproachWho I am and what makes me tick. What prompted you to start a career in marketing contract compliance? As a
- [Proprietary/Inventory Media Part 2](https://financialprogression.com/proprietary-inventory-media-part2/) - The pressure on advertisers being applied by their media agencies to participate in the buying of proprietary media has intensified. In Part Two, we move from financial theory to action.
- [Careers](https://financialprogression.com/marketing-contract-compliance-careers/) - What makes us different… We’re a firm of Chartered Accountants, but all we do is contract compliance audits of marketing services agencies (no tax, accounting or statutory audits for us, or cross-selling of media advisory services). Even though our work is not in regulated areas, our ICAEW status matters: we take our professional and ethical
- [Audit Associate](https://financialprogression.com/marketing-contract-compliance-careers/audit-associate/) - OVERVIEW A fantastic opportunity for recent graduates (2 positions available) with an interest in becoming a specialist in the advertising and media industry, working with senior marketers and procurement managers at some of the world’s best-known brands and their agencies. ABOUT FINANCIAL PROGRESSION Financial Progression is a small and growing boutique consultancy specialising in helping
- [Fatima Omer](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/fatima-omer/) - Fatima OmerAssistant Audit Manager Fatima Omer is a qualified chartered accountant with over 9 years of accounting and auditing experience, having worked in both external and internal audit across multiple industries. Connect with Fatima on LinkedIn → Interview: Background and ApproachWho I am and what makes me tick. What prompted you to start a career
- [Mo Khan](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/mo-khan/) - Mo KhanAssistant Audit Manager Mo Khan is a qualified Chartered Accountant, with previous experience as a Big Four audit professional. Connect with Mo on LinkedIn → Interview: Background and ApproachWho I am and what makes me tick. What prompted you to start a career in marketing contract compliance? After providing audit services across a range
- [Audited Intelligence: White Papers on Marketing Insights for Advertisers](https://financialprogression.com/audited-intelligence-white-paper-series-of-marketing-insights-for-advertisers/) - The pressure on advertisers being applied by their media agencies to participate in the buying of proprietary media has intensified. In Part Two, we move from financial theory to action.
- [Proprietary/Inventory Media](https://financialprogression.com/white-paper-proprietary-inventory-media-1/) - This is the first in a series of articles designed to help advertisers navigate the financial aspects of their agency relationships so they are better equipped to manage them. The pressure on advertisers being applied by their media agencies to agree to participate in the buying of proprietary media is ever increasing. As a result,
- [Sadia Hassan](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/sadia-hassan/) - Sadia HassanAssistant Audit Manager Sadia Hassan is a qualified Chartered Accountant, a Big Four senior audit professional with over five years’ audit experience. Connect with Sadia on LinkedIn → Interview: Background and ApproachWho I am and what makes me tick. What prompted you to start a career in marketing contract compliance? The media and advertising
- [Rachel Lloyd](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/rachel-lloyd/) - Rachel LloydAssistant Audit Manager Rachel Lloyd is a qualified and experienced chartered accountant who gained her audit experience within Grant Thornton, having worked in external audits focusing on the public and charity sectors. Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn → Interview: Background and ApproachWho I am and what makes me tick. What prompted you to start
- [Why choose us?](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/why-us-rather-than-the-other-guys/) - When choosing auditors to scrutinise your marketing or media agency ad spend, what should you be looking for and why choose us?
- [Website Disclaimer](https://financialprogression.com/website-disclaimer/) - Financial Progression Website disclaimer The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Financial Progression Limited and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability
- [Copyright Notice](https://financialprogression.com/copyright-notice/) - This website and its content is copyright of Financial Progression Limited – © Financial Progression Limited 2010-2023. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following: you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and
- [Get in touch](https://financialprogression.com/contactus/) - #
- [Privacy and Cookie Policy](https://financialprogression.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy/) - This privacy policy sets out how Financial Progression Limited uses and protects any information that you give Financial Progression Limited when you use this website.
- [Adrian Jenkins](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/our-team/adrian-jenkins/) - Following qualification as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC), Adrian, our Founder and lead auditor, has worked in food manufacturing, food retail and investment banking…
- [What clients and agencies say about us](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/testimonials/) - Testimonials from major brands and advertising and marketing agencies paint a clear picture of the effectiveness of our marketing agency audit style.
- [Who We Are](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/) - Eight things you need to know about Financial Progression, what we do and the way we work.
- [Terms and Conditions](https://financialprogression.com/terms-and-conditions/) - Financial Progression Website Usage Terms and Conditions Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Financial Progression Limited’s relationship with you in relation to this website.
- [Our services to brands](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/) - Find out about our contract compliance audits of marketing and advertising agencies, exit audits, implementation audits and contract review services.
- [Our Marketing audit services for Procurement Directors](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/for-procurement-directors/) - As a Procurement Director, your marketing audits should be carried out by a team experienced in your realm of expertise and capable of bringing clarity.
- [Marketing contract reviews](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/agency-contract-reviews/) - A marketing or media agency contract can leave huge gaps and small holes for budget to leak wastefully through. Ask us to review your contract for transparency.
- [Marketing agency exit audits](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/exit-audits/) - When it comes to a parting of ways between client and agency, our exit audits can ensure that each party leaves with what is rightly theirs.
- [Always-On Audits](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/always-on-audits/) - Is your marketing machine running exactly as designed? Always-On Audits keep track of contractual performance in near real time, avoiding end-of-year surprises.
- [Marketing contract compliance audits](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/marketing-contract-compliance-audits/) - So you're a fair way down the road with your marketing and media agency. Is everything still following the contractual commitments made at the start line?
- [Marketing contract implementation audits](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/implementation-audits/) - You've signed the marketing or media agency contract and it's full steam ahead. How do you know whether what they said they'd do is being done?
- [The results we deliver](https://financialprogression.com/who-we-are/real-results/) - These are the outcomes you can expect when you ask Financial Progression to audit your advertising, marketing, design, production or media agency.
- [Our Marketing audit services for Finance Directors](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/for-finance-directors/) - We understand the auditing priorities of Finance Directors, and the importance of measurability, accountability and fiscal control.
- [Our Marketing audit services for Marketing Directors](https://financialprogression.com/our-services/for-marketing-directors/) - Protect yourself, protect your valued agency relationships, with marketing audit services specifically shaped around the needs of Marketing Directors.

## Portfolio

- [Centered Gallery Full-Width](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-gallery-full-width/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Sidebar Stack](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-stack/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Sidebar Slides Full-Width](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-slides-full-width/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year.
- [Centered Slides](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-slides/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Sidebar Gallery Full-Width](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-gallery-full-width/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year.
- [Sidebar Custom Two](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-custom-two/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Centered Stack](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-stack/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Centered Slides Full-Width](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-slides-full-width/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Sidebar Custom One](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-custom-one/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Sidebar Stack Full-Width](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-stack-full-width/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year.
- [Centered Custom one](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-custom-one/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Sidebar Gallery](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-gallery/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year.
- [Centered Stack Full-Width](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-stack-full-width/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Centered Custom Two](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-custom-two/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.
- [Sidebar Slides](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/sidebar-slides/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year.
- [Centered Gallery](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio/centered-gallery/) - We are excited to launch our new company and product Ooooh. After being featured in too many magazines to mention and having created an online stir, we know that Ooooh is going to be big. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do. We also hope to win Startup Fictional Business of the Year this Year. You may have seen us in the Dinosaurs’ Den where we were we told that we didn’t need them because we were already doing it so well ourselves, so that’s what we have continued to do.

## Categories

- [Talking Points](https://financialprogression.com/category/talking-points/) - Discussion on topics of interest…
- [Contract Compliance Audits](https://financialprogression.com/category/contract-compliance-audits/)
- [Exit Audits](https://financialprogression.com/category/exit-audits/)
- [Implementation Audits](https://financialprogression.com/category/implementation-audits/)
- [Agency Contract Reviews](https://financialprogression.com/category/agency-contract-reviews/)
- [Promotional Risk Management](https://financialprogression.com/category/promotional-risk-management/)
- [Case Studies](https://financialprogression.com/category/case-studies/)
- [Always On Audits](https://financialprogression.com/category/always-on-audits/)

## Tags

- [marketing procurement](https://financialprogression.com/tag/marketing-procurement/)
- [creative agency retainer fees](https://financialprogression.com/tag/creative-agency-retainer-fees/)
- [creative agency contracts](https://financialprogression.com/tag/creative-agency-contracts/) - Description text
- [marketing agency audits](https://financialprogression.com/tag/marketing-agency-audits/)
- [AVBs](https://financialprogression.com/tag/avbs/)
- [creative agency production costs](https://financialprogression.com/tag/creative-agency-production-costs/)
- [out of pocket expenses](https://financialprogression.com/tag/out-of-pocket-expenses/)
- [third party cost reconciliations](https://financialprogression.com/tag/third-party-cost-reconciliations/)
- [media agency audit clauses](https://financialprogression.com/tag/media-agency-audit-clauses/)
- [agency management](https://financialprogression.com/tag/agency-management/)
- [fee reconciliations](https://financialprogression.com/tag/fee-reconciliations/)
- [media agency contracts](https://financialprogression.com/tag/media-agency-contracts/)
- [time recording](https://financialprogression.com/tag/time-recording/)
- [agency ERP systems](https://financialprogression.com/tag/agency-erp-systems/)
- [audit rights](https://financialprogression.com/tag/audit-rights/)
- [conflicts of interest](https://financialprogression.com/tag/conflicts-of-interest/)
- [ways of working](https://financialprogression.com/tag/ways-of-working/)
- [creative agency audits](https://financialprogression.com/tag/creative-agency-audits/)
- [media agency audits](https://financialprogression.com/tag/media-agency-audits/)
- [auditor independence](https://financialprogression.com/tag/auditor-independence/)
- [Big 4 only audit clauses](https://financialprogression.com/tag/big-4-only-audit-clauses/)
- [transparency](https://financialprogression.com/tag/transparency/)
- [EU legislation](https://financialprogression.com/tag/eu-legislation/)
- [contingent audit fees](https://financialprogression.com/tag/contingent-audit-fees/)
- [ICAEW](https://financialprogression.com/tag/icaew/)
- [competition law](https://financialprogression.com/tag/competition-law/)
- [financial audits](https://financialprogression.com/tag/financial-audits/)
- [commercial reality](https://financialprogression.com/tag/commercial-reality/)
- [ANA](https://financialprogression.com/tag/ana/)
- [creative agency audit clauses](https://financialprogression.com/tag/creative-agency-audit-clauses/)
- [job reconciliations](https://financialprogression.com/tag/job-reconciliations/)
- [agency time reporting](https://financialprogression.com/tag/agency-time-reporting/)
- [agency briefing](https://financialprogression.com/tag/agency-briefing/)
- [surplus pots](https://financialprogression.com/tag/surplus-pots/)
- [job transfers](https://financialprogression.com/tag/job-transfers/)
- [timesheets](https://financialprogression.com/tag/timesheets/)
- [procurecon](https://financialprogression.com/tag/procurecon/)
- [crown commercial service](https://financialprogression.com/tag/crown-commercial-service/)
- [coronavirus](https://financialprogression.com/tag/coronavirus/)
- [isba](https://financialprogression.com/tag/isba/)
- [below the line agencies](https://financialprogression.com/tag/below-the-line-agencies/)
- [media discounts](https://financialprogression.com/tag/media-discounts/)
- [agency fees](https://financialprogression.com/tag/agency-fees/)
- [media agency fees](https://financialprogression.com/tag/media-agency-fees/)
- [nordic fees](https://financialprogression.com/tag/nordic-fees/)
- [nordic compensation](https://financialprogression.com/tag/nordic-compensation/)
- [nordic payments](https://financialprogression.com/tag/nordic-payments/)
- [inventory media](https://financialprogression.com/tag/inventory-media/)
- [proprietary media](https://financialprogression.com/tag/proprietary-media/)
- [media audits](https://financialprogression.com/tag/media-audits/)
- [barter transaction](https://financialprogression.com/tag/barter-transaction/)
- [barter](https://financialprogression.com/tag/barter/)
- [production insurance](https://financialprogression.com/tag/production-insurance/)

## Portfolio Categories

- [Web](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio_cat/web/) - This is a custom category page for Web.
- [Adv](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio_cat/adv/) - This is a custom category page for Adv.
- [Branding](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio_cat/branding/) - This is a custom category page for Branding.
- [Design](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio_cat/design/) - This is a custom category page for Design.
- [Photo](https://financialprogression.com/portfolio_cat/photo/) - This is a custom category page for Photo.

## Categories

- [Utility](https://financialprogression.com/page_category/utility/) - Category for utility pages
- [Who We Are](https://financialprogression.com/page_category/who-we-are/) - Category for Who We Are pages
- [What We Do](https://financialprogression.com/page_category/what-we-do/) - Category for What We Do and Who We Serve pages
- [Team](https://financialprogression.com/page_category/team/) - Category for Team pages
- [Legal](https://financialprogression.com/page_category/legal/) - Subcategory for Legal pages
- [Careers](https://financialprogression.com/page_category/careers/) - Category for Recruitment pages
- [White Papers](https://financialprogression.com/page_category/white_papers/) - Category for White Paper pages