When it comes to smashing through glass ceilings, Aimee Freegard is definitely one to watch.

The Audit Senior Manager at KPMG is now a Gef 30 Under 30 2025 award winner.

Gef 30 Under 30 is an annual awards campaign organised by Isle of Man Today’s sister title Gef.im which celebrated young people who are making a significant impact in their fields on the Isle of Man

Aimee was among the winners in the Achievement category, in partnership with Capital International Group, after her rapid rise through the ranks at the firm impressed judges.

She is now the youngest person and the first under the age of 30 to hold the role of Department Senior Manager for audit on the Isle of Man.

Her career began while she was still a student at UCM.

Studying for her Accounting and Finance degree, she jumped at the chance to take part in a work-based learning module with KPMG.

That placement soon turned into a graduate trainee role and laid the foundation for her career.

Within just a year of qualifying as a chartered accountant, Aimee was promoted to Manager and not long after became Senior Manager.

Alongside her client-facing work, she has taken on a series of key leadership roles within the firm. As Training Manager, she guided new trainees through their early careers. As People Lead Manager, she handled a wide range of performance and development matters. And today, as Department Senior Manager for audit Isle of Man, she oversees a team of 80 staff across both on-island and offshore locations.

‘Whilst I’m a qualified accountant and my core job role is to manage a portfolio of audit clients, my day-to-day is incredibly varied,’ she says. Aimee has led internship programmes, organised development centres for future managers, and supported dozens of colleagues through their training journeys.

Beyond the office, Aimee invests her time in helping to develop the island’s next generation. She volunteers as a Girl Guide leader, delivering a programme of weekly activities and mentoring young women, and also works with Junior Achievement, passing on knowledge she gained early in her career to students starting out in the world of work.

Aimee is also passionate about driving change in the industry. In particular, she hopes to see more women pursue careers in finance and stay within the sector.

‘Women bring a unique perspective and insight which really helps enrich the work environment,’ she says. ‘I would like to see more young women considering finance as a career option because it can be such a rewarding path.’

Looking ahead, Aimee wants to continue progressing in her career while also using her platform with Girl Guiding to encourage more young women to consider a future in finance. She also wants to keep building on the opportunities that being based on the Isle of Man has given her.

‘I had the opportunity to move off-island for university, but I chose to stay here and study with UCM. It gave me incredible opportunities like interning with the Small Countries Programme, working with KPMG, and building an amazing network. I’m not sure I would have had those same opportunities elsewhere.’