Interview with Jeremy Shen, Chief Strategy Officer at YHB

Jeremy Shen, a marketing whiz who brings a diverse background in marketing leadership from global law firms to manufacturing companies, was recently named chief strategy officer at YHB, an accounting and advisory services headquartered in Winchester, Va. It is a rare position in the accounting industry, and reward for a man who has held significant marketing roles in a nearly decade-long stint at the firm.

“It is incredibly encouraging for a firm in the accounting industry to implement this type of role and shows YHB’s continued innovative spirit. I recognize the ‘weight’ this carries and also thankful for the network of people that I am able to surround myself with,” Shen said, after his appointment.

“This is new to the firm and fairly innovative for accounting firms in general,” Shen told Citybiz Publisher Edwin Warfield in an interview. “It’s a lot,” he added with a happy sigh.

Shen said his role manifests itself in the interactions with C-suite executives, and others, and critically requires him to make sure that “we are not forgetting the bigger picture and making intentional decisions.”

On use of AI and the growing trend of private equity investments in accounting firms, Shen laid out YHB’s position. Clearly, AI has “added fuel to the fire” of already accelerating change, Shen said. Still, YHB would prefer to seek out software partners to add AI tools, rather than build its own platform, Shen said, citing the firm’s success with assurance software Inflo that incorporates AI tools. As far as PE goes, he said, YHB is “not interested in private equity right now.” But that that could change in later years, Shen added.

Shen received a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Geneva College and an MBA in Marketing from Longwood University. In recognition of his professional achievements, Shen earned the Professional Certified Marketer certification from the American Marketing Association in 2020. She is a member and volunteer of the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), where he collaborates with industry peers to share insights and best practices.

Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn

Interview questions:

Introduction | Congratulations on your new position as Chief Strategy Officer. What are your responsibilities?

Strategic Initiatives | Can you talk about some of the strategic initiatives?

AI | Private equity is focused on the opportunities of AI in the accounting profession. How is YHB using and/or exploring AI?

Update | Would you like to share any additional news on YHB?

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