Top 25 Most Admired Companies - Appleby

top 25 most admired companiesGrant ThorntonAccountancy firm Grant Thornton isinvesting in its private client business. Ittold eprivateclient in December 2010 thatit is looking to double the size of its privateclient practice in London over the next 3 to5 years, under the leadership of new privateclient head in London, Craig Kemsley."It’s a great brand, it’s a great privateclient practice in London, and we haveplans for it in terms of growing thepractice," said Mr Kemsley, who joined thefirm in July 2010.The firm is actively recruiting, and MrKemsley said that it is looking at bothInvestec TrustInvestec Trust is “honoured” to have beenselected for the Top 25 Most Admired. “Itis always gratifying to receive publicrecognition from our industry peers andbusiness partners,” said Paul Douglas,managing director of Investec Trust(Switzerland).Mr Douglas added: “During 2010 weconsolidated our operation andsimultaneously reviewed the direction ofthe trust industry. With the benefit of thisprocess, we intend to implement someexciting initiatives in 2011 to cement ourKingston SmithChartered accountancy firm KingstonSmith LLP provides a full range ofservices to entrepreneurial businesses, notfor-profitorganisations and individualclients. Through its many years ofexperience dealing with owner-managedbusinesses, the firm claims to understandhow entrepreneurs think and the stages inwhich their businesses develop.As a result, in addition to audit andCraig Kemsley,partner and headof private client,London,Grant Thorntonjunior and senior level hires.Eric Williams, partner and nationalhead of private client added that with thecurrently financial climate being like it is,private client work is a “significantoperation and very stable contributor inthe recession - far more resilient thancooperate work, which has become lessprofitable due to a smaller number oftransactions.”Paul Douglas,managing directorof Investec Trust(Switzerland)position as a leading provider in thefiduciary industry.”Based in six locations – Guernsey, Jersey,Mauritius, Johannesburg, Cape Town andGeneva – the company believes that itsculture embraces entrepreneurialism, energyand enthusiasm. It will act as trustees forboth usual and unusual structures,considering all types of assets.Paul Spindler,head of privateclient,Kingston Smithaccounting work, the firm has built upa wide range of specialist services fromseven offices in London and the southeast to support its clients. It offersadditional services through its subsidiarybusinesses.KPMGDavid Kilshaw,chair of privateclient,KPMGAccountancy firm KPMG believes thatserving private clients internationally is theway forward.“I think that to have a successful privateclient practice in UK is getting increasinglydifficult because of regulation and tax laws.Clients are getting international and I thinkyou’d be very short sighted if you didn’trealise that in the next 10 years the world isgoing to change, and we need to changewith it," David Kilshaw, partner and chairof private client at KPMG toldeprivateclient.In order to serve this increasing demandand drive this international expansion, thefirm has recently employed Russian andCIS tax specialist, Bob Savic to lead itsoperations in Russia, as that is where itfeels there is wealth to be serviced.Mr Kilshaw said that making the Top 25Most Admired Companies is “great, asindustry recognition is massively importantand our private client team is very proud torub shoulders with those on a very bluebloodedlist”.He added that the firm is “very marketfocused”and excited by its domestic andinternational plans in 2011.“We see great opportunity in the familybusiness space. Last year we held ahugely successful ‘Next Generation’summer school and we’ll be doing thatagain this year. As for being admired,we will work hard and listen. There’s alot of helpful guidance out there and youearn peer respect by working with otherexcellent people.”www.eprivateclient.comPrivate Client Practitioner | Top25 Most Admired Companies Report 20115