More than 120 delegates from accountancy network Kreston UK gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool for its Annual National Conference.
As a combined organisation, the UK Kreston member firms would now rank as the UK’s tenth largest accountancy firm with more than 2,100 professional and support staff generating fee revenues approaching £140m.
The Liverpool conference provided an opportunity for member managing partners to review strategies for further collaboration and specialist teams to share best practice. Developments are now emerging across several specialist sectors including Audit, Cross Border Restructuring & Insolvency, Tax, IT, Advisory, HR, Agriculture, Marketing and Healthcare.
Mitchell Charlesworth’s Liverpool based managing partner Paul Wainwright said each Kreston UK member is an independent practice with sole responsibility for its own work, staff and clients. However, members work in close cooperation to share best practice and tap into greater levels of resource and expertise for clients.
Mr Wainwright said Mitchell Charlesworth, which acts as one of Kreston’s North West regional members with offices in Liverpool, Chester, Manchester, Warrington and Widnes was delighted to host the latest conference.
“We were very proud to be able to showcase Liverpool to over 100 delegates, many of whom had never visited the city before, and were really impressed with what they saw,” he said. “Some delegates have even already booked to return later this year to further explore what the city has to offer.
“2016 saw the highest ever attendance of member firms and delegates at the UK annual conference, a testament to the value that each of us place on the annual meeting when we can collaborate, share knowledge and develop insights into the future landscape of the accountancy profession.
“Digitalisation of tax reporting featured heavily on many of the specialist sector group agendas, proving just how much technology continues to shape the way in which we do business and how practices are adapting to embrace this technology.
“Meeting annually with fellow members also allows for further development of our trusted relationships with each other meaning we can maximise benefit from the increased opportunities that technological advancement presents to us all.
“Our participation in this vibrant network provides a wide range of benefits for our clients – not only from the extensive geographical coverage Kreston offers, enabling it to provide cohesive solutions to clients’ needs both nationally and globally but also by ensuring our systems are in line with the fast moving developments in best practice.”
Other UK members include Barber Harrison & Platt, Bishop Fleming, Clive Owen & Co, Consilium, Duncan & Toplis, EQ Accountants, Horsfield & Smith, James Cowper Kreston, Kreston Reeves and PEM providing business advisory services across the UK.
Kreston CEO Jon Lisby, who provided an update on global developments and strategy, thanked Mitchell Charlesworth for hosting the event this year.
“The feedback from each of the group sessions testifies to the value of the event and the outcome sees a further strengthening of future collaboration and client service,” he said. “With the organic growth and mergers achieved over the past year, Kreston UK, as a combined organisation would now rank as the 10 largest UK accounting firm.”
During the conference, Matthew Lee, Managing Partner of Bishop Fleming (South West and West Midlands) passed the leadership to John Warner, Managing Partner of BHP (North of England).
Mr Warner said: “Thank you to Matt for his direction over the 11 years he served as Chairman of Kreston UK. The network’s expansion under his guidance has been most impressive and our member firms now provide complete national coverage offering the full range of high quality and innovative client service and solutions to both entrepreneurial businesses and the public sector. I am honoured to have been elected to this role.”
For more information about Mitchell Charlesworth’s call 0151 255 2300 or email Phillip Ward, Marketing and Business Development Manager at phillip.ward@mitchellcharlesworth.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
- The conference was held on Friday 26 February at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool.
- A group photograph including Jon Lisby, CEO, Kreston International; Matthew Lee, Immediate Past Chairman, Bishop Fleming; John Warner, Chairman, BHP and Adrian Reynolds, Vice Chairman, Duncan & Toplis is available upon request.
- Kreston International Limited is a global network of independent accounting firms with the reputation for providing trusted compliance and advisory services to entrepreneurial business in the SME and mid-market sectors.
- Kreston UK is a brand representing firms based in the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Each member firm is a separate and independent legal entity and as such has no liability for the acts or omissions of any other member firm. Kreston UK and Kreston International provide no services to clients and have no liability for the acts or omissions of any member firm. Kreston UK is:
UK; Barber Harrison & Platt; Bishop Fleming; Clive Owen & Co LLP; Consilium Chartered Accountants; Duncan & Toplis; EQ Accountants LLP; Horsfield & Smith; James Cowper Kreston LLP; Kreston Reeves & Co LLP Mitchell Charlesworth; PEM; Ireland; LHM Casey McGrath; Channel Islands; Alex Picot Group and Isle of Man, Kreston IOM Limited.
- Kreston is currently ranked as the 12th largest accounting network in the world, with a presence in over 100 countries, providing a resource of over 21,000 professional and support staff.
- Kreston International member firms commit to compliance with the professional standards appropriate in their respective countries and to adhere to the following international standards:
- International Standards on Quality Control.
- International Standards on Auditing for the conduct of transnational audits.
- Code of Ethics as issued by the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants.
A globally coordinated quality monitoring and review programme supports member firms in the maintenance of these standards.
Mitchell Charlesworth
Mitchell Charlesworth was formed more than 125 years ago and has grown into one of the largest independent practices in the North West. Operating with over 150 staff across five offices in Manchester, Liverpool, Widnes, Warrington and Chester, the firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors provides a comprehensive range of services in the areas of financial and taxation advice.
Mitchell Charlesworth excels at working closely with clients to ensure they maximise their full potential by using their experienced partners and staff, as well as their extensive contact base in the financial markets, to achieve the best results. Whether looking at business improvements, extending trade alternatives or ensuring the best deal is obtained in a business acquisition or disposal, the services are led by partners with years of experience supported by a qualified and enthusiastic staffing team delivering:
Statutory audit
Accountancy
Corporate and personal taxation
Company acquisitions and disposals
Corporate recovery and insolvency
Management buyouts
Due diligence
VAT
Tax planning
Pensions and investment advice
Payroll
Mitchell Charlesworth is the trading name of Mitchell Charlesworth LLP, registered in England and Wales number OC391811. A list of members is available for inspection at our offices.