It has been another glittering night in the accountancy calendar. A range of practices big and small, plus outstanding individuals, have been rewarded for their efforts in the British Accountancy Awards 2016
IT HAS BEEN another glittering night in the accountancy calendar. A range of practices big and small, plus outstanding individuals, have been rewarded for their efforts in the British Accountancy Awards 2016.
Outstanding Contribution Award
Winner: John Whiting
Editorial comment: The undisputed king of tax punditry who was a fixture of the BBC’s Budget Day broadcasts for many years. His 25-year career with PwC as a tax partner never stopped him from being a man of the people – someone who cut through the haze of technical obfuscation to bring clarity to the masses.
Global Firm of the Year
Winner: BDO
Editorial comment: Congratulations to BDO, who have come top of the pile following a satisfaction survey of finance directors and CFOs by our sister brand Financial Director.
Shortlist: Deloitte; EY; Grant Thornton; KPMG; PwC
National Firm of the Year – Qdos Vantage
Winner: Menzies
Judges’ comments: Menzies evidenced their success – and importantly highlighted their investment in young people. There was also transparency in the financial information they provided the judges.
Shortlist: Francis Clark; Johnston Carmichael; Mazars; Saffery Champness; Smith & Williamson
Mid-Tier Firm of the Year – sponsored by Iris Software
Winner: Jeffreys Henry
Judges’ comments: They told a story of how to deal with what is happening in the profession: They’ve invested in IT, worked towards specialisms, and are concerned with staff wellbeing. They explained and evidenced this really well.
Highly commended: Crunch Accounting
Shortlist: Bishop Fleming; Ensors Accountants; Kreston Reeves; PKF-FPM; Price Bailey; Shorts
Independent Firm of the Year (overall)
Winner: JF Hornby
Judges’ comments: They demonstrated strong use of social media, tax savings for clients, impressive profits, along with both a local and international view. The standout practice.
Shortlist: Farnell Clarke; Inspire Professional Services; Nicolson Accountancy; Nordens; Salhan Accountants; Wilson Wright
Independent Firm of the Year East, England
Winner: Farnell Clarke
Judges’ comments: They managed to combine not only tremendous growth, but were strong on people and management. A welcome team for new clients was also a nice touch.
Shortlist: 1 Accounts Online; aa Chartered Accountants; Aston Shaw; Watermill Accounting
Independent Firm of the Year Greater London, England – sponsored by Global Infosys
Winner: Wilson Wright
Judges’ comments: A firm that showed it is trying to build a sustainable business model, which included consistent growth and office expansion.
Shortlist: DH Accounts & Legal; Taxfile
Independent Firm of the Year Midlands, England
Winner: Salhan Accountants
Judges’ comments: They are highly professional and have shown integrity is vital to their values.
Shortlist: Coalesco Certified Accountants; Denarius Consulting Group; Poole Waterfield
Independent Firm of the Year – North, England
Winner: JF Hornby
Judges’ comments: The firm demonstrated a good family feel, while also balancing that out with leveraging technology to grow their business.
Highly commended: Woods Squared
Shortlist: Bishops Chartered Accountants; CS Accounting Limited; DEB Chartered Accountants; Mossley Tax Shop; Northern Accountants; Walker Begley Limited
Independent Firm of the Year – Scotland
Winner: Nicolson Accountancy
Judges’ comments: They showed good growth, alongside user-friendly and flexible services. A professional firm looking to grow.
Shortlist: Callan Accountancy; Infinity Partnership
Independent Firm of the Year – South East, England
Winner: Nordens
Judges’ comments: Lots of innovation combined with great client care – congrats!
Shortlist: Ad Valorem Accountancy Services; Champ Consultants; Clemence Hoar Cummings; Fiander Tovell; Global Infosys; Reid & Co; Swindells
Independent Firm of the Year, Wales and South-West, England
Winner: Inspire Professional Services
Judges’ comments: Client fees strong for a small firm. Judges were also impressed by the commercial awareness demonstrated by staff, in the entry.
Shortlist: Evans & Partners; Harland Accountants
Most Innovative Practice (overall)
Winner: Farnell Clarke
Judges’ comments: A close call, but Farnell Clarke looking to use tech to drive forward; and has a ‘trendy’ feel that stands it out from other practices.
Shortlist: Deloitte; Cooper Parry
Most Innovative Practice (Large firm) – New
Winner: Deloitte
Judges’ comments: Judges were impressed at the joined-up approach Deloitte took to delivering clients with analytics and manage audit risk.
Shortlist: KPMG; Smith & Williamson
Most Innovative Practice (Mid-tier Firm) – sponsored by Wolters Kluwer – New
Winner: PKF Cooper Parry
Judges’ comments: Described by the judges as a “funky workspace”, designed to empower people. They have also shown how to achieve behavioural change across the business.
Highly commended: Crunch Accounting
Shortlist: HURST; Old Mill; Rouse Partners
Most Innovative Practice (Independent) – sponsored by Energy Scanner – NEW
Winner: Farnell Clarke
Judges’ comments: They transferred their key accounting software provider and have the changed their culture to attract younger, more tech-savvy staff. A practice that is actually undertaking innovation – rather than paying it lip service.
Highly commended: Woods Squared
Shortlist: Ad Valorem Accountancy Services; Aston Shaw; DEB Chartered Accountants; Leavitt Walmsley Associates; Quantify R&D; Square Mile Accounting; Woods Squared
Best Employer – sponsored by Accountancy Age Jobs
Winner: PKF-FPM
Editorial comment: In collaboration with Best Companies Group, an extensive survey was sent out to employees of practices earlier this year. PKF-FPM has topped the overall scoring – well done!
Shortlist: Armstrong Watson; Charterhouse Accountants; The Fish Partnership; HURST; Inspire Professional Services; PKF-FPM; PM+M Solutions for Business; Price Bailey; RDP Newmans; Whitley Stimpson
Most Socially Responsible Practice – New
Winner: Harland Accountants
Judges’ comments: They showed that social responsibility was embedded into their practice. The firm also illustrated how their shared values were measurable.
Shortlist: Aston Shaw; Mossley Tax Shop; Price Bailey; Sayer Vincent; Warner Wilde
New Practice Award – sponsored by Iris Software
Winner: 1 Accounts Online
Judges’ comments: Good growth, a feeling that it is really driven, with a clear strategy. They demonstrated a variety of tools in their armoury to support their direction of travel.
Shortlist: 1 Accounts Online; Francis Bookkeeping Solutions; Integro Accounting; Joshua Leigh & Co; Mantax Consulting; Portt Payroll & Bookkeeping; Quantify R&D; The Accountancy Cloud
Client Software Product of the Year
Winner: Xero
Judges’ comments: A great entry showing innovation and success – it’s no doubt they are still setting the benchmark in the cloud accounting software market.
Shortlist: Adaptive Insights
BlackLine; Expenses by Software Europe; FinancialForce Financial Management; FreeAgent; Thomson Reuters
Practice Software Product of the Year
Winner: Inform Direct
Judges’ comments: They have shown technology can deliver solutions to clients alongside growth. A fantastic entry and a package that practitioners need – but might not know that they need yet.
Shortlist: FreeAgent; Gbooks Cloud Practice Plus; IRIS Software; Keytime; Reckon Virtual Cabinet; TaxCalc; Wolters Kluwer Open Integration Programme; Xero
Top 50 Tax Team of the Year
Winner: Mazars
Judges’ comments: Mazars looks to deal with the major challenges of delivering a modern-day tax service, that of transparency and ethics. Alongside their approach they also illustrated their success with impressive figures.
Highly commended: PKF-FPM
Shortlist: James Cowper Kreston; MHA MacIntyre Hudson; Moore Stephens; Price Bailey
Top 50 Audit Team of the Year – Sponsored by CareersinAudit.com
Winner: MHA MacIntyre Hudson
Judges’ comments: There is an ethical approach to audit that makes the firm stand out from its peers, while also showing a focus on sectors.
Shortlist: Bishop Fleming; haysmacintyre; Kreston Reeves
New Practitioner of the Year – in partnership with the ACCA
Winner: Chris Barnard, Crunch Accounting
Judges’ comments: Chris showed impressive responsibility for dealing with technical issues, and in leading the responses to them. He has played a strong role in expanding Crunch and its technical training.
Highly commended: Greg Houston, Infinity Partnership
Shortlist: Charlotte Wilmot, KPMG; Greg Houston, Infinity Partnership; Michelle McGregor, Lloyds Banking Group; Sophia Spyrou, Nordens
Practitioner of the Year
Winner: Simon Cowie, Infinity Partnership
Judges’ comments: Simon showed that he is leading innovation in what is a very troubled oil industry.
Highly commended: Lee Manning, Raffingers
Shortlist: Anita Brook, Reid & Co; Lisa Emery, Baldwins; Paul Hornby, J F Hornby & Co; Simon Weaver, KPMG
