British Accountancy Awards 2016: The Winners

British Accountancy Awards 2016: The Winners

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.

 

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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.

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

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