Double delight for accountancy firm as it celebrates its 85th birthday with nine new Partners appointed

Sian Connolly, Toni Beecroft, Maggie Casey, Neal Watford, Jenny Donnelly, David Everatt (Chairman), Adam Millson, Rachel Hay, Matthew Priest, Nicola Hunt.

NINE new partners have been appointed at leading regional accountancy firm Forrester Boyd as it celebrates 85 years in business.

With its acquisition and expansion into Hull earlier this year, the move to double its partnership board signals one of the most exciting periods in the independent firm’s long history.

From its foundations 85 years ago, it has grown to employ 155 people today with its headquarters in Grimsby and offices in Hull, Beverley, Scunthorpe, Louth and Skegness.

Whilst its traditional accountancy practice remains strong and continues to grow, the incorporation of its Corporate Finance arm along with the rebranding of its Wealth Management services sees Forrester Boyd transition into a firm able to meet the end-to-end financial needs of its clients for both business and personal matters.

For Chairman and Partner David Everatt this growth marks the latest milestone in the firm’s  seamless transformation, from offering the more traditional services undertaken by accountants, into a forward thinking ‘one-stop-shop’ offering clients everything they require  to settle their professional and personal futures.

“Our objective is to help all our clients to achieve their aims, to meet them, to build relationships with them and to stay with them along their journey,” said David.

“We see our role as one which offers strategic advice, which understands where a business is now and where the client wants that business to be, whilst assisting them personally. Forrester Boyd is no longer a firm that looks at the historic background, but instead takes its clients forward,” he explained.

Stepping into Partnership roles in Grimsby are Sian Connolly, Jenny Donnelly, Neal Watford and Maggie Casey, who also works across the firm’s other regional offices.

Cleethorpes-born Neal Watford entered the firm as a trainee 12 years ago, after taking A-levels at the former Cleethorpes Sixth Form. He went on to qualify in 2013, progressing to assistant manager and then manager.

“There is a danger that you can get pushed into university, but that was never something I wanted. The desire for me was to enter a profession I would enjoy and earn whilst I learnt,” he said.

“From the moment I started here there has been so much support and that enables you to grow as a person, both professionally and personally,” added Neal who specalises in the seafood sector. This is one of the firm’s key areas, alongside agriculture, food and rural affairs, education and academies, charity and not-for-profit, construction, healthcare, and home and holiday parks.

A familiar face in Grimsby is Maggie Casey. As a Private Client manager, her specialist work involves high-end tax planning supporting the firm’s clients throughout the region. Maggie’s background allows her to see the big picture for clients. She often refers them to the financial services team who work together to ensure the clients receive well rounded advice to address their issues.

Maggie joined the firm in 2008, after a long and varied career that took her to London, Leeds, Barnsley and Wetherby. She is delighted to be progressing to Partner: “To be given this opportunity is wonderful, to be honest I was quite flattered,” she said.

“I now look forward to getting back to seeing my clients after the last few months of virtual and telephone meetings. It is the one-to-one relationships with them that means so much to me and the work I do with them,” she added.

From the Louth area and working in Grimsby Sian Connolly has enjoyed a decade of progression with Forrester Boyd, which saw her qualify in 2006 and gain expertise across all sectors of local business.

“There are people who may see Grimsby as an area that has challenges, and yes – like any town of its kind – it does. But when you see beyond that to the businesses that we have here, especially in terms of what we are seeing now in the renewables sector, you see a town with a very bright future,” said Sian.

Jenny Donnelly joined Forrester Boyd in 2003 following completion of a degree in English Literature at the University of York.  She qualified as a chartered accountant in 2005 and has since worked with a varied portfolio of clients developing sector specialisms in construction and engineering.

“Understanding my clients’ businesses and their strategic goals is one of the most interesting parts of my job and I’ve been lucky with the opportunities that I have had in my time with Forrester Boyd”, said Jenny, who particularly enjoys working with her clients on strategic planning and corporate restructuring.

In Scunthorpe, Matthew Priest is welcomed as a new Partner. The former John Leggott College student joined as a trainee 16 years ago and again rose through the ranks – developing a portfolio of clients in the owner-managed small business sector.

“My work is about client relationships, really getting to know them and their businesses and offering the right advice. For example, there will be firms now that have taken out the Bounce Back Loans and they must ensure their cash flow projections allow for the structured payments when they begin next year. That is what we are here for – to ensure they have the right measures in place in such situations,” he said.

Across the estuary in Beverley new Partner Rachel Hay splits her time between the East Yorkshire market town and the newly acquired Graybrowne practice in Hull. She joined Forrester Boyd as an assistant manager four years ago and enjoys close working relationships with a diverse range of clients, including the construction sector. She specialises in cashflow forecasts, management accounts and compliance work for small owner managed businesses.

“It is brilliant to be part of Forrester Boyd’s future. The appointment of myself and my colleagues as Partners shows the firm is planning for growth and it is good to see our footprint expanding across this side of the Humber,” said Rachel.

In the Louth office, Partnerships have been awarded to Toni Beecroft, Adam Millson and Nicola Hunt with Lee Bradbury taking the role of office chairman upon the retirement of Alan Nesbitt next spring after 23 years with the firm.

Supporting the Partners, further promotions have been seen with Amy Greensmith being appointed as a manager at the Beverley office with her colleague Lauren Johnson promoted to assistant manager. Matthew Hotham also becomes an assistant manager covering Louth and Skegness.