Haines Watts enjoys best growth in decade as it celebrates new board members joining
The top 20 firm boasts impressive growth, new leaders, and fresh focuses for the future
Top 20 firm Haines Watts has announced its most impressive growth for over ten years, gained through organic growth and acquisition.
The business has already demonstrated strong performance this year with an annual growth of 16% on turnover to 31 March 2018.
Changes to the leadership team, including a new managing partner, also contribute to a celebration of progress and the future among Haines Watts employees.
Acquisitions made in the greater London area last year added £5 million to turnover alone. Further acquisitions in the East Midlands, Thames Valley, the South West, and the South East Midlands also contributed to the growth.
Haines Watts has also shown a 22% increase in profit per equity partner. This exemplifies to both current and prospective clients that the firm is driven and profitable.
Leadership changes
Board changes also indicate a bright future for the firm. Andy Minifie has just stepped down as the group managing partner after fourteen years.
Two people are taking over from Minifie. Michael Davidson will be the new group managing partner and Darren Holdway will work alongside him as the redefined role of group chairman.
Davidson and Holdway have actually both been at the firm for over 25 years having started as trainees and worked their way up through the business.
Holdway said: “The talents and attitudes of the people employed here represent the future of Haines Watts and our strategy is to keep investing in them, safe in the knowledge that the business will reap the rewards.”
More change sees Rodney Style step down from his role as Chairman, and Donna Bulmer, who is a long-standing partner, join as the newest member of the leadership team. Bulmer knows the firm well having joined it as a graduate and been there for over 20 years.
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Bulmer said: “I’m proud to bring a different regional and personal perspective to the board to help Haines Watts continue the impressive momentum the firm is currently seeing nationwide.
“As part of my role on the board I’m keen to see the firm develop more talent from diverse social backgrounds, bringing in the sharpest and most promising minds wherever they may be found.”
The new board members will work alongside Andrew Bodkin and Chris Timms as the remaining members.
Future development
To mark their acceptance that change and adaption will bring a better future, Haines Watts is focusing on three key areas in the year ahead.
People development is one key area and so the firm is committed to keeping up-to-date with working environments and cultures, embracing flexible working, and ensuring they look after employee wellbeing.
Part of keeping with the times is adhering to what the workforce want. The average age of a Haines Watts employee is 36, with millennials making up 54% of the work force and Gen Z 15%.
The firm’s focus on diversity in recent years is now paying off, since women make up 40% of their Leadership Development Programme and 50% of the Managers Skills Programme.
Haines Watts’ second focus is client development as it works on creating a more client-centric culture throughout the firm and continue providing exceptional client service.
Finally, Haines Watts strives to expand its market development by launching new services, such as a wellbeing offering which aims to address the personal challenges of running a business that are often overlooked.
