26th January 2018
2018 has already seen Leonard Curtis Business Solutions Group (LCBSG) expand its national operation with the opening of two new offices and five new appointments.
The increase in locations and personnel will meet demands on the Group to deliver positive strategic business advice – on a local and regional level – to even more of UK’s 5.7million SME owners and their advisers.
Demand for its services is high and the results it secures are impressive – with its Business Rescue and Recovery division saving over 14,000 jobs during 2016 and 2017.
The new offices – located in Kings Langley, in Hertfordshire, and Southampton – take LCBSG’s nationwide total to 15. It’s an enviable geographical reach that helps ensure SMEs have access to a wide range of business, restructuring and legal advice – provided by specialists with the essential local knowledge and contacts.
New Hertfordshire office for LCBSG
The Group’s new Kings Langley office is headed up by Associate Director Andy John, who has worked for its Business Rescue and Recovery division, in London, for the last seven years. Andy’s remit is to strengthen and develop the LCBSG brand outside the M25 and throughout Hertfordshire – a county with a growing enterprise base.
However, despite having one of the highest start-up rates for small businesses in the UK, survival rates after one year are below the national average. LCBSG can support these aspiring business owners’ chances of improving this statistic.
Having agreed over 150 Time to Pay proposals for clients in the last three years – repaying over £26 million to HMRC and safeguarding over 6,500 jobs – it’s sure to be welcomed by the county’s ambitious SME owners and those who advise them.
New Southampton office for LCBSG
David Smithson has been appointed by LCBSG to lead its new Southampton office. He brings with him some 30 years’ business restructuring experience. He’ll be working with regional accountants and other corporate advisers – within the LCBSG team – to provide the highly specialist support required by businesses at every stage of their lifecycle.
Continued expansion for Reach Commercial Finance division across the South
Ongoing demand for commercial finance expertise provided by LCBSG’s bespoke brokerage has also seen two new additions to the team.
Firstly, Robin Goddard has joined the company – taking the Group’s South West and South coast team to eight. Working as a Senior Business Development Manager for its Reach Commercial Finance division based across the Bristol and Southampton offices, Robin brings with him 35 years’ financial advisory experience.
In this role, Robin is responsible for analysing client requirements and the connection between borrowers and lenders to ensure that the best links are made between the two – helping to build on the division’s impressive 500+ transactions and £250 million in finance raised since August 2014.
Associate Director Shaun Hyland is the latest recruit to join LCBSG’s London office, working across the City and Thames Valley. The 10 years’ experience he brings with him to the Group includes SME and mid-market deals together with commercial and corporate lending. Shaun’s remit is to further strengthen the LCBSG service offering amongst the region’s accountancy network, as well as building new and existing relationships with lenders.
Leonard Curtis Legal appointment
Strengthening the team at Leonard Curtis Legal – the newest service offering within the LCBSG portfolio – is Senior Associate solicitor Chris Mitchell.
The Group was one of the first UK multi-disciplinary practices in the SME market to take advantage of the changing regulation around the provision of legal services. Leonard Curtis Legal works closely with Group colleagues – providing a range of services at a fixed cost entry point and bringing fresh thinking to commercial issues.
It is this way of doing business differently that attracted Chris to the role. He has almost a decade’s experience of dispute resolution at all levels including, recently, the Supreme Court, and will lead the team on contentious matters.
Leonard Curtis Property Solutions appointment
New to LCBSG’s Leeds office is Natalie Bell who works within its Property Solutions division. Her role is to help support clients to find solutions to distressed real estate portfolios or fractured lending facilities by implementing the likes of payment holidays or capex programmes.
Daniel Booth, Director at LCBSG, said: “It goes without saying that we are delighted to increase our national presence through strategic regional expansion and the growth of our existing teams across a number of Group divisions.
“To open two new offices and make five key hires is testament to our hard work, commitment and expertise. We’re fast becoming the go-to specialists for an ever-increasing number of SME owners and their advisers in need of very specific advice and support at every stage of their business’ lifecycle.
“It’s a position cemented with the introduction of our recently launched, free-to-join accountancy network Lifecycle. It’s yet another client offering that differentiates us from other professional services providers. In fact, it’s partnership working at its best.
“Our reputation and success stories are leading to an increase in work – both geographically and in terms of specialities. We believe that our new offices and team members will enable us to realise the next stage of our ambition and we look forward to adding to them further – in terms of new locations and more appointments – in the not too distant future.”
For further information on LCBSG visit https://www.lcbsg.co.uk. Click here to join the Lifecycle accountancy network for free and enjoy its many member benefits.
For further media information, please contact Karen Winstanley or Sue Souter at Souter PR on 01625 839 319 or email karen@souterpr.co.uk.