STEP launches 16th annual Private Client Awards

Monday, 01 February 2021
The 2021/22 STEP Private Client Awards are now open for entries.

The Private Client Awards celebrate excellence in private client practice and are recognised as a hallmark of quality across the industry. Founded in 2006, the Awards have 17 categories open to individuals and firms worldwide.

Entries are open until 23 April 2021 to both STEP members and non-member private client practitioners. The finalists will be announced in July. Entries are encouraged from all over the world and from the whole of the diverse private client community.

Our judging panel represents STEP’s international membership, with experts from Barbados, Brazil, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Italy, Jersey, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE, the UK, and the USA.

The Chair of the Presiding Judges, Mary Duke TEP, an independent advisor to families in the US, said, ‘The STEP Private Client Awards are coveted by members of the private client industry around the world and they offer a wonderful showcase for work being done on behalf of private clients. Last year, despite the challenges of a global pandemic, we received a record number of entries from more countries than ever before, and we fully expect a great many again this year. The rigour and impartiality of the STEP judging process underlines the credibility of these awards, so making the shortlist is an achievement in itself, and winning is fantastic. If you are considering entering, I’d highly recommend you do so.’

STEP’s Chief Executive Mark Walley said, ‘The Private Client Awards are one of the highlights of the STEP calendar, giving us the opportunity to recognise and showcase the best in the industry, and in the current circumstances, admire their resilience, adaptability and innovation. We’re particularly proud of the wide range of categories available, and of our scrupulously objective judging process. I’m very much looking forward to congratulating our winners in September’.

One of last year’s winners, Rajat Sharma of VAR Capital, which won Investment Team of the Year, said, ‘We were thrilled to win a STEP Private Client Award. It is highly regarded and has enhanced our image as a firm in private client practice: we received over 100 congratulatory emails from colleagues outside the firm, which just highlights the importance of these Awards’

STEP’s charity partner for the second year is the World Literacy Foundation, a global not-for-profit that works to lift young people out of poverty through literacy. STEP does not charge an entry fee for the Awards, and instead encourages a donation to the Awards Charity. Last year we raised over GBP60,000.

We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our finalists at the Awards Ceremony on 23 September 2021. The format of the ceremony will depend on ongoing government guidelines provided on COVID-19, and a decision on this will be taken prior to the finalist announcement. Please click here if you want to be notified on any updates relating to the Awards Ceremony.

Further Information

Website: www.pca.step.org Twitter: #STEPPCA

Categories:

  • Accountancy Team of the Year
  • Advocate of the Year
  • Boutique Firm of the Year
  • Charity Team of the Year
  • Contentious Trusts and Estates Team of the Year
  • Family Business Advisory Practice of the Year
  • Financial Advisor Team of the Year
  • International Legal Team of the Year
  • Investment Team of the Year
  • Multi-Family Office Team of the Year
  • Private Client Legal Team of the Year
  • Trust Company of the Year
  • Vulnerable Client Advisory Practice of the Year
  • Young Practitioner of the Year
  • People’s Choice – Trusted Advisor of the Year
  • The Geoffrey Shindler Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession
  • Lifetime Achievement Award

Awards Ceremony

Date: Thursday 23 September 2021

Contacts

Awards Secretary

Emma Dannevik – Tel: +44 (0)20 3752 3710 | Email: pca@step.org

Sponsorship opportunities

Tom Fountain – Tel: +44 (0)20 3771 7250 | Email: tom.fountain@thinkpublishing.co.uk

Marketing

Kelly Farrell – Tel: +44 (0)20 3752 3705 | Email: kelly.farrell@step.org

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For further information please contact Joanna Pegum - Tel: +44 (0)20 3752 3771 Email: joanna.pegum@step.org

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. STEP works to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members. STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting wills to issues surrounding international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience. More information: www.step.org.