13 August, 2008
Kleinwort Benson, recently voted Best Private Bank 2008 [1] , is celebrating the outstanding success of two employees from the Guernsey office in the recent exams held by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. STEP is the professional body for the trust and estate profession worldwide.
Kristan Martin, promoted to Trust Director in the company’s Private Fiduciary team earlier in the year, achieved the joint highest score for the Trust Administration and Accounts paper from STEP for 2007/8 and as a result was recognised as the ’Guernsey STEP’ student of the year for the subject. Tim Matthews, Client Accounting Manager, completed the STEP diploma in 2007 having gained a distinction mark in all four papers. On the final paper, Trustee Investment and Financial Appraisal, he achieved the highest mark for 2007/8 and awarded the ’Guernsey STEP’ student of the year for that subject. They both recently attended a presentation by STEP and were awarded their certificates by the Chairman of STEP Worldwide, Rosemary Marr.
Kleinwort Benson, operating in the Channel Islands for 45 years, has a reputation of supporting their employees and encouraging them to take professional qualifications to develop their careers if they wish to. Quite often in areas of the business that require a high level of technical knowledge and expertise Kleinwort Benson has a member of the team that can advise individuals on the best qualifications for them to study and highlights the most suitable options relevant to their job role – particularly important to newer members of the team.
Kristan’s recent STEP qualifications, coupled with the Offshore Guernsey Certificate obtained early in her career have helped her particularly to develop her technical knowledge on Trust and Company Administration. Kristan works in a team of about 16 people made up of Trust Administrators, Trust Officers, Senior Trust Officers and Trust Managers. Kristan has responsibility for about 150 Trusts and Companies which she manages with the assistance of officers.
Tim leads a team that provides accounting and bookkeeping services for approximately 900 Trusts and Companies across the Channel Islands. The STEP Diploma has provided him with detailed knowledge and understanding of the fiduciary industry, enabling this expertise to be passed on to clients and colleagues alike.
Sandra Platts, Managing Director of Kleinwort Benson in Guernsey commented, "My congratulations go to Kristan and Tim who really have worked hard over a long period of time. We have outstanding levels of expertise at Kleinwort Benson but for Kristan and Tim to have been recognised by STEP, a worldwide organisation is exceptional. To be awarded the Guernsey STEP student of the year is a tremendous personal achievement for each of them".
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[1]
Voted Best Private Bank at the inaugural FT and Investors Chronicle Wealth Management Awards