Leading regional accountancy firm, Larking Gowen, has appointed two new Partners working across its offices in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. Giles Kerkham, who has been with the firm since 2000, becomes a Partner within the Audit and Advisory Team leading the Not for Profit and Education practice, while Dominic Carter has been appointed Partner for the firm’s Tax Advisory team. Giles commented, “This is a diverse and exciting sector with a wide range of clients, from care homes and hospices to theatres, cinemas and even zoos. Being promoted to Partner is something I’m extremely proud of. The firm has a strong commitment to this area, and I’m looking forward to leading and developing the team further,” he said. While Giles’ principal focus has been the Not for Profit sector for several years, the team remains a key part of the wider audit team, also working closely with others across the firm. “It’s essential to be able to draw on the knowledge and experience of colleagues with different expertise so that we can provide complete and rounded advice to our clients,” he said. “The way that we collaborate and work together to do this is what sets us apart and differentiates the service we provide to clients. We have excellent and supportive teams and I’d like to continue to develop the first-class service we offer to our clients. “Our ambition is to be the firm that charities think of first, for expertise, service, experience and delivery.” Dominic Carter joined the firm’s Ipswich office as a Tax Director in 2019, supporting the tax advisory offering across the business. He has more than 20 years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant in national and regional firms. “My role is mainly with larger owner managed businesses, where we have seen a very high demand for tax services, both from a company and shareholder perspective,” he said. “We have been looking at property tax aspects, re-organisations, share schemes and equity rewards. Clients are thinking about how they want to position themselves for the future, and the ability of our team to support them has driven growth for us. “The response to this demand from Larking Gowen has been absolutely fantastic. The growth reflects how we operate as a firm. There is a mindset across all parts of the business and at all levels, to look for opportunities to help our clients and look at their needs holistically.” He said that since lockdown, clients had become more proactive about changing the structure of their companies and planning for the future of their businesses. “COVID has made people think strategically about the future. They’ve had time to contemplate and challenge the way things are done, not just as business owners, but also as individuals. By working together across the firm, we’ve been able to cater for these changes,” he said. Larking Gowen Managing Partner Julie Grimmer said, “I’m delighted to see Giles and Dominic in their new roles as Partners. They have both already made a huge contribution to the firm, and I look forward to seeing their teams going from strength to strength.”
