KPMG moves Global Family Business Centre of Excellence to London

KPMG has moved its Global Family Business Centre of Excellence to London. The firm has appointed Senior Partner Tom McGinness as co-chair of the Centre, alongside Jonathan Lavender Global Chairman of KPMG Enterprise, as part of the move.

Family businesses are a key aspect of the wider business landscape, offering strong relationships with employees and customers, long-term planning and a sustainable mindset. From large to small players, the industry face challenges around succession in particular, while in the UK, family businesses are posting strong results, but the effect of Brexit on talent acquisition, in particular, remains a key unknown. The implicit values often imparted in family firms make them key aspects of long-term business sustainability, although the aforementioned issues, among others, also make for certain difficulties. Consultancy firms are keen to attend to the needs of the business, often with consultants specifically trained in the respective business expertise.

One of the Big Four, KPMG, recently announced that it has moved its Global Family Business Centre of Excellence, focused on serving the different needs of family businesses, from Paris to London. The move will see the UK arm of the international network invest considerably in the family business consulting practice, offering access to the firm’s global resources in the area of family business development.

The firm’s rationale for the move is to better utilise the family business resources available in the UK for a global audience. This includes the new co-chair of the service, Senior Partner Tom McGinness – he has more than 20 years of experience in the field, and has been with the firm since 1990. McGinness is to work with Jonathan Lavender, the other co-chair, and Global Chairman of KPMG Enterprise, launched in the UK in 2015 – based out of Israel.

Commenting on the Global Centre of Excellence, Jonathan Lavender said, “Moving the Centre of Excellence to the UK will better enable us to leverage the extensive family business expertise that we already have in the country, and I am particularly thrilled that Tom has stepped forward to co-chair and work with me given his wealth of experience. Working alongside the UK team of Ken McCracken, Catherine Grum, and Daniel Trimarchi, I know that Tom will add a lot of value in moving our global KPMG Enterprise family business strategy forward.”

Tom McGinness remarked, “Family businesses are a significant driver of the global economy, and as such, our commitment to helping them grow while maintaining family harmony and smooth succession cannot be understated. Much like our own business, family businesses have a strong heritage and track record, but they are always looking to the future. We are confident that our Centre of Excellence will be a real differentiator in the market, enabling us to work with and support those fast growing, entrepreneurial families who will be the emerging giants of the future.”