Catalyst expands offshore presence with Jersey office

20 November 2018 Consultancy.uk

With demand for financial services consulting growing in Jersey, Catalyst Development has announced the expansion of its offshore presence and international reach. The move builds upon the firm’s acquisition of Jersey-based asset management company Knadel.

After financial services consultancy Catalyst Development has secured a growth investment, in a management buy-out backed by private equity investor Livingbridge, the firm has been expanding consistently ever since. Following the acquisition of professional services firm Knadel, a spree of hirings saw Catalyst’s headcount grow threefold over the next 12 months.

Now, the specialist consulting firm has expanded its offshore base in Jersey in order to respond to rising demands for its services. Jersey – where the standard rate of corporate tax is 0% – is increasingly viewed by business leaders as an attractive post-Brexit destination by businesses looking to both maintain access to the UK and the mainland. It is already a key hub for financial services firms looking to make the most of its tax regime, and as such presents a major market for Catalyst Development.

Catalyst expands offshore presence with Jersey office

The move builds on the previously mentioned acquisition of wealth management firm Knadel, which owned the offshore base from which Catalyst Jersey will now operate. The hub features over twenty desks in its new offices at Hawk House, 22 Esplanade, St Helier. Catalyst’s Jersey team provides a range of business, technology, operational and human performance acceleration services both to the Jersey financial services sector and to an extensive international portfolio of clients in Europe and APAC.

Commenting on the move, Catalyst Development’s Offshore Head Stuart Richford said, “It’s a really exciting time for Catalyst Jersey. This move places us at the centre of Jersey’s financial hub. It enables us to be even more responsive to our rapidly expanding client base and client demand for our services, both on Jersey and overseas. It enables us to be closer to clients and to work more effectively with our Catalyst London and Catalyst Vilnius colleagues to deliver outstanding specialism, at scale.”

Catalyst CEO Andrew Middleton added, “Jersey’s rapid growth trajectory mirrors that of Catalyst as a whole. In just over 12 months, we’ve secured investment, made our first strategic acquisition and tripled in size. We are now delivering a wider range of larger and longer specialist assignments across a greater number of geographies than ever before. It’s a fantastic position from which to enter 2019 – which also happens to mark Catalyst’s 25th anniversary. I’m proud to lead such a multi-talented team and I congratulate all our Jersey colleagues on a great move.”