Date of issue: 22nd April 2003

Clement Keys Wins Accountancy Firm of the Year Accolade

Chartered Accountants Clement Keys, Birmingham has scooped a major new industry accolade, one of a series of awards initiated by the Birmingham and West Midlands Society of Chartered Accountants (BWMSCA) to celebrate the quality and talent within the area's accountancy community.

Clement Keys, Birmingham beat seven other Midlands firms to take the honours in the Accountancy Firm of the Year (up to 10 partners) category and was presented with the award by BBC radio and TV broadcaster Adrian Chiles.

The initiative, which was supported by Advantage West Midlands and The Birmingham Post, is not only set to raise the profile of the profession and acknowledge the calibre of chartered accountants working in Birmingham and West Midlands. It also gives firms and individual members of the Society the chance to have their say by voting in seven different categories.

While Clement Keys achieved growth of 16% and broke into the public sector last
year - it was the only accountancy practice outside the top 30 appointed by the Audit Commission - the firm was not judged solely on its business development credentials.

Clement Keys was also singled out for its innovative approach to practice development as well as staff training, quality client service and growth in new markets through membership of IA International, a network of 124 independent accountancy firms located in 80 countries worldwide.

"Winning this inaugural Birmingham and West Midlands Society of Chartered Accountants award is a real boost for the firm and we are all absolutely delighted," says Ian Yorke, a partner at Clement Keys, Birmingham.

"It is very gratifying that the team's effort to develop the business in recent years, particularly specialist services such as taxation planning, pension schemes, charities and European and Local Authority auditing, is being recognised by our peers."

Originally established in the Midlands in 1885, Clement Keys has nine partners and
80 staff and recently relocated to new premises in Edgbaston as a result of substantial growth both in its general accountancy and business advice services and its specialist services.