Awards: Business leader recognised; Accountant celebrates; Creative agency picks up accolade

JILLIAN THOMAS, managing director of Future Life Wealth Management, has been shortlisted for two awards designed to honour the contribution women make to business in the Yorkshire region.

Ms Thomas has been recognised in the Business category at the Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards, which are set to take place on May 20. She has also been successfully shortlisted for the Outstanding Contribution to Diversity award at the Yorkshire Women in Business Awards, which are being held next month.

Future Life Wealth Management, based in Renishaw, offers a bespoke financial planning service to generators of wealth, typically business owners, executives and professionals and also to receivers of wealth, such as inheritors, divorcees, widows and retirees.

The company has grown significantly since it was launched in 2009, now employing eight members of staff and helping more than 350 clients.
In 2015, Ms Thomas also became only the second woman to take on the role of president of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.

She said: “It is an honour to have been shortlisted for both these prestigious award and to be recognised against such fantastic businesswomen from the entire Yorkshire region.”

The Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards will be raising funds for Sue Ryder.

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THE specialist charities department at Yorkshire chartered accountants Garbutt + Elliott is celebrating after a team member received the prestigious Diploma in Charity Accounting (DChA).

Laura Masheder, a senior manager at Garbutt + Elliott’s gained the qualification after successfully completing the ‘experience route’ having worked in the sector for six years.  

To qualify, she had to demonstrate her expert knowledge of charity accounting and financial management within a strategic, policy and governance context.

Ms Masheder said: “I’m delighted with my qualification as it recognises the breadth of my experience within the charity and not-for-profit sector. As I progress with my career at Garbutt + Elliott I’m looking forward to continuing expanding my knowledge and experience within the charity sector to further enhance the service to my clients.”

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GDA Creative Marketing, the expanding South Yorkshire-based creative and digital agency, has been named the best in the UK for client satisfaction.

Recent research by marketing industry magazine The Drum analysed the performance of the UK’s agency scene in their annual design census. This ranks agencies on financial performance and client satisfaction to provide a benchmark and identify the outstanding agencies in both areas.

These were then collated to produce an ‘Elite Agency’ list – in which GDA were placed second in the country for agencies of their size.

It comes at a time when the agency is expanding both in terms of revenue and job creation as new staff have been appointed to manage increased work levels.

Alistair Farrant, GDA’s managing director, said: “I have been trying to think of a more proud moment that we have had as a business and I’m struggling. Being ranked number one for client satisfaction is pretty much the best accolade an agency could have – it’s what we strive for every day.

“The satisfaction scores are based on clients rating their agency on client service levels, creativity, value for money and strategic thinking. We were in the Top 10 last year so our whole team deserve enormous credit for the way they’ve built on this over the last 12 months.”