Leading service provider Clement Keys more than doubles portfolio in education

Chartered accountants Clement Keys has more than doubled its portfolio in education, making it one of the region’s foremost service providers to public and regulated private sector clients.

After winning contracts with the likes of Joseph Chamberlain College and The City Literary Institute, Clement Keys has added King Edward VI College in Stourbridge, Oldham Sixth Form College, Peterborough Regional College and Shrewsbury College of Art & Technology to their portfolio of college clients.

The firm is tendering for further education contracts as it seeks to establish itself as a top ten internal audit provider to colleges throughout England.

Lee Glover, the director of internal audit services that have driven the growth of the company’s portfolio, said: “From the outset we have experienced rapid growth, winning business from major competitors who are well-established providers, and if we can double our workload as part of the tender rounds for 2009/10 we will be among the top ten firms in the country offering a specialised internal audit service to further education establishments.”

Clement Keys is one of only seven firms that is approved by Crescent Purchasing Consortium, a national further education buying group which is committed to helping colleges obtain excellent value for money from contracted services and supplies; always important but even more so now due to the credit crunch.

Clement Keys provides a bespoke, cost-effective internal audit service to a wide client base which includes education, financial services, housing, local government and charities.

Mr Glover said: “Our aim is to develop lasting business relationships, both within the public sector and with those private sector clients which are finding themselves subject to increasing regulation. These latest client wins demonstrate that we have the requisite expertise to meet the needs of further education establishments and emerge as one of the UK’s top ten suppliers of internal audit services to the sector.”

Clement Keys has taken on six new trainees this year; total staff undergoing professional training is 21 in a workforce fast approaching 120. “Bringing in new trainees every year is an important part of our growth strategy,” partner Joe Bates said. “Over the last two years we have increased our staff levels by 40 per cent to ensure clients continue to receive the personal service they expect.”

Partner Simon Atkins said: “This year six young people from a variety of backgrounds will take advantage of our flexible study opportunities while also getting the hands on experience that can only come from playing a key role within their respective departments.”