100 years of Moore Kingston Smith
Moore Kingston Smith is celebrating a milestone 100 years in business throughout 2023. The centenary recognises 100 years of supporting clients, industry innovation, learning and growing into the firm it is today.
Founded in 1923 by Herbert Kingston and George Alan Smith, today the firm has over 75 partners and 700 people based across six offices in and around the M25. 100 years of history has been chronicled with a video telling its story, encapsulating the firm’s growth and client expansion throughout its journey.
Historical highlights include establishing the Corporate Finance department in the 1980s; the first of many new service offerings to provide a one-stop-shop for client demand beyond accounts, tax and audit.
1991 saw the beginning of the West End office, dedicated to media and marketing clients. A new approach previously unseen outside of the Big Four, the firm is now recognised for servicing clients in this space, and renowned for its flagship annual Media Survey of over 250 marketing services companies.
The creation of Kingston Smith & Partners in 1995 saw the addition of the firm’s business recovery and insolvency arm, while HR Consultancy opened in 2005.
Approval for an ABS licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2015 made Kingston Smith the first medium-sized accounting firm to receive such a licence, enhancing its legal service offerings and enabling the all-encompassing approach for clients. In 2016, the firm launched its charity partnership, still going strong today.
While 2019 saw the firm join the Moore Global network and become Moore Kingston Smith, more recent milestones include launching the Moore Kingston Smith Community Foundation in 2021.
2022 saw the relocation of the firm’s city office to Liverpool Street’s 9 Appold and the introduction of a flexible benefits platform, as well as several accolades, including ranking third in Accountancy Age’s Mid-Tier Power Index and listing in the top 10 of Accountancy Age’s top 50+50 as part of the Moore UK network.
To mark 100 years, the firm has launched its ‘Giving 100’ campaign, a commitment that emphasises its purpose; to create positive impact with lasting success for its people and its clients. Building on its people-first approach and philanthropic nature, the centenary campaign will see Moore Kingston Smith celebrate and give back to its people and local communities, from a bumper participation in the London Landmarks Half Marathon to marching in London Pride and more.
Maureen Penfold, Managing Partner comments: “We’re so proud to commemorate 100 years of Moore Kingston Smith and the journey taken to reach where we are today. It’s amazing to think we began in 1923 with two partners and now we have a wonderfully diverse team of people across a wide range of disciplines.”
“We are equally excited about the future. With our clients fully at the heart, we will continue listening to their needs, building on our offering, and helping them reach their potential with greater access to expertise at a national, European and global level through the network – all the while promising excellence of service.”
“Contributing to social mobility will be a focus for us in 2023. Ensuring people from all backgrounds have access to the world of accountancy is important to us, and we will continue striving to provide a people-first, inclusive workplace that drives sustainable success for our people and clients, without whom Moore Kingston Smith would not be where we are today.”