Neil Finlayson
A senior partner in the top 10 international audit and legal firm, Moore Kingston Smith, Neil sits on the firm’s Governance Board and is Chair of the Remuneration Committee. Neil is also Chair of the firm’s Community Foundation and helped coordinate Moore Global’s support for member firm Moore Ukraine in 2022.
He is Chair of the Moore Global Worldwide Donor Funded Services Group, leading and coordinating member firms’ work in this sector across the world. This involves verification and advisory work in respect of the funding provided by the UN, EU, World Bank, and similar governmental and financial institutions to rebuild countries. Prior to this role, for many years, Neil headed up the Charities and Nonprofit specialist sector team at Moore Kingston Smith. Neil specialises in advising and auditing international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charities, collaborating with clients funded by the EU, SIDA and other international institutional funders, and he is authorised to undertake USAID grant assurance work.
With his extensive knowledge of running and of the governance of international fundraising and grant-making charities, Neil has an unparalleled understanding of the challenges such organisations face as well as those faced by many other charitable bodies, including religious, historic, cultural and educational organisations. Known for his supportive, patient and calm persona, Neil is a keen listener who works in partnership with his clients, advising across a wide range of business issues. He is always willing to be a sounding board, providing his clients with ideas, adding value through innovative and constructive advice backed by more than 25 years’ sector experience.
He has been the firm’s representative on the UK ICAEW charity technical committee and has been teaching on City University’s MSc course in Charity Finance, Grant-making and Fundraising for over 32 years. He has contributed to many professional publications relating to the governance and financial management of charities and NGOs.
Neil is also Chair of an international insurance company which is a trading subsidiary of a charity group that he helped set up. The profits of this company fund charitable activities and grant-making in both the UK and Europe. He has held several governance roles, including being a Trustee of youth homelessness charity Centrepoint for many years.
