In addition to accounting and payroll services, BDO also offers Company Secretarial services to local clients. This includes the provision of assistance with the maintenance of statutory records and the preparation of minutes and related documentation. Our experience and contacts in this field also enable us to advise and assist clients on more complex company secretarial requirements.
Business Advice
With our wealth of local business experience and knowledge we are able to provide a comprehensive service to businesses of all sizes, structures and profiles from newsagents, fishermen, growers and plumbers through to large retailers, builders, garages and insurance brokers throughout the Channel Islands.
Starting or buying a new business is a big step for anybody and the prospect needs to be very carefully thought through if time, energy and perhaps most importantly, money is not to be lost. With experience of assisting many business start-ups, we work closely with our clients and their bank managers to prepare comprehensive business plans and projections.
Once a business is up and running we provide traditional compliance services such as auditing and accounts preparation, company secretarial assistance and advice on taxation issues, as well as consultancy on business planning and forecasting, the selection and implementation of accounting systems, and the disposal or acquisition of businesses.
We also provide many of our clients with a “hand-holding” service whereby we fulfil the role of financial controller for their company where they may not have suitable personnel or capacity to do so in-house. The nature and extent of such a role depends on the complexity and nature of the client’s requirements but may range from acting as an ad hoc “sounding board” to regular meetings to discuss and review financial results, budgets and specific projects. Typical advisory projects include the following:
Valuing private companies for share restructure, purchase or sale;
Creation of performance related remuneration schemes;
Assistance with corporate finance;
Preparation of budgets and comparison with actual results;
Advice in connection with shareholder and loan agreements;
Advice on corporate group structures for specific purposes;
Business Acquisitions and Disposals;
Succession Planning.
A major benefit of our extensive local knowledge and experience is that there are few problems that local businessmen may encounter that we have not come across before. The staff employed within the local business services department have between them achieved over a century of service to Guernsey businesses. This, together with the personal service we give to our clients, sets us apart from our competitors.