Jonathan Walton
Director
MSc (Oxon), FCA
My experience
I have been a director for over 27 years, helping mostly SME enterprises grow and reach their aims, including several business sales, and acquisitions along the way, where knowledge, skills and interpreting the ‘emotions’ of deals from both buyer and seller perspective is key. Like many of my clients, I also own my own business, which adds to my understanding of the challenges they face. I’m also an RI for audit purposes, having done audits all my working life.
My knowledge of tax is exceptional, having completed an MSc in Taxation at Oxford University in the faculty of law.
I have appeared as a High Court expert in shareholder valuation disputes, to provide my opinion to the Court on valuers methodologies where the Court has asked for clarification from an independent expert witness.
As well as being a chartered accountant and chartered certified accountant, my other academic achievements include two degrees from Oxford University (Oxon)2, an MA from Exeter University and an MBA from Reading University
- BA undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE)
- MSc Faculty of Law
- MBA
- MA in Leadership Studies
- BFP (ICAEW)
At firm wide level, it is people that matter to me – we have thousands of clients here at WS, and we can only delight them if we have happy and engaged people, with the knowledge and desire required to give clients confidence that we are their chosen advisor. I’m definitely a people person. Lots of my clients are great friends now, I’m definitely a trusted advisor.
Describe what you do at Whitley Stimpson
Once upon a time I was the whole firm Managing Director, but with fewer directors this position no longer exists, as we are now very democratic – as you would expect from someone with a love of the ancient Greeks.
I’m delighted to have gone back to my roots, so along with my team, I spend all of my time advising clients, many of whom I have looked after for years, and also meeting potential new clients – where I love finding out about what they do, and where they want to be, so we can build a trusted advisor relationship. My client retention levels are exceptional, as anyone who knows me will tell you. My team look after by far the biggest portfolio of clients held by any director in the firm, which I think is testimony to the direct team around me, most of whom have been around to help me for years, decades in fact. I’m really happy looking after my clients and my people, that’s what work for me is about. Happiness in the workplace.
Why Whitley Stimpson?
Great people, great clients, great quality, great culture and great satisfaction. We are a big enough firm to have that little bit of expertise in areas where some firms lack, but our clients range from the traditional one person business, to groups turning over just less than £1billion; from local businesses, to subsidiaries of groups all over the world. Most of my client base are SME’s.
What matters to you?
Staff and clients for the reasons above. We want to work together, be happy and get the job done and be rewarded intellectually and financially. Absolutely love challenging work, mergers and acquisitions or business disposals for example, and I have been brought in quite a few times for one-off assignments in this area by other professional advisors.
