Phil Anderson Financial Services shortlisted for Northern Star Business Award

Phil Anderson Financial Services has been named as a finalist in the prestigious 2018 Northern Star Business Awards in recognition of the way in which the company excels in looking after its employees.

The Aberdeenshire-based company has been shortlisted in the Staff Matter category alongside Bon Accord Care and Marathon Oil UK.

Organised by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Star awards celebrate the achievement of companies of all sizes and across all sectors for exceptional accomplishments across a range of business-related fields. The winner will be announced at a gala awards ceremony in September.

Mr Anderson said he was delighted that the company, which has seven employees, had been shortlisted for an award which focuses on staff.

“We are a relatively small and young company so to be named as a finalist alongside such strong and much bigger contenders is a huge honour,” he said. “I think it confirms that it doesn’t matter how big the company, staff very much matter, and I’m really pleased this awards recognises that.

“We have seen year on year growth since the company started in 2010 and the past few months have been the busiest and most successful ever for the business. I firmly believe that is down to the hard work and contribution of the people who work here. We couldn’t have achieved that without them and being able to acknowledge and reward that and to say thanks for the benefits that brings to our clients is what makes being in business worthwhile.”

The company has introduced a wide range of incentives and benefits for staff, both team-related and individual, flexible working practices such as home working and a training and development programme to support and encourage both personal and professional development.

Company successes are also shared by the team through social activities and in December 2017, Mr Anderson fulfilled his commitment to give the staff a Christmas night out to remember if they met their targets by personally funding a five-day all expenses paid trip to New York. Earlier this year, he rewarded his longest-serving employee, office manager Becky Shiel, for her support by making her a company director and gifting her a 5 percent share of the company.

Mr Anderson started up his own independent financial advisory business after being made redundant in 2010.

The company now has a full-time staff of seven and provides personal financial advice to more than 1,200 clients in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and North Scotland.

Headquartered in Ellon it also has satellite offices in Aberdeen, Caithness, Westhill, Inverurie, Newmachar, Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

It has already won a number of awards. Phil Anderson Financial Services was named Best Independent Financial Adviser in Scotland in the 2017 International Finance Awards and Phil was named Employer of the Year at the 2017 Pride of Aberdeen Awards. Financial Adviser Ryan Yule was named 2017 UK Pension Adviser of the Year in the national Financial Monthly Awards.