STEP is delighted to announce 39 new award winners in its Worldwide Excellence Awards, with a further seven from STEP Canada.

Launched in June 2016, the Awards run twice a year to celebrate the highest achievement in STEP qualifications globally.

The latest winners are the top achievers across STEP’s exams for the period 1 July – 31 December 2018.

Seven of them are from firms that have been accredited on STEP’s Employer Partnership Programme, including Butterfield Trust (Guernsey), Equiom (Guernsey), Old Mutual International, Rawlinson & Hunter, Dentons UK and Middle East, Anderson Strathern, and Balfour + Manson.

‘We’re very pleased to see such a strong Employer Partner presence among these awards, which for me is a clear demonstration of these firms’ commitment to education and training,’ said Jenni Hutchinson, STEP’s Head of Employer Partnerships.

Our special congratulations go to Chui Ying Hui TEP, of Withers Hong Kong, who won two awards, for the STEP Advanced Certificate in Cross-Border Estates and the STEP Advanced Certificate in Trustee Investment & Financial Appraisal – DL+.

We had joint winners for qualifications in Cross Border Estates, Family Business Advising and the Certificate of Trusts and Estates.

‘We extend our warmest congratulations to the winners,’ said Madeleine Jenness, STEP’s Senior Manager, Professional Development, ‘It’s wonderful to see such talent and commitment from our students, some of whom are already Full Members of STEP. We’re particularly impressed by those who have come top in more than one category.’

The top students come from all over the world, including the USA, Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands and Monaco. Within the British Isles, Jersey, Guernsey, Cardiff, Glasgow, Torquay, Bournemouth, Manchester, Norwich, Ipswich and London were all represented.

Dual award winner Chui Ying Hui TEP said: ‘The course taught us practical knowledge about the administration of trusts. Such knowledge is very helpful when advising clients or trustees on all kinds of trust matters.’

Joseph Slane of Dentons UK and Middle East (Glasgow), the highest scoring graduate of the STEP Advanced Certificate in Trusts: Law and Practice (Scotland), said: ‘I would implore any private client practitioners in Scotland to undertake this Diploma. The knowledge and practical skills obtained through reviewing the materials and sitting the exam are invaluable.’

STEP Canada runs a separate annual Canadian student awards programme and announced its winners at its National Conference on 6 June at a special Student Reception. The winners include students who scored the highest marks in each of the STEP Canada diploma papers, and the highest mark in Canada on the essay route.

• Full list of winners

The top scoring students for the period 1 January – 30 June 2019 will be announced in November. 

About STEP qualifications

STEP runs a number of qualifications for those who advise on family inheritance and succession planning, including Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Diplomas with our primary education partner CLT International. Students need to gain a specific number of credits via examination, essays or prior experience in order to become an Affiliate Member, an Associate Member or a ‘TEP’ – the designation granted to a Full Member of STEP.

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For further information please contact Joanna Pegum, Tel: +44 (0)20 3752 3771, Email: [email protected].

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. STEP works to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members. STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting wills to issues surrounding international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience.

Find out more at www.step.org.