About UsAt Westbury we appreciate the value of working together as a team. Because the flow of ideas is encouraged at Westbury and everyone feels free to express their opinion with regard to work related matters it has by the very nature of being, created a dynamic work environment. As a team we all recognise our responsibility in making Westbury what it is. The reputation of the whole firm is in the hands of each individual and we are proud of being part of such a strong team. Together we encourage and motivate each other in a dynamic environment so that as a team we can provide innovative and profitable solutions for individuals and businesses. | Keith Graham |  |  | Keith became a partner in May 1982 and managing partner in January 2000. He combines his management responsibilities with servicing a mixed portfolio of clients. Specialties include the property sector. He is also particularly interested in corporate finance and in developing our international connections. Keith is married with three children. Leisure interests include playing five-a-side football, tennis and golf. He is also responsible for the organisation of our annual indoor cricket competition at Lord's Cricket Ground and a member of the Lord's Taverners. Although Keith has retired recently as Chairman of the Family Holiday Association after holding the position for 12 years, he continues with the charity in the role of Treaurer. The Family Holiday Association, a national charity dedicated to providing a break from the pressures of daily life for severely underprivileged children and families, many of whom have never known what it is like to spend time together in relaxed circumstances as a family unit.
Email Keith | | Howard Graham |  | | Howard trained with a top 20 firm and after a short spell in industry, joined Westbury in 1985 becoming a partner in 1987. Over the years, his portfolio has been very mixed ranging from textiles to nursing homes, restaurants to property companies.
His main areas of professional involvement are largely in the areas of financial and business development focusing on strategy and planning.
He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Faculty of Information Technology, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and also holds the Financial Planning Certificate from the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Over the last few year, Howard has been responsible for setting up and growing the award winning Made Simple Group, subsidiary of Westbury, and much of his time is spent on this. Other business interests include involvement with a fruit and vegetable company supplying hotels and restaurants, a property company and a leisure goods operation.
Howard is actively involved with the local business community being a founding member of Clerkenwell BNI and the Clerkenwell Business Network and is also a regular speaker at business events and appears on the Midas Touch panel at the Business Start Up Show.
Howard is married with 2 children aged 20 and 17 and lives in North London. His interests include all sports particularly football where blue is truly the colour. He is a keen cricket fan being both a member of the MCC and a Lords Taverner. Other interests include most sports, Bridge, theatre, and music.
Email Howard | | Jack Gubbay |  | | His area of interest is as an all round general practice consultant. His clients range from antique dealers, caravan park owners, printers to property dealers and developers and is very experienced in dealing with the accounting and taxation affairs of estates and trusts. Outside the office he is a Cantor (make way Pavarotti) and is a keen bridge player. Email Jack | | Philip Klinger |  | | Philip Klinger is one of the longest serving partners at Westbury and proudly boasts of the fact that he trained with the firm and has remained here ever since he left The London School of Economics. Having been a partner in the firm for over 20 years, he has developed a substantial portfolio that includes a considerable number of property clients, but also acts for organisations from diverse fields such as advertising and the art world. Having become a partner at about the time of the introduction of VAT, this is one tax that he has taken on as a particular area of interest and regards it as one of the most complex taxes affecting most business transactions. Outside of the office, he is interested in most sports including tennis, football and cricket. He lives in North West London with his wife Barbara and three grown up children. Email Philip | | Ratan Lele |  | | Having been with the firm for at least fifteen years, five of which in the capacity of partner, Ratan believes the firm is rapidly changing to respond to the challenges of today's constantly changing modern and dynamic environment. With his years of experience, Ratan can be relied upon by worried and stressed clients to deal with their day to day business, management and compliance problems, so that they are free to concentrate on working on their main core business. He views the client/partner relationship as a team effort committed to only one goal; i.e. continued growth and success for the clients business. His areas of interest are dealing with the affairs of high net worth clients, including owner managed medium and small companies. He also specialises in family trusts and estates in terms of taxation and accountancy matters. His portfolio includes varied clients such as property developers, manufacturers, and businesses in the service industry. Outside the office although he has various interests such as sports, keep fit, reading, traveling and spiritual healing. He is a keen runner and participated successfully in the London Marathon and a "swimathon" a few years ago. He is fluent in Asian languages such as Marathi, Hindi and understands Gujarati. Although born in India he spent his childhood in Africa until he left to pursue secondary and higher education in India and UK. Email Ratan | | Nicholas Springer |  | | After leaving school he spent 6 months in France improving his French. He qualified in 1971 with one of the Big Five and spent a further year with that firm gaining additional experience. After joining the family firm of Alexander Springer & Co. he was admitted into partnership in July 1973.The firm was founded in 1932 by his great uncle in Spitalfields Market and consequently specialised in the wholesale fruit and vegetable trade. These connections exist today and we still act for many businesses in this trade. Alexander Springer & Co. merged with Westbury in 1995 and his portfolio has been developed in other directions. One area of emphasis has been the creation of the Executive Tax Return Service, which is designed for high earning individuals, particularly dealers in the major city institutions. With his wife, he has been involved in fund raising for several charities. Other interests include bridge, golf, travel, the arts and good eating. Email Nicholas | | Andy Gittins |  | | Andy qualified in 1979 and then worked for Price Waterhouse, before moving to Bermuda where he worked as financial controller for a large insurance company. From there he was promoted to a senior position at the head office in New York. Andy returned to the UK in 1988 and established his own practice. He joined a top 20 firm in 1996 and then became a partner in Learer Roberts in June 2000. His areas of particular interest include the music and entertainment industries. Andy is married with three children and lives in Hertfordshire. He is a keen tennis and squash player and has run in three marathons. Email Andy | | Adrian Learer |  | | Adrian qualified in 1982 and at just 22 was one of the youngest Chartered Accountants in the country. On leaving Coopers & Lybrand in 1987 he started his own practice which operated as Learer Roberts prior to its merger with Westbury in November 2004. Adrian has built and managed several businesses of his own and combines this wealth of practical experience with his accounting and tax knowledge to offer business development consultancy to a wide range of clientele. Adrian lives in North London and in his spare time keeps busy with fitness training, pilates, life drawing, reading and the arts. Adrian joins us a consultant. Email Adrian | | Nicola Pearson |  | | Nicki joined Westbury as a trainee in 1998 fresh from university, having studied for a degree in Human Anatomy and Cell Biology. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2001 and since then has risen through the ranks to take partnership in August 2005. Nicki is proud to be the first ever, female partner at Westbury. Nicki enjoys the variety provided in general practice and the challenge of having clients in a number of different industries. She has also worked closely with Howard Graham on a number of his restaurant and catering clients and is expanding this side of her portfolio. Nicki is married and lives with her husband James in Sevenoaks, Kent. Outside of the office she enjoys foreign travel, walks in the country (particularly if she can find a dog to borrow), reading, work-outs in the gym and cooking. Email Nicki | | Julian Dabek |  | | Julian has worked in the field of taxation since he qualified 25 years ago. He worked for 2 of the Big 4 firms over a 15 year period, and was a senior manager dealing with VAT and Corporate Tax issues for a wide range of clients.
Following a spell in industry with the Green Flag motor assistance group, he joined Westbury in 1998 where he has helped clients of all sizes with tax planning and compliance issues, specialising in the owner-managed business sector, as well as high net worth individuals and domicile issues. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
Julian lives in North West London with his wife and three teenage children. He is interested in music and football and has been a loyal supporter of Notts County FC for almost 40 years.
Email Julian | | Nicola Padden |  | | Nicky graduated from Brunel University in June 1998 where she completed her degree in Mathematical and Management Studies. She joined Westbury in August 1998 as a trainee, working mostly in the audit department, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2002.
As part of her training Nicky undertook a 6 month secondment to the tax department, and since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant has undertaken an increasing amount of taxation work in both Corporate and Personal Taxation. She now manages a number of the firms’ Trust clients.
Her interest in Taxation was confirmed last year when she qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser. However, her work remains varied, including audit, accounts, taxation and general practice development.
Nicky lives with her husband Damian in Twickenham, West London. She enjoys travelling, cinema, theatre, walking her dog, swimming and yoga.
Email Nicky |
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