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  • Part 1: People Do Business with People They Like: Get Acquainted with The MGroup Team

Part 1: People Do Business with People They Like: Get Acquainted with The MGroup Team

Accountants are often seen as analytical and focused individuals. However, our team at The MGroup breaks away from this stereotype by pursuing diverse hobbies that showcase their unique interests and talents. Let’s get acquainted with some of our team members and discover their captivating hobbies.

Richard Beck – A Passion for Photography

Contrary to the perception of accountants as two-dimensional professionals, Richard Beck, a member of The MGroup team, demonstrates a deep appreciation for the artistic world. With a family history rooted in art and a famous artist great uncle, Walter Battiss, Richard possesses an exceptional eye for colour, shape, contrast, and depth. His artistic flair shines through his passion for freezing moments in time through photography and painting. Richard firmly believes that art is not just a personal enjoyment; it’s a medium to express something profound. Armed with nothing more than a mobile phone, he captures the beauty of the world, reminding us that even in the world of numbers, creativity thrives.

Richard Beck Painting

Richard Beck Photo

Richard Beck Photo 2

Richard Beck Photo 3

Daisie Lafford – Crafting Pillar Candles

Daisie Lafford, another member of our team, has a rather aromatic hobby. She crafts pillar candles with unique shapes and flavours, turning them into delightful gifts for friends and family. What sets pillar candles apart is their rigid wax composition, allowing them to stand independently without the need for containers. While her journey began as a lockdown pastime, Daisie’s house now radiates the fragrant ambiance of a high-end candle shop. Her skill in candle-making offers a beautiful reminder that even in the meticulous world of accounting, there’s room for creativity and warmth.

Daisie Lafford – Crafting Pillar Candles

Bekah Richens – The Thrill of Show Jumping and Horse Training

Meet Bekah Richens, who finds her passion beyond the balance sheets and ledgers—in the exhilarating world of show jumping. With two beloved horses, Twinkle and Dennis, Bekah has ventured into the world of equestrian competition. Twinkle’s impressive journey led them to the national stage, where they secured the 8th position. As Twinkle gracefully ages, Bekah has taken on the challenge of training Dennis, grooming him as her next competition partner. Bekah’s dedication to show jumping and horse training showcases her commitment to excellence, both in her professional and personal pursuits.

Bekah Richens - Show Jumping 2

Wendy Tatham – Nurturing Young Minds Through Scout Leadership

Wendy Tatham, a key member of our team, takes on the role of Scout Lead Volunteer for Oxfordshire Scouts. In her capacity, she ensures that the 95 Scout Groups in Oxfordshire provide enriching experiences to over 6,500 young individuals. Wendy’s mission is to foster skill development, friendship, and the exploration of new activities among these young minds. She leads a team of dedicated volunteers, facilitating training and support to guarantee a fulfilling scouting experience. Wendy’s commitment to inclusivity and her focus on mental health and autism training highlight her dedication to making a positive impact in the community.

The hobbies of our team members reflect their multifaceted personalities and passions. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll introduce you to more remarkable hobbies within The MGroup team.

Testimonials

What our Customers Say

The MGroup have really been there for me and my business through the good times and the more difficult ones. Their advice has always been spot on, and has really ...
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Jessica Harvey-Smith
Debate Chamber Limited
The MGroup have really been there for me and my business through the good times and the more difficult ones. Their advice has always been spot on, and has really helped me to plan ahead and to consider angles on decisions which I might not have thought about otherwise. As well as being admirably clear and straightforward, everyone I have dealt with there has been friendly, patient, and thoughtful, and has really taken the time to get to know my business.
Jessica Harvey-Smith
Debate Chamber Limited
Mark has given me excellent Corporate Finance advice and support for 3 years and I would thoroughly recommend him. He is very tenacious in finding suitable companies to acquire and then ...
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Mark Swaby
Management Buy In client
Mark has given me excellent Corporate Finance advice and support for 3 years and I would thoroughly recommend him. He is very tenacious in finding suitable companies to acquire and then good at negotiating and putting deals together, including the all important funding. He is also very innovative in finding solutions to issues arising along the way.
Mark Swaby
Management Buy In client
Without a doubt, I recommend speaking with The MGroup. They are very knowledgeable, very understanding, have a good feel for our business and accommodate us quickly when we need help. ...
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Peter Mace
Managing Director, TT Concrete
Without a doubt, I recommend speaking with The MGroup. They are very knowledgeable, very understanding, have a good feel for our business and accommodate us quickly when we need help. We frequently get approaches from other accountancy firms and I tell them that we have no need to look elsewhere as everything is catered for very efficiently by Peter Smith and his team. I couldn't fault them.
Peter Mace
Managing Director, TT Concrete
I have nothing but admiration and respect for Geoff, Sandie and Lesley, the team at MGroup Corporate Finance who led us through the sale process - they are...
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Dan Graham
co-founder of F45 Training Stratford
I have nothing but admiration and respect for Geoff, Sandie and Lesley, the team at MGroup Corporate Finance who led us through the sale process - they are true professionals. Our key contact was Partner, Geoff Pinder, who took us under his wing, asking the right questions to help us make sensible decisions and protect our best interests. From the very first conversation it felt like they cared as much about our endgame as we did. We were both under a lot of pressure to close the deal and move on with our lives, so having a team we trusted by our side as we navigated game-playing, time-wasting potential buyers, was incredibly helpful. They are all wonderful people, and I would highly recommend you talk to them if you’re planning to exit your business.
Dan Graham
co-founder of F45 Training Stratford

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Ollie Squire

Partner

Chris Denton

Partner

Jordan Lyne

Partner

Jordan has worked with various client’s over his ten years at The MGroup. The services provided range from bookkeeping, VAT returns, annual accounts and management accounts. He has been involved in recruitment of new staff members and helped move the firm on with it’s systems by creating and improving internal controls and procedures.

Jordan manages his resources efficiently to meet deadlines and where clients have specific requirements, he works closely with them to ensure these are both feasible and met in a timely manner. Jordan has clients in various sectors, ranging from international companies to smaller locally based businesses.

Wendy Tatham

Partner

Wendy joined the firm in 2015, after starting in finance for the NHS and then qualifying with another local firm of accountants. She brought with her experience across all areas, having previously managed payroll support, corporate and personal tax compliance and planning alongside other general practice elements.

Wendy works with clients across a range of sectors and enjoys supporting them with their statutory reporting, internal financial processes, corporate and personal tax planning and business advisory services. A key area of interest is working closely with her clients to support them with growing and restructuring their businesses to align with their long term goals.

In her spare time Wendy is the lead volunteer for Oxfordshire Scouts, supporting 95 Scouts groups across the county to deliver a fun programme of activities to young people aged 4 to 24.

Geoff Pinder

Corporate Finance Partner

Geoff has operated in the Mergers & Acquisitions and the corporate finance arena since 2004. He has held Executive roles leading and managing the performance and productivity of cross functional teams focused on delivering a high quality service to clients across complex portfolios.

Selling a business is a life changing event, and Geoff’s passion is working with businesses owners to help them explore the various exit options and strategies available to achieve their objectives, leading to excellent results for all stakeholders.

Geoff has been involved in over 500 deals across multiple industry sectors, working predominantly on the sell side of transactions, including sales to strategic buyers, private equity, and MBO’s.

Darren Green

Partner

Having grown up in North Oxfordshire, Darren joined The MGroup in 1999 as a trainee, qualified in 2003, and became a partner in 2010. Darren is best known for his ability to ‘go the extra mile’ for clients; even changing a flat tyre outside the office when it was discovered after a meeting, helping his clients to safely make their way home.

Aside from changing tyres, Darren enjoys helping clients to grow their varied and interesting businesses, and gaining insights into a wide range of sectors. In particular, he likes working within the corporate finance team, assisting with financial projections and due diligence for prospective buyers. Darren enjoys the challenging and pressurized nature of this type of work. Many of his clients are from manufacturing, technology or start-up backgrounds.

In his spare time Darren is a family man and he also enjoys sport, including football, skiing and running. He has taken part in a 26 mile walk for a cancer charity with colleague Geoff.

Peter Smith

Partner

Peter joined The MGroup in 1990 and became a partner in 1996. Originally from Wiltshire, Peter is a member of the Oxford Chamber of Commerce where he has been a Chamber council member for over 20 years.

Helping to provide a complete finance solution to companies is one of Peter’s key focus areas. He believes this to be a service that sets the partnership aside from its competitors, alongside The MGroup values and employees.

Peter provides financial mentoring, support with strategy and planning, solutions to increase profitability and improve cash flow, and help with expansion/diversification plans. His specialist interest areas include not-for-profit, healthcare and international organisations.

Peter enjoys the opportunities and challenges he is faced with every day at The MGroup and making a difference to clients’ lives. He is also a keen local charity supporter, regularly helping to raise funds and awareness for SeeSaw and SpecialEffect where he is an ambassador.

Outside of work, Peter is a Chelsea Football Club season ticket holder. He likes walking in the local area, especially if there is a pub or café at the end of the walk, and enjoys holidays in Devon, in particular to a secret escape in Dartmouth.

Richard Clayton

Partner

In 1984 Richard became the youngest ever partner at The MGroup at the age of 27 and is now the longest serving partner. Richard is a true team player, having been a prominent local footballer in his early years. He very much brings the team ethos to The MGroup who like to work as an integral part of their client teams.

Richard qualified in 1982 and has worked with many of his clients for decades, evidence of the excellent service provided by both Richard and the firm. Richard is proud of the firm’s exceptional reputation. He continues to develop new strategies and explore improvements to the services they provide and remains highly ambitious and committed. Outside of work Richard enjoys golf, football, spending time with his family and the very occasional glass of wine (normally accompanied by too much food!).

Richard has a depth of knowledge and experience in all areas of the construction industry and also deals with most of the firms agricultural clients. He also deals with a wide range of other clients which include a substantial number of UK subsidiaries of overseas companies together with a number of high profile local businesses. Richard is a firm believer that the role of a trusted accountant is to provide clients with the best possible advice and support. The client does not always have to follow advice but he believes they must have all options on the table to form a meaningful decision.