2021 MASECO Update

Written by Josh Matthews, HBA

What a year it’s been…

Looking back at 2021, it has had its ups and downs, but we thought we would focus on the positives here at MASECO! From the business being a finalist of the Professional Adviser Awards 2021 as “Tax-Efficient Adviser Firm of the Year” to hosting our third Annual Charity Softball Match in conjunction with LondonSports, there have been many highlights and proud moments following a challenging year for everyone.

Awards

In the first quarter, MASECO was shortlisted for two categories within the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2021, under the categories of Private Client Asset Manager and Financial Advisory Firm of the Year, and Co-Founder and Managing Partner Josh Matthews, joined the judging panel following his gold award last year. We were also a finalist of the Professional Adviser Awards 2021 as “Tax Efficient Adviser Firm of the Year.” Josh Matthews, James Sellon, Rory Dorman, Andrea Solana & George King IV King have all been featured in the 2021 Spears 500, Spear’s Magazine, the guide to the market’s best private client advisers.

This quarter, Andrea Solana, Partner and Head of Advanced Planning, has won silver in the Financial Advisory Individual of the Year category in the 2021 Citywealth Future Leaders Awards, and MASECO and Josh have been shortlisted in the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2022 in the Financial Advisory Firm of the Year and the Outstanding Individual of the Year categories.  Finally, Josh and James were once again included on the exclusive Citywealth Top 100 Wealth Manager list for top Wealth Managers in Europe & the UK.

These achievements are a testament to the dedication and hard work the whole team at MASECO puts in daily, and we are incredibly proud of our successes.

Events

On Friday 25th June, MASECO Private Wealth, in conjunction with LondonSports, hosted its Annual Charity Softball Match for the third time at Wormwood Scrubs near White City.

The event was a massive success, with the tournament raising thousands for LondonSports, during these challenging times for the charity sector.

We would again like to thank all sponsors, Blick Rothenberg, Buzzacott, EY Frank Hirth, Frontier Group, Goldman Sachs, LGT Vestra US Limited, London & Capital, and US Tax & Financial for their donations and participation in such an excellent day for a fantastic cause.

Recruitment

This year, the company has grown, which means that we have had to increase our headcount to support our expansion. 2021 has been our biggest year for recruitment yet, hiring a total of 28 additional employees throughout the year in a range of different departments around the business.

We wish to grow organically by hiring individuals who share our core beliefs and values. As a certified B Corporation, MASECO is a different type of financial services company that attracts people who share the idea that we all have a broader social purpose. We are incredibly proud of all the passionate, entrepreneurial individuals who have joined our ambitious and growing team this year.

We look forward to their continued support and contribution to our growth and success.

Campaigns

In July, we took part in the Plastic Free July challenge and ran a campaign internally and externally to raise awareness to reduce the amount of plastic we produce. Plastic is the number one product people use each day, despite how damaging it is to the environment. Plastic Free July was all about encouraging people to be more aware of their plastic use with an end goal of creating a cleaner world.

We plan to continue doing more internal and external campaigns like this in 2022, starting with Veganuary in January, encouraging and inspiring people to try vegan for the month and beyond.

A 2018 report published in the journal Science confirmed that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet’ [1], therefore through encouraging our employees to adopt a plant-based diet and raising awareness of the benefits, we can help reduce our company’s environmental impact.

Charitable Initiatives

Throughout 2021, we have continued our key, ongoing charitable initiative of donating to causes close to our hearts.  Each time a new client comes on board at MASECO, wee donate our three main charities per client.

• Msizi Africa – Each donation we make will feed a child for one month.
• Against Malaria Foundation – Each donation we make will buy five mosquito nets to help prevent the spread of malaria.
• Schistosomiasis Control Initiative – Each donation we make will help deliver treatment to 45 people.

As MASECO continues to grow, we hope to continue increasing our donations and using our business as a force for good.

[1] https://josephpoore.com/Science%20360%206392%20987%20-%20Accepted%20Manuscript.pdf