Last year Guernsey was named International Finance Centre of the Year and at the STEP Private Client Awards 2009/10 two locally-based providers won awards.
Ogier was named IFC Legal Team of the Year, Virtus Trust was named Independent Trust Company of the Year and Butterfield Trust was named Institutional Trust Company Team of the Year.
Bob Moore, Managing Director of Butterfield Bank (Guernsey) Limited, collected the award on behalf of the Group and said that he attributed the success to the high level of attention Butterfield provides to clients and their advisers.
"We pride ourselves on delivering highly personalised service and our ability to provide tailored financial solutions for each family's unique needs," said Mr Moore.
"We have been in the business of administering trusts since the advent of global trust legislation more than 70 years ago. To have won arguably the most prestigious award in the private client world is a credit to the legacy we have inherited as well as the experience and knowledge of our team internationally."
Butterfield also sponsored the Philanthropy Team of the Year Award, which was presented by Katie Booth, Managing Director of Butterfield International Private Office Limited.
Delegates gathered at the London Hilton for the black-tie awards ceremony, which was hosted by Gyles Brandreth, one of Britain's most sought after awards ceremony hosts and after-dinner speakers. Highlighting excellence among private client solicitors/attorneys, accountants, barristers, bankers, trusts managers and financial advisers, 20 different awards were presented covering various areas of private client practice. These were judged by a panel of 14 judges, supported by a panel of experts that included more than 100 industry professionals worldwide.
According to the judges what differentiated Virtus Trust from its competitors was that it has become the first foreign non-bank group to obtain a fiduciary licence to operate in the US, which was seen to be an innovative move and attractive to clients and intermediaries.
The STEP judges said: "Virtus Trust are a safe pair of hands who have developed a reputation for being able to take on large and complex cases, and their US licence provides a significant commercial advantage."
One of the founders, Nick Moss, added: "We have established ourselves from a new business in 2005 to a point where we are now a force in the independent international trustee and corporate management business. We are delighted by this recognition at the landmark private client event of the year.
"It has been extremely challenging to build and develop our client relationships and this award is a tremendous accolade not only for the business itself but also for our staff who have put a considerable amount of hard work into achieving this. It is also an important award for Guernsey as it once again demonstrates the Island's fiduciary sector as being in the forefront of professionalism and innovation."
Virtus Trust is an international trust and corporate services group founded in 2005 by three individuals, Roderick Balfour, David Allison and Nick Moss who together brought over 60 years of high-level trustee experience to the business. The firm's core services include private and corporate trust services as well as company and partnership administration.
Steve Meiklejohn, Partner and Head of the Private Client & Trusts Practice at Ogier, picked up the award on behalf of his firm.
"I am immensely proud to receive such recognition from industry peers for excelling in the private client arena, once again demonstrating our market leading position. Winning this award is a testament to the commitment and expertise of our international Private Client & Trusts team, particularly in such a competitive field," he said.
For more information about Guernsey's finance industry please visit www.guernseyfinance.com.
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