Friends of the Orient

One of the first founder members of Friends of the Orient was Steven Neal.  Steve is a senior partner in Kingston Smith LLP one of the UK's top 20 UK accountancy and auditing firms.

With 46 partners spanning six offices across London and the South East, the firm supports entrepreneurial businesses, charities, education and religious organisations, trade, professional associations and private individuals.

The ethos of Kingston Smith LLP is to help clients succeed in their commercial and financial goals. In particular they have developed significant experience in supporting growing businesses through every stage of their development. To do so, partners formulate a deep understanding of the marketplace and environment in which each client competes.

Steve specialises in helping owner managed business realise their potential by guiding them through all stages of corporate growth.  This typically involves helping them obtain finance, make acquisitions of other businesses and ultimately taking them through to a successful sale.  As you would expect the firm has substantial resources and skills available to meet its client's needs.  You can see these for yourself at www.kingstonsmith.co.uk.

Steve has been an O's fan for over 40 years and saw the opportunity to combine business with pleasure with the opening of the new West Stand facilities.

I asked him recently whether his expectations of FOTO had been met -

"Last season was extremely successful both from a supporters and business point of view.  I always believed that combining people's interest in sport with excellent restaurant and entertaining facilities would assist me in obtaining new clients.  Without exception all my guests (irrespective of the result) left with a very favourable view of Leyton Orient and, most importantly, appreciated the invite from us.  This has lead directly to new business relationships which have paid back our investment.

"One of the best features of entertaining here is the open plan restaurant which lets you mingle with other guests and generates a great atmosphere that you do not get in grounds that have corporate boxes."

I also asked him what FOTO members could do to help the club further

"Apart from the obvious use of facilities, I think that by passing on business leads to FOTO members in the first instance will provide us all with the ability to invest more cash in the club which we would have spent on getting that business anyway."

So what type of business are you looking for?

"One of the most important things that business owners overlook is planning their exit.  This is a difficult task as the obvious answer is usually not the one that will provide them with the best price and most people are not aware of the time it takes or the steps necessary to groom the business.  So I am particularly keen on this area."

Let's hope that they continue to be successful in acquiring new clients as they have again sponsored us for this season. Steve can be contacted on 0207 566 4000 or email sn@kingstonsmith.co.uk