Glyn Evans, Managing Partner at Bates Weston retires after 46 years of outstanding service with the firm on 31 March 2022.
Where do you start with a man who has been at the heart of Bates Weston for over 46 years?
We could recount his stellar rise to partnership by the age of 24, or his property location and development skills, but it is probably best to start at the beginning.
This local newsagent’s son, got his first taste of hard work on his parents’ paper rounds and his head for finance from collecting the “paper money” each week. Encouraged by a family member, a career in accountancy was clearly going to suit Glyn.
With typical determination, Glyn decided he was going to be an accountant and set about taking his O levels, A levels, and a 9-month Foundation Course at the then Trent Polytechnic before taking up his training contract with Bates Foston (the fore runner to the Bates Weston we know today) in 1976. 4 years later he qualified as an accountant at the age of just 22.
In those days Bates Foston had 4 partners and 30 staff, and offices at Century House on Bold Lane. His fellow clerks greeted him with pieces of string dangling from the fireplace in the clerks’ room – apparently, they were showing him the ropes!
So, our Mr Evans was working hard, training and socialising with the clerks, but he still had close ties with his school friends and in 1976 those friends engineered a meeting of Glyn and his wife to be, Ursula. The Evans’ have now been married for over 40 years, have three children and a grandchild to date, with another expected in June.
Back in the office, Glyn had decided he wanted the variety of client work rather than going in to industry and that he would like to stay with the practice. The Partners offered Glyn a partnership which he took up in May 1983 at the grand old age of 24.
The fast growing firm was bursting at the seams in the Bold Lane offices.
So began an exhaustive search for alternate office accommodation. There was a moment where Bates Foston almost ended up in the old Telegraph building/The Corn Exchange, but a lastminute hiccough with the lease, scuppered that plan.
That deal may have gone South, but Bates Foston still needed more space. So, in the short term offices above the Wardwick pub were taken and some of the staff, including Glyn were stationed there.
Realising life would be better together, the search for larger offices continued and in 1990, Bates Foston relocated to The Mills on Canal Street.
Just before the move Glyn became Managing Partner and in 1993 Bates Foston and R.J Weston merged to form Bates Weston.
As partners retired, homegrown partners took their place and recognising the need to offer clients a full suite of services, Bates Weston Corporate Finance, Bates Weston Financial Services and Bates Weston Tax Advisory have been added to the firm.
Glyn retires from a successful and thriving multi-disciplined firm, housing 75 staff in The Mills on Canal Street. A legacy he can surely be very proud of. Everyone at Bates Weston wishes him a long and happy retirement.
Glyn wanted to take this opportunity to thank all his clients, many of whom he has taken care of for many years and the staff who have worked alongside him for their support over his 46 years. He is looking forward to a more relaxed pace of life and enjoying being with his growing family.
Wayne Thomas, who will take on the role of Managing Partner at Bates Weston when Glyn retires on 31 March, comments:
“Bates Weston is the successful business it is today, in large part due to the influence of our original equity partners. As Glyn leaves the business, we recognise his considerable contribution to the firm and thank him for his commitment and dedication to his clients and the firm over the years. We will certainly miss him”.
Stuart Hulland, who became a partner in 2018 and was mentored by Glyn, comments:
“It’s fair to say Glyn has had a significant influence on my career. From interviewing, then hiring me at 18 years old, his honest and forthright mentoring allowed me to progress through relationship management and ultimately to Partner. I will always appreciate and value the part Glyn has played in my career and I wish him every happiness in his well-earned retirement.”