Offshore Group managing director Craig Shorto introduces the firm, which has opened an office in Jersey last year, after working with Island businesses since 2010. Offshore Group is an outsourced accounting and payroll provider with offices in Jersey and Guernsey.
The Guernsey office was originally set up in 2007 and has serviced Jersey accounting and payroll clients since 2010. The Jersey company was incorporated in early 2023, and our first team member joined on February 1.
We offer services to businesses in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, the UK and Ireland.
We are more than just your accountant and tax adviser. Yes, we do the bookkeeping, payroll and reporting, but our main focus is to add value and help businesses succeed, and we have a real track record of achieving this already.
Expertise and services
We are accountants by training but consultants by experience, offering innovative, pragmatic and commercial solutions to our broad client base. Whether you are looking for strategic support in finance and accounting or to offload the burden of payroll, our highly skilled professionals are ready to hit the ground running and provide a tailored and scalable service to fit your needs.
Our services include:
Financial control (including a virtual finance director).
Management accounting.
Bookkeeping.
Back-office support.
Annual financial statements and tax.
Payroll.
Client Focus
Our experience makes us well-equipped to support large financial institutions, as well as small independents within the Channel Islands and beyond. We have two primary business lines – commercial and corporate – and each is managed by a team that works on like-minded clients all day, every day, to ensure that clients have a dedicated team that knows and understands their business and industry.
Community Engagement
We have an active team that is interested in all things sport and that is why we look to engage with the community by supporting local sports clubs and associations. Across the islands, we are the main sponsors of the Guernsey FA Cup and we also support tennis in Jersey.
Team and Culture
The Offshore Way is about creating an environment where our staff and clients can be humble, happy and inspired. We are a young and dynamic business that is disrupting the traditional accounting sector by building strong client relationships and automation. We want to get to know you and understand what keeps you awake at night and gets you up in the morning.
We want to figure out how we can free you from the administrative and compliance burden that prevents so many entrepreneurial businesses from reaching their full potential. Our mantra is not to be your stereotypical accountant, so don’t expect to see a grey pinstripe suit.
Future Plans
We are looking to continue on our path of growth and to maximise the number of businesses to which we can make a real difference in Jersey while also providing a secure and rewarding workplace for our staff.
Tell us about the history of your firm and its journey from Guernsey to Jersey.
We were originally formed in Guernsey in 2007 and began trading as a consultancy business, offering consulting services to companies and individuals in the Channel Islands, the UK and Ireland. This later grew to include a full offering of outsourced accounting and payroll services from 2010. By the end of 2021, the company employed over 50 full-time staff, at which point part of the business was sold, and the new Offshore was born. Given the success in Guernsey, we felt that it was the right time to move into the Jersey market to expand our existing Jersey client base.
What motivated the decision to expand your accountancy services to Jersey?
We wanted to service businesses we had never previously had exposure to. We passionately believe that we can help businesses succeed, so having the opportunity to explore a new market excited us, and it should excite Jersey businesses, too.
What specific accountancy services does your firm specialise in?
We offer a full suite of services, from payroll and basic bookkeeping to virtual finance director. Our services are bespoke, and we offer scalable services to fit each client’s needs.
What sets you apart in the Jersey market?
We see ourselves as solution providers who also happen to be accountants. No job is too big or too small, and we will always find a solution. Whether we do the work ourselves or recommend you to a business partner, you can rest assured we will get the job done.
Are there any particular industries or sectors in Jersey that your firm aims to support?
Our payroll team supports anyone with a payroll need, whether you are a small one-man band or a large financial institution. Our accounting clients are either commercial businesses (e.g., trading businesses like hotels, restaurants, and construction businesses) or corporate entities (e.g., regulated managers, trust businesses, or funds). Each sector is serviced by a dedicated team that specialises in the industry.
What types of clients do you primarily work with, and how do you tailor your services to meet their needs?
Commercial clients make up the largest part of our group client book. These tend to be locally owned and managed businesses whose owners are not from a finance background. Therefore, they lean on us to prepare the financial information and present it in a way that can be understood and acted upon. We will flex the way we work to suit each client to be sure that we seamlessly integrate into their business and become an extension of their existing team.
Who are key members of your team, and what are their roles in the firm’s success?
Daan Van Heerden is the head of our Jersey office. He has done a fantastic job of establishing our business on the Island by meeting clients and replicating the exceptional service levels we have offered in Guernsey for some time. Daan joined us from a Jersey-based accounting firm and is a qualified accountant from South Africa.
It is because of Daan’s efforts that we have such a strong platform in Jersey to push on and support lots more local businesses and our growing team.
Comments