Who we are

The Leeds Financial Services Initiative (LFSI)

is a partnership body, whose primary aim is to promote the city as the leading financial centre in the UK outside London. LFSI was founded by Leeds City Council and the Leeds Chamber of Commerce together with a number of leading financial and legal firms in 1993. Membership has grown every year and over 100 firms and organisations are now subscription members, including all the major financial services organisations in Leeds. (click here for list )

LFSI is a leading player within the city's main public/private partnership body, the Leeds Initiative, which is implementing programmes for the long term development of the city.

LFSI's policy and activity programme is overseen by a Steering Group comprising senior members of the Leeds financial community led by a Chairman and a Chief Executive.

The current Chairman is Kevin O'Connor, office managing partner of Baker Tilly and the Chief Executive is Howard Kew. The Steering Group includes the following:

Kevin O'Connor, Baker Tilly	Duncan Mycock, KPMG
Martin Dean, Leeds Initiative	Rob Norreys, Leeds City Council
Simon Foy, Yorkshire Forward	Prof . Stephen Parkinson, Leeds Metropolitan University
Keith Froud, Eversheds	Chris Powell, Deloitte and Touche
Paul Fullerton, Bank of England	James Rogers, Leeds City Council
Mark Hannam, Pricewaterhouse Coopers	Jeremy Shulman, Shulmans Solicitors
Joanne Lake, Evolution Securities	Mark St John Qualter, Royal Bank of Scotland
Prof. Andrew Lock, University of Leeds	Michael Taylor, Walker Morris
Martin Lunt, HSBC	Andrew Walker, Leeds Chamber/Watson Burton
Andrew McKeon, AJM Public Relations

Leeds Financial Services Initiative
53 The Calls
Leeds
LS2 7EY

Tel. 0113 247 4689

info@leedsfinancial.co.uk

LFSI Chairman - Kevin O'Connor

Kevin became chairman in 2007, having been a member of the LFSI Steering Group since 2004. He is a chartered accountant and Senior Managing Partner in the Leeds office of Baker Tilly, a full service accountancy practice with particular expertise in supporting smaller listed companies and growing entrepreneurial businesses.

Kevin is also a member of the Leeds Initiative Board, a member of the Leeds city region Business Leadership Group and a trustee of the Leeds Community Foundation.

LFSI Chief Executive - Howard Kew

Howard Kew, who has held a number of senior positions at Norwich Union, most recently as director of capital management at Norwich Union Life in York since 2005, takes over the role of LFSI chief executive on a full time basis immediately.

Mr Kew, aged 48, is a graduate of the University of Leeds. He was treasurer of Leeds Building Society from 1996-99 before joining Norwich Union Personal Finance, where he was also treasurer and then director of finance and strategy. At Norwich Union he was responsible for a number of successful commercial developments, organisational changes and business improvements.

As LFSI chief executive Howard Kew will recruit and lead a six-strong team in an enlarged LFSI to deliver the programme which was announced this summer under a partnership agreement with Yorkshire Forward. The regional development agency is investing £2.45m and LFSI, which has over 100 member firms, will contribute the balance.

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