Meet our Team – Luke Smith
Luke is a Chartered Accountant who began his journey with the Big-4 firm KPMG before taking the lead in developing Purpose, an award-winning accountancy business based in Jersey. Luke is now Managing Director of Offshore Payroll and a Partner in a successful, boutique Private Equity firm that has created a portfolio of local high performing, synergistic, professional services businesses across industry sectors. With over 24 years’ experience in accounting, finance, and business evolution Luke acts as an advisor to the boards of over 30 owner-managed businesses in Jersey with turnovers of £1M
In 2019, Luke spotted a unique opportunity and led the acquisition of Offshore Payroll Limited, determined to assemble a dynamic team that could take the company’s growth and technological capabilities to the next level. His passion for innovation drives him to continuously explore new ways to leverage technology, to streamline and add value to businesses.
Luke believes in the power of technology to reveal the true value of people and resources. By enhancing Offshore Payroll’s cloud platform, he is on a mission to develop tools that help businesses gain deeper insights into profitability, leading to smarter, more informed decisions.
Whether he is advising at board meetings, valuing a small business, or perfecting his golf game, Luke’s commitment to excellence is evident. He regularly provides expert testimony in the Royal Court in Jersey and has an unblemished record—a testament to his expertise and dedication.
September 13, 2024
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Local Consortium Acquire Offshore Payroll Limited
A group of local companies have jointly purchased Offshore Payroll Limited (OP). OP is payroll service and software business that specialises in processing for jurisdictions that have unique tax and social rules.
The new owners include; recruitment specialists Rowlands, financial strategists Purpose and technology experts Vertix. Together, the group plans to invest in OP’s team and technology to innovate and develop the existing services.
Managing Director of Rowlands, Jeralie Pallot, commented:
‘We believe that this business is an excellent fit for Rowlands and will enable us to provide new, innovative solutions for our clients as OP evolves. I am particularly excited about the potential that OP has to offer deeper insights for employers and efficiencies gained through integration with accounting systems. We believe that with some investment, this is an incredibly useful tool that we will be able to provide to you..’
Managing Director of Purpose, Luke Smith added:
‘My focus when supporting the growth of OP will be to consider innovative ways to use the technology to understand the value of human resources. I believe that we can develop OP’s existing platform to create new ways to understand profitability, which in turn will help businesses to be more intelligent in their decision-making.’
Director of Vertix, Ross Huelin concluded:
‘I am excited to be part of a team that is committed to building on OP’s existing technology in creative and original ways. We are passionate about making complex processes simple, and where possible, automatic, to increase business efficiency and agility. I believe that the development work we undertake will add huge value to existing OP clients, but also open up the technology to have widely useful benefits for global organisations.’
Over the coming months, OP will begin growing its team and rolling out improvements for existing clients, before embarking on a programme of development.
Meet our Team – Mike Edward
With over 25 years of experience in strategic HR management, Mike has a proven track record of successfully delivering complex, multi-jurisdictional projects. He recently joined Offshore Payroll as Managing Director, bringing his extensive expertise to support and enhance our commitment to providing world-class payroll software solutions.
Throughout his career, Mike has led numerous strategic initiatives, consistently ensuring excellence in operations management, financial oversight, team development, and stakeholder relations.
Before joining Offshore Payroll, Mike served as Global Head of HR for one of Europe’s leading hedge funds for nearly 12 years, followed by his role as Chief People Officer for a global Funds Services business. His involvement in multiple payroll integration projects has provided him with deep insights into the client-side dynamics of such initiatives.
Outside of the professional sphere, Mike has been a dedicated volunteer RNLI for the past six years, actively participating as a volunteer crew member on the Inshore and All-Weather lifeboat operations based in St. Helier.
When he’s not at work, Mike is a hands-on dad and enjoys life as a competent snowboarder, keen marathon runner, enthusiastic baker, struggling golfer, occasional surfer, and when time permits, a smiling motorbike rider.
Meet our Team – Julie Heaven
Julie brings a wealth of financial expertise and over two decades of experience to our team. Qualifying as a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) in 2000, she has held several senior financial management roles throughout her career, including her most recent position as Director of Purpose. In this role, she provides strategic financial guidance to owner-managed companies, helping them navigate complex financial landscapes and achieve sustainable growth.
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