DFK member firm, CBW, celebrates 65 years

With their recent Best Companies’ awards, winning the 2021 DFK International firm of the year, and with the firm going from strength to strength, here is a quick reflection on where it all began.

Accountancy practices Backer Winter and Carter Poynter were established separately in 1957, forming Carter Backer Winter in 1983 when the firm moved to new offices in Highgate, North London. All founding partners were succeeded by their sons Melvyn Carter, Thomas Backer, and current Managing Partner, Peter Winter, who leads the firm today.  

Over the next two decades, the firm continued to grow in size, by number of partners and staff, but also in the breadth of services offered to clients. CBW’s client base quickly extended beyond North London, and with many clients in the City, right across London, the UK and overseas, the decision was made to move to the City in 2004, where the firm has been ever since.  One thing the CBW team learned since moving to Highgate, all those years ago, was the importance of being based in one office, working together as one team.

Today, with 18 partners and over 165 staff, CBW is still a firm that is small enough to care about clients and their businesses, but big enough to support and help clients achieve their dreams.  At the heart of CBW are its people, in both clients and staff. Over 20% of the team have been with the firm for well over a decade and CBW’s client retention rates are also unusually high. Much of the success of the business is down to the long-standing relationships that have been built over decades between the CBW team and their clients. CBW is more than just a workplace, its social calendar is extensive and most of the team see their colleagues as friends, and in many cases, family. Team socials, trips away and charity events are a regular occurrence.  

Every year, the CBW team votes for a charity to support, and staff members across all levels get involved in a huge range of fundraising activities. The CBW team, clients and contacts have recently raised over £35,000 for the North London Hospice, £18,000 of which was to support the nine members of the CBW team who climbed the Yorkshire Three Peaks last summer.

Reflecting back on the founders of CBW, it was always a family business, and the team is proud to have Peter Winter, Managing Partner, leading the business today. For many, the family values that were the foundation of the business 65 years ago are still deeply rooted within its culture.