Meritus Trust Company has won the Trust Company of the Year award for mid-size firms at the 2023-24 Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Private Client Awards at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

The Step Private Client Awards, recognised globally as the pinnacle of excellence within the private client industry, honour outstanding achievements by professionals in the fields of private client solicitors, lawyers, accountants, barristers, bankers, trust managers and financial advisers.

The awards are open to both Step members and non-members, with the aim of celebrating excellence and setting new standards of quality in the industry.

Much to the delight of company principals, Meritus Trust Company emerged as the victor in their category at the 18th annual Step Private Client Awards, competing against a pool of distinguished firms.

Meritus Trust, which also won the award in 2015, said in a statement afterwards that it was “thrilled to announce its recent triumph”.

The statement added that the judging process for the awards is rigorous and exacting, with each entry subjected to thorough evaluation.

Independent experts from the wealth management arena support the panel of judges, who are internationally renowned practitioners.

The local trust company commented: “The judges were particularly impressed by Meritus Trust's extensive capabilities and its unwavering commitment to providing independent fiduciary services to families worldwide.

“The company's remarkable growth has been fuelled by the trust (that) clients have placed in its expertise, alongside a genuine dedication to enhancing its people, processes and overall output.

“Furthermore, the judging panel commended Meritus Trust Company for its mature, progressive and forward-thinking approach to business. The company's steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion, woven seamlessly into its corporate fabric, was also acknowledged as a distinguishing feature.”

In response to this remarkable achievement, Michelle Wolfe, chair and family counsel at Meritus Trust, stated: "Thank you to our families for continuing to trust us. It is truly a privilege to do what we do.

“The greatest form of recognition is when a client (whom we call our families) refer us to their family and friends. Our goal is to be proactive and work with our families to give them peace of mind.

“The Step Trust Company of the Year award is the highest achievement a company in our industry can achieve. They recognised our commitment to our families and our team. What a joyous occasion.”

Sara Schroter and Gina Pereira, co-managing directors, added: "We are delighted that our team has been recognised by the Step community for not just our client-focused approach but also for our focus on our people, and a deep desire to ensure that every member of the Meritus family feels that Meritus is the place that they belong.

“We recognise and embrace our responsibility to all of our stakeholders and thank everyone who has contributed to our success."