Phil Harris

Phil Harris is a Client Director in the Yorkshire office at Brown Shipley & Co (BSCo) a Quintet Private Bank. He leads the relationship with a small number of very high value clients and their wider family. Providing advice and support with the challenges they face in fulfilling their hopes, dreams and aspirations.

On a personal level, spending time with his young family provides Phil with the most enjoyment; however, he is also heavily involved with the local community, winning awards such as Yorkshire Volunteer of the Year 2020. He is the Chair for the Leeds & District Basketball Leagues, and previously held a variety of other voluntary positions including Non-Executive Director of a Yorkshire Education Trust. This local community involvement also extents to the Yorkshire office charity of choice, the Leeds Children’s Charity, where Phil coordinates the annual Christmas gift collection.

He holds degrees in Finance, Business, Psychology and Sport. He is a Chartered Wealth Manager, a Chartered Financial Planner and a Fellow by examination of the Personal Finance Society, Chartered Insurance Institute and Chartered Institute of Securities & Investments.

His most recent Master’s degree in Financial Planning researched the motives for inter-generational transfers of wealth. He returned to academia, not only to further the knowledge in our industry and contribute to the profession, but also to better support his clients’ concerns about the next generation. This has helped shape the company’s planning-led approach to business to ensure there is a clearly stated wealth plan in place with clients, enabling a higher degree of success in achieving the goal of wealth preservation through successive inter-generational transfers.

He has received numerous awards and recognition within the organisations he has worked for, often held up as an example of demonstrating best practice. He has received national external recognition being shortlisted as Young Private Banker of the Year (2013) and highlighted as an industry ‘Rising Star’ (2014). He has received Yorkshire external recognition being shortlist as Director of the Year (2019, 2020 & winning in 2021) plus winning the Yorkshire Volunteer of the Year (2020) already mentioned.

As an active participant in various business catalyst and angel investor networks he has established a strong presence within the Yorkshire Entrepreneur market. This includes regularly chairing masterclasses for Connect Yorkshire, a not-for-profit organisation to help Yorkshire businesses grow.

Phil has made a significant impact on the UK business. He has secured a number of key client relationships, supporting the team to double funds under management and making Yorkshire the fastest growing region in the UK. He has also developed new relationships with professional partners and raised profile within the local market. Although his principle responsibilities are client facing, Phil is also involved with a wide range of aspects across the business including work on internal procedures, shaping our values and behaviours and sitting on a number of national committees.  He represents the UK in our Ultra High Net Worth and Family Office offering across the group.  Phil is widely respected across the Group, being viewed as one of the senior people leading from within.

Phil leads the business development initiatives for the Yorkshire office including marketing and events. This includes driving the shared best practice approach between colleagues to ensure continuous development. He mentors a number of individuals across the industry, providing guidance and support to the next generation of professionals. This is not limited to just BSCo colleagues, but includes those in a variety of roles across the wider industry.

An example of this can be seen through his mentorship of a junior member of the Yorkshire office as Phil helped develop his client management skills. When the mentor/mentee relationship first started, Phil invited the mentee to join a client meeting, to observe and take notes. Once this individual progressed and took the next step in his career, the mentee was then able to run the client meeting and Phil was the one taking the notes!

As part of a review of the services we provide, a number of clients were asked for feedback on their relationship with BSCo, the Yorkshire team and Phil. With their consent the responses were published. Examples:

“We feel totally relaxed and confident in the recommendations that have been given and the clear and concise way that our investments have been managed.”

“Becoming a client was the best thing to do for our personal and financial interests. Brown Shipley want a much closer personal relationship with clients than the main banks do, which for us is hugely important.”

“We have found a great level of personal service. Any questions we have are answered almost instantly and review meetings are arranged at a time and place to suit us. We are confident our wealth is in great hands.”

This sort of feedback is common and he has one of the highest Net Promotor Scores (NPS) in the business consistently being in the highest bracket possible (Excellent). Similar responses come from other professionals within the legal and accounting community who Phil works alongside to provide a joined up approach for clients he advises. Example of such industry feedback:

“I have worked with Phil for a number of years in connection with my professional trusteeships. I have always found Phil to be extremely professional and responsive whilst also having a good understanding of the family’s needs and requirements on a more personal level. His ability to create strong relationships mean that he has become a trusted and outstanding professional advisor that I would always be happy to work alongside.”

Given Phil’s outstanding contribution both on a professional and personal level across the business, wider industry and community more generally, BSCo would like to submit a nomination for Director of the Year for Phil Harris. We believe he exemplifies the criteria in this category.