Gavin St Pier, a leading figure in the fiduciary and professional services sector, has taken up the role of non-executive chairman at The Mercator Group.

St Pier (pictured right) will work with the Mercator board to develop and promote the independent Guernsey business of 30 years standing.

A chartered accountant, chartered tax adviser and barrister, St Pier was one of seven directors involved in the management buy out of Walbrook Group from Deloitte. He later became a director of Barclays Wealth after it acquired Walbrook.

He was previously a partner of KPMG and Deloitte, is a former chairman of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners Guernsey branch and he remains deputy chairman of STEP Worldwide.

“Gavin has a wealth of experience in the fiduciary and professional services arena and his appointment is significant for Mercator as we enter a new phase of development,” says David Preston (pictured left), managing director of Mercator Trust Company. “Under his guidance we can further exploit our capabilities to go from strength to strength.”

Mercator Group employs 92 people and offers fiduciary and corporate services, tax planning and pensions as well as specialist fund administration and investment management from its offices in St Martin’s.

St Pier says: “Mercator has a strong platform upon which to build, characterised by the quality of its team, its professionalism, service and expertise which reflect a strong professional services heritage over three decades. In addition it has independence and integrity.

“We are in the age of opportunity for independents following recent events in the banking sector. For example, Mercator has grown its headcount by 16 per cent during the two years since the recession started.

“I look forward to working alongside David Preston, whom I have known for many years, to ensure that Mercator receives the recognition which its success deserves.”