Champion Round-Up | By Ged Cosgrove, group managing partner
It’s a rare privilege to celebrate a milestone like this – 40 years working in a profession and business you genuinely love.
Reflecting on the last four decades, both Champion and the world around us have changed significantly. In 1985, the year of Live Aid, the discovery of the Titanic wreckage, and the release of Back to the Future, Champion was a 13-person practice based in Manchester. The Group’s real growth journey began in the late 80s with our move to the current Manchester office – laying the foundation for the expansion that would follow across Blackpool, Chester, and Preston.
Today, we’re proud to employ more than 100 talented professionals across four offices, supporting a diverse portfolio of clients. Our growth has always been underpinned by two constants: a deep belief in the value of relationships, and a commitment to developing our people from within. More than 700 individuals have been part of the Champion team over the years, many through our trainee programmes. Several of our former trainees are now in senior roles within the Group, while others have gone on to become clients or peers within the wider profession.
Champion has navigated many economic cycles – from financial crises to a global pandemic – by staying true to our values and supporting clients through every stage of business growth: from start-up through to scale and sale. It’s a point of pride that we still work with some of the same clients who joined us in the 1970s.
It’s been an honour to work alongside so many dedicated colleagues and ambitious clients throughout the decades. I’m incredibly proud of what Champion has achieved, and I look forward to seeing the business continue to grow with the same passion for service, quality, and people that has always defined us.
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